Lisbon Airport

The Signage in Terminal 1 is a complete and utter joke - allow yourself plenty of time to navigate this place or you will miss your Flight.

Car Rental return is a nightmare in LIS. There is a single entrance road to a covered car park used by all companies. Unluckily we rented from Hertz who were the last company in the queue. We arrived 90 mins before our BA flight to LHR and still missed it as check-in was closed at least 45 mins before departure. We were placed on stand-by for the next day and charged more than EUR 400 for the privilege. BA would not be flexible with our ticket. The BA Sales person told us this happens a lot. Please be aware.

Not a bad airport but the overall impression of the airport is being let down with the huge queues for TAP european flights in which the queue controllers are working efficiently but you still need to stand in a line for at least 30 mins. I do not think it will be a fun experience in high season. TAP self-check-in is a big joke as you need the ticket number not the reference number in order to use the service which is seldomly stated. Security was a big maze but quick and efficiently terminals and gates are nice and up to date.

Efficient baggage handling and arrivals area. The airport is undersized for Lisbon's dimension and traffic volume however services are well managed as is access to taxi public transportation and the car parking lots. The Departures area is more spacious but organization is less clear. No need for excessive walking or unintelligible circuits in both areas of Terminal 1 or 2 getting around is easy and intuitive besides adequate signalling. (Terminal 2 is only for domestic departures and is slightly noisy inside).

Efficient and friendly airport. Better for connections than its main competitor Barajas- Madrid. Terminal to plane / plane to terminal connection need to be quickened. Lacks a few basic services such as a chapel or subway connections to the city centre and efficient public transport to suburban and coastal areas.

If you are using the main terminal Lisbon airport is easy to navigate and usually efficiently run. The check-in if you are taking a TAP flight can be a little more chaotic because at least for the European flights all open desks serve any flight. The security channel is fast and efficient even at the rush hours. A reasonable selection of eating places but the toilets can still be a hit or a miss affair. On arrivals if you came from schengen countries it is possible sometimes to get out of the airport in less than thirty minutes even if you need to retrieve your luggage.

LIS isn't a huge airport so it's quite easy to get around and it's really close to the city centre. The facilities are good the shops and food concessions are plentiful and reasonably priced the staff were largely very friendly - even in the security channel (where one of the operatives collected the coins I dropped - with a friendly smile). The only down side was the confusing signposting - there's just too much of it.

The airport is improving looks much fresher most of the facilities have been redecorated and renovated. The new Tap Executive lounge looks good to few new shops/restaurants have been added. The smoking area by the arrivals area has gone.

Previous correspondents have obviously found the T1 to T2 transfer a bit of a fiddle but actually it isn't that bad just not especially well signposted. Here's the process : on arrival at T1 go through immigration (assuming you're from a non-Schengen country) then follow signs for T2 transfers and go through security screening again. You're now airside in T1. Follow the signs and ground arrows to the T2 transfer gate - where you get taken by shuttle bus (airside) to T2. You're dropped off airside in T2 which is a big shed but fit for purpose - bar/cafe/bookstall/booze shop.

I use both first and second terminals many times a year and I'm liking it more rather than less. Airport Hotels are conveniently located and reasonably priced. Hire Car Areas are a bit cramped but certainly close enough to the Terminal. Summer gets very busy with holiday flights and very crowded early in the morning. Winter is much quieter. Check-In areas are well laid out and a dream if your airline does online check-in. Security can get crowded but professional and courteous behaviour as always from the staff makes a huge difference (maybe something many passengers could learn). Overall a nice and functional airport.