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Amílcar Cabral International Airport: All You Need To Know
Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID), also known as Sal International Airport, is the leading international airport of Cape Verde. It’s located 2 km southwest of Espargos, the island’s capital, and has a maximum capacity to handle around 2,600 passengers per hour. It has the longest runway in Cape Verde. With 3,000m in length, 45m in width and a capacity to receive seven large planes.
Sal is the head hub for the national Cabo Verde Airlines and serves as a base for carrier Cabo Verde Express. Originally called the Aeródromo Internacional da Ilha do Sal, the airport was also one of NASA’s locations for a facility to handle the Space Shuttle after reentering from orbit.
Address: P3M4+RCJ, Aeroporto Internacional Amílcar Cabral, Espargos 4110, Cape Verde
Tel: (+238) 241-12-29 / (+238) 992-53-10 / (+238) 241-13-94
Mail: feedback.sid@asa.cv
Website: www.asa.cv
Terminal
Sal International Airport has one terminal, a two-story building containing check-in, waiting and arrival areas, duty-free shops, retail kiosks, a restaurant and cafe, refreshment facilities, banking and passenger services. There are very comfortable outdoor waiting and smoking areas (with natural sun and even ponds) behind security scanning and passport control, adjacent to the six departure gates. On the second floor, there are only airport operations and airline offices.
Transport to and from the airport
There are several ways to get to and from the airport. If you’re not on TUI or Itaka trips (which have private transportation), the best way is to use a bus or taxi.
Taxi
Taxis stand just outside the airport terminal exit. They are easy to track down as the drivers call out loudly to get customers. Taking a taxi is the fastest and most convenient way of transport, but also one of the most expensive. A single ride between the airport and Santa Maria costs €20.
Buses / Shuttles
There is no scheduled public transport to and from the airport. However, private buses and shuttles are popular way of transportation among tourists and the locals of Cape Verde. The shuttle costs 1 or 2 euros to/from Santa Maria, depending on the size of your luggage (and the space it takes on the bus). It’s a good choice if you want to cut expenses during your stay on the island, but you should remember that the shuttle is often crowded during rush hours (mornings and evenings). You can catch a bus to the airport at the bus station in Santa Maria, Espargos or Palmeira or along its way by waving to the driver.
Car Rental
It’s possible to rent a car, but it’s good to reserve it earlier. There are several car rental companies available on the island (Hertz, Caetano, Mendes & Mendes Rent-a-Car, etc.). When renting a car, you can drive wherever you want as long as you obey local traffic rules.
Bibliography / Sources
- Areoporto do Sal official website;
- Main picture: Sal International Airport by Starway777, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia;
- Buses Sal airport «Amilcar Cabral» (SID) on kiwibuses.com
