International Airport in Malta All you need to know

Discover the main information about Malta airport for an easy arrival to the archipelago.

Airmalta flight from the airport in Malta

Malta, only one international airport

Malta Airport (Luqa)

Malta has only one international airport and, contrary to popular belief, it is not located in the capital (Valletta), but in the centre of the island in the town of Luqa. Valletta is a fortified city barely 500 metres long, making it impossible to land a plane there.

It is common for major international airports to be located in a city outside their capital, retaining the name of the capital to make it easier for travellers to recognise the destination. The same is true of Malta. Malta’s airport is sometimes referred to as Valletta Airport.

Location of Malta Airport

Malta’s airport is located in the town of Luqa, in the centre of the island and away from the more populated towns (St Paul’s Bay, Birkirkara, Sliema, St Julian’s, Bugibba, etc.). The capital, Valletta, is about 8 kilometres from the airport.

Heliports in Gozo and Comino

The Republic of Malta is an archipelago of eight islands, four of which are inhabited (Malta, Gozo, Comino and Manoel). There is only one airport in the ‘country’ Malta, so most travellers to the outlying islands have to take the ferry or sea transfers.

Gozo and Comino, however, have a heliport respectively. Occasional traffic at these two heliports is under the surveillance of the Malta Airport Control Tower.

Find a flight to Malta

Finding a flight to Malta is easy, with many airlines connecting to the capitals and major cities of Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Airmalta, Malta’s national airline alone flies to 38 destinations. Vueling, Easy Jet, Ryanair, ITA Airways and Air France also have numerous scheduled flights to the archipelago.

You will frequently find Valletta Airport listed when searching for flights. This is actually the national airport of Luqa. In any case, there is no risk of error, as there is only one international airport.

To find the best flights, the easiest way is to use a flight comparator (Skycanner or Kayak) to compare all the travel options. We recommend using Skyscanner , especially if you are flexible about your travel dates. The comparator offers the possibility to compare all flights over a whole month.

Malta Airport Transfers

As the island of Malta is small, it is very easy to reach any hotel, flat or accommodation in less than an hour from or to the airport.

Bus and public transport from Malta airport

The cheapest option for travelling to and from Malta airport is to use public transport. Malta does not have a metro or tram network, so buses are the only option.

There are two types of buses that go to the airport. The express buses TD1 and TD2 only connect the centre of Bugibba and St. Julian’s, the ticket is €3. Standard buses X1, X2, X3 and X4 make more stops, the ticket costs 1.5 euros (2 euros in summer).

All information on stops, fares and timetables is available on the official Malta Public Transport website: Public Transport Malta.

The bus stops are right in front of the arrivals terminal. It is possible to buy your ticket directly on the bus or at the ticket machines, or you can ask any questions at the Transport office in the arrivals hall.

Please note that the bus fare increases after 23:00 hours. Maltese buses are not always punctual either, buses are usually between 5 and 20 minutes late. A small precaution to take, buses do not systematically mark bus stops, so if you are waiting for a bus, don’t forget to raise your hand.

The taxis and drivers at Malta airport

Getting to the airport by taxi is very easy and remains the safest option to avoid missing your flight. However, it is not advisable to use the standard Maltese taxis (White Taxis) which do not have a very good reputation on the island.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should book a VTC such as Bolt, eCabs or Uber which is now present in Malta.

Whether it is Ubers, Bolt or eCabs, the price of the ride is determined in advance by the app. It is also possible to have a driver available in less than 5 minutes with three apps.

Drivers available between St Julian's and Malta Airport (Bolt)
Price of the journey from St. Julian's to Malta Airport with Bolt

Los traslados del aeropuerto

There is a shuttle or minibus service that offers transfers between the airport and the main hotels on the island. You can find all the information at Malta Transfer.

The cost of a SHARED SHUTTLE BUS transfer is around 5 euros, but often you will have to wait for all the passengers who have booked the transfer to meet (the waiting time can therefore vary from 5 to 30 minutes). If you have booked a hotel en Malta, remember to check that the hotel does not offer this service free of charge, as is often the case.

Car rental at Malta airport

Renting a car can be an interesting option to visit the island easily. Be careful, as Malta is a former British colony, so drive on the left-hand side of the island. If you’re from the UK, you’re lucky you’ll feel at home!

Car rental agencies are present after the baggage claim area. The counters (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, First, Green Motion, etc.) are visible on the left once you have passed through the customs gate, and cars can be collected from the car parks outside.

The easiest way to rent a car at the airport is to compare the offers at Rental Cars and make your reservation before you arrive.

Transfers for students of English courses

Every year, almost 80,000 students take a language course in Malta. When students book a course and accommodation at a school, the transfer to and from the airport to the residence/apartment is included free of charge.

The transfer should be planned directly with the school, so if you are coming to study English in Malta, remember to contact your school or agency.

The features of Malta airport

Air traffic and infrastructure

Malta Airport is an international airport that handles around 6 million passengers a year. It is small in size compared to major European airports. Malta airport is not comparable in size and air traffic with airports such as Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam or Frankfurt. Malta’s airport has only two runways and only one terminal.

The passenger reception area is not very large and can be crossed in less than 5 minutes. All check-in desks are grouped in the same area (normal and low-cost flights).

There are 12 food outlets at the airport (Costa Coffee, Cleland and Souchet’s, Fat Harry’s, Mcdonald’s, Burger King, etc.) as well as 27 points of sale, divided between the check-in area and the Duty Free area before the departure lounge.

The airlines operating in Malta

Air Malta, Malta’s national airline, uses the airport as its main hub. The most popular routes are operated by Air Malta or the low-cost airline Ryannair, but there are also 30 other airlines operating flights to and from Malta. Both legacy and low-cost airline travellers pass through and interact within the same terminal.

List of airlines operating in Malta

Air Malta

Ryannair

Aegean Airlines

airBaltic

Air Serbia

Alitalia

Atlantic Airways

British Airways

Czech Airlines

easyJet

Emirates

Finnair

Iberia Express

Jet 2

Lufthansa

Luxair

Norwegian Air Shuttle

Qatar Airways

Scandinavian Airlines

Swiss International Air Lines

Transavia

TUI Airways

Tunisair Express

Turkish Airlines

Volotea

Vueling

Wizz Air

The main European capitals, as well as major European cities, are connected all year round to Malta Airport. Some routes connected to Malta are seasonal and operate only during the summer season (April to October).

Malta airport entrance
Malta airport car rental agency counters
Arrival of travellers in Malta
Malta Airport Bus Stop
Taxi parking zone at the airport of Malta
Malta Airport Baggage Claim Area

Frequently asked questions – Airport Malta(FAQ)

Where is Malta airport?

The airport of Malta is located in the town of Luqa, in the south-central part of the main island of Malta.

How many terminals are there at Malta airport?

Malta is a small international airport with a single airport terminal.

How many runways does Malta airport have?

Malta airport has two runways.