Flights and the airport: getting to Mallorca all year

One airport for the whole island

Palma de Mallorca airport, often called Son Sant Joan, lies about 8 km east of the city centre, beside Can Pastilla and just off the Ma-19 motorway. It handles all of the island’s scheduled flights and is one of the busiest airports in Spain, behind only Madrid and Barcelona. Because it sits on the edge of Palma, close to the motorways that fan out across the island, most of Mallorca is within about 70 minutes by car.

Summer and winter are two different timetables

Airlines plan in two seasons. The summer schedule runs from late March to late October and brings a very wide choice of routes, including many from regional airports in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The winter schedule, from late October to the end of March, is much thinner: many seasonal routes stop, and some airlines fly less often.

What remains in winter is the backbone: frequent flights to Madrid, Barcelona and other mainland cities, links to the other Balearic islands, and year-round services to major airports elsewhere in Europe. If you live near a smaller regional airport, check its winter timetable before assuming you can fly direct all year. For many owners, the practical winter route runs through Madrid, Barcelona or a large hub at home.

A discount for residents

Registered residents of the Balearic Islands who are Spanish, EU, EEA or Swiss nationals, and some other foreign residents, can claim a large state discount on flights to mainland Spain and between the islands. It does not apply to international flights. You need to be on your town hall’s register of residents, the padrón, and your status is checked when you book. Our guide to moving to Mallorca covers registering.

Getting to the airport without a car

Palma’s city buses link the airport with the centre (line A1) and with s’Arenal (line A2). TIB’s Aerotib buses reach the rest of the island: the A11 to Calvià, the A32 to the north, the A42 to the east and the A51 to Llucmajor and Campos.

For years the Aerotib lines ran only in the tourist season. In October 2025 the Balearic government announced that they would run all year, starting that winter, with the northern and eastern routes changing number and route in the low season (the A33 and A43). Check the TIB timetable for the dates you travel.

How long is the drive?

These times assume clear roads. In summer and at rush hour, allow more, especially on the Ma-19 and Palma’s Ma-20 ring road.

What it means when choosing where to buy

If you will fly in and out often, time to the airport deserves as much weight as the house itself. Palma, the Southwest and the Llucmajor coast put the terminal within about half an hour. Much of the Tramuntana, the central plain and the south is within 45 minutes. The bays of the North and most of the East coast are about an hour or a little more.

Think about the last stretch too. A late arrival on a winter night means a dark drive, and a mountain road or a quiet resort with closed restaurants feels different then than on a July afternoon. For some owners that is part of the appeal; for others, a home near the motorway is worth more than an extra view.

Areas in this post

Palma · Southwest · North · East