Malaga Airport in High Season

• Posted on June 30, 2026
• 6 Comments
• Posted in Malaga Airport
• Reading time: 11 minutes

For this summer 2026 we expect a record number of arrivals at Malaga airport in high season.

A busy few months are expected at this facility on the Costa del Sol which is the main gateway for all tourists visiting Andalusia.

Planning to take a flight to Malaga during the high season months? Good weather will be assured: Long sunny days and clear skies to enjoy a perfect day at the beach.

First time renting a car at Malaga Airport

Hiring a car at Malaga airport and picking it up doesn’t have to be a headache or time consuming.

Flight delayed?

In summer, due to the enormous volume of air traffic and passengers, it can happen that some flights are delayed.

• In case your flight to Malaga is delayed: Don’t worry.

• At Malagacar.com we monitor flight schedules. Whatever time, we are waiting for you on arrival.

View real-time flight departures and arrivals

• At this link, you can view live arrivals and departures at Malaga Airport.

How to get to the Malagacar.com office

Our minibus will take you to our office located two minutes from Malaga airport.

The courtesy minibus stop is located about 50 metres from the Arrivals hall, behind de commuter train station.

1. Continue straight ahead until you reach the road.
2. Cross the zebra crossing.
3.  Continue to the train station, our pick-up point is just behind the building, where one of our representatives properly uniformed will be waiting for you holding a MalagaCar.com sign (map).

Return the car at Malagacar.com and return to the airport

We are sure that many of our clients already know the simple process to return the car and how to get to our office.

For those who are hiring their car for the first time with us: In this video we show you how to return the car to our office.

Once you have returned the car, we will take you back to the departure terminal at Malaga airport. It is a quick and easy process.

Direction Malaga – Cadiz: South access to Malaga airport / Arrivals – Rentacar

Direction Cadiz – Malaga: South access to Malaga airport / Arrivals – Rentacar

In general, we always advise to start your return journey to Malaga airport with plenty of time.

Especially in summer, we have to reckon with unexpected delays such as traffic jams on the road or long queues for check-in and security screening at the airport.

For more information we invite you to visit our section on Malaga airport.

Is the suburban train a good transport option?

Malaga’s C-1 commuter train connects the city centre with the airport, the Plaza Mayor shopping centre and all the major coastal towns such as Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola with several stops available in each town.

The line has a frequency of every 20 minutes, over 11.5 million users a year and is considered one of the most profitable lines in Spain.

That is, if everything works. Because it is also true that the most used line in the whole country suffers breakdowns and delays all too often. To give you an idea, dozens of incidents, delays, or cancellations occur each year, according to data provided by Renfe’s notification service.

• That is, if you plan to take the commuter train for your flight home, we can’t recommend it.

The last thing you need right then is a delayed train, or worse, a cancelled train, and the next train is so crowded that you can barely fit your suitcase on it.

Next point, arriving at the airport station, the escalator is almost always out of service. So you either have to queue to wait your turn to take the lift or carry your suitcase up a long flight of stairs.

All of this is a considerable stress that no one wants to go through having to keep to a specific timetable in order to catch their flight.

So, you may not mind arriving later at your holiday destination when you get to Malaga and prefer to opt for public transport.

• But if you prefer to travel without the hassle, we advise against using the local train to Malaga airport in high season and during the Malaga Fair in August.

The Safe Alternative: Private Transfer

Most people know us as a car hire company at Malaga airport.

In case you didn’t know, we also offer private transfers to basically anywhere in the province and beyond.

We can offer a large fleet of transfer vehicles

• You can choose between Economy Transfer, Standard Transfer or Executive Transfer. We also have Minibuses of different capacities: For 7, 13, 16 or 22 passengers. And even buses with a capacity of up to 54 passengers.

These are some of the vehicles we use

• Economy: Hyundai Ioniq, Toyota Corolla or similar.

• Standard: Skoda Superb or similar.

• Executive: Mercedes E-Class or similar.

• Minibus: Mercedes Vito or similar.

To give you an idea of prices

The prices of private transfers, as well as hotels, flights and car rentals vary considerably in high season.

• For example, a transfer from Malaga airport to Torremolinos in an economy car (Hyundai Ioniq, Toyota Corolla or similar) in high season is from 40 €, from the airport to Marbella 76 €, from the airport to Estepona 119 € or from the airport to Nerja 99 €.

• You can book your transfer with Malagacar.com by clicking here.

Important factors regarding your return flight

Baggage and check-in

Delays may occur at airline check-in counters. Low-cost carriers, in particular, handle large volumes of passengers, which can lead to significant delays when checking in luggage. Whenever possible, we recommend checking in online and traveling with carry-on luggage only.

• If you need to check luggage, allow an extra 30 to 40 minutes beyond the usual time due to the high volume of passengers.

This also applies to arrival. Sometimes, the wait to collect luggage is considerable and represents a real waste of time.

Queues at check-in and security screening

We recommend arriving between two and a half and three hours before your return flight. This applies especially to flights outside the Schengen Area, which we will discuss further below.

• Fast-Lane (Quick access)

Consider purchasing a “Fast Lane” pass for the security checkpoint—either online or at the airport itself—if you wish to speed up the process a little.

Málaga Airport currently offers a fast-lane service to avoid queues before the security checkpoint. However, please note that you will still go through the security screening alongside other passengers.

Starting in December 2026, will be available a special VIP Fast Track service with a dedicated security checkpoint.

You can purchase access in advance via the official Aena VIP Services website.

Handluggage & Liquids

Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport is progressively implementing new X-ray scanners featuring 3D technology at its security checkpoints.

However, it is important to note that this deployment at the airport is being carried out gradually. In other words, passengers in Malaga are currently facing an uncertain situation. A mixed system is currently in place: there are security lanes with new scanners and others with traditional scanners.

To bear in mind

Especially during peak season, the security staff will direct you to a specific lane based on passenger flow, and you will not be able to choose it yourself.

If you go through a security checkpoint with the new scanners, you will no longer be required to remove liquids (exceeding 100 ml) or electronic devices from your bag.

If you are directed to a line with a standard scanner, you will still be required to remove electronic devices (laptops, tablets) and carry liquids in a transparent bag with a capacity of up to one litre, in individual containers of no more than 100 ml.

Schengen vs. Non-Schengen Flights

For flights outside the Schengen Area (e.g., to the UK or Ireland), passport control lines can be very long. Be prepared for potential significant delays and allow a full three-hour buffer.

Flights outside the Schengen Area: biometric requirements

If you are traveling from Malaga Airport to a destination outside the Schengen Area (such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States or the Middle East), you must pass through mandatory passport control.

After clearing security and passing through the duty-free shop, you must proceed to the boarding gates for non-Schengen flights.

Automated border control

Entry/Exit System (EES): Non-EU passport holders (including UK citizens) will be required to use automated biometric kiosks before reaching border control.

The biometric kiosks represent a major bottleneck that, on its own, can take between 30 and 60 minutes. This is especially true during peak periods.

If you are using the new Malaga Airport system for the first time, familiarize yourself thoroughly with the necessary steps beforehand.

Since you must pass through both standard airport security and international border controls, there is a high risk of delays building up.

• Head to passport control at least 45 to 60 minutes before boarding time to avoid getting caught in a last-minute crowd that could cause you to miss your flight.

Airport services and facilities

• VIP Lounge: The VIP lounge at Malaga Airport often reaches full capacity, and entry may be denied to those arriving without a prior reservation. If you need a quiet space, book your VIP lounge access online in advance.

• Dining wait times: Restaurants and fast-food outlets in the departure area experience high foot traffic. If you are short on time, opt for a takeaway meal.

• Facility restrictions: Once you have passed through passport control toward boarding gates B or C, you cannot return to the main area. The gate areas for non-Schengen flights have very limited seating, few vending machines and very limited food options.

If you would like more options for snacks or last-minute shopping, we recommend eating, using the main restrooms, or doing your shopping in Terminal 3 before passing through passport control.

Cities with flights to Malaga this summer 2026

This summer Malaga airport offers flights to Malaga from almost 150 destinations with almost 50 airlines.

If you are planning to come to Malaga this summer, check out our complete list of flights to Malaga: There is a huge offer of both national and international flights.

Destinations available are the big European cities as well as New York, Turkey or Doha, among others. The last two are major hubs connecting to the Middle East and Asia.

Shopping centre next to Malaga airport

Just 2 km from Malaga airport is Plaza Mayor, a large open-air shopping centre.

There could be many reasons why you might want to stop there.

Perhaps you want to stock up on groceries before continuing your journey to your holiday flat. Or maybe you’re just passing the time while you wait for a friend or relative’s flight to arrive.

Last not least, Plaza Mayor has a suburban train stop just one station away from Malaga airport and plenty of parking available. It is therefore an ideal solution if you don’t want to park at Malaga airport.

The Plaza Mayor shopping centre has a large number of bars and restaurants, cinema, shops and luxury brand outlet.

• Find out more here.