Airports in Cyprus – Northern Cyprus Airports
Cyprus, a famous vacation destination, is also one of Europe’s most preferred business locations. Cyprus receives around 3 million visitors per year.
How many airports does Cyprus have? Which Cyprus airport is the most convenient? Where are Cyprus’s airports located?
Nine airports in Cyprus, five of which are military departments of the Republic of Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, as shown on the map; the remaining four are international airports.
Official entry into the Republic of Cyprus or Greek Cyprus is only available through the airports of Larnaca and Paphos.
Larnaca and Paphos have the largest airports in south Cyprus, both of which are located within their respective cities and have well-developed infrastructure. Duty-free stores, public catering, vehicle rentals, parking, and bus terminals are available at airports in Cyprus.
The only international airport in occupied Northern Cyprus, Ercan Airport, is located to the north-east of Nicosia. Flights to Northern Cyprus’s airport are exclusively available from Turkey. It is illegal to enter the south of Cyprus from the north.
Airports in Cyprus
Every year, millions of tourists visit Cyprus, the majority of whom travel by plane. Despite the island’s and its main airports’ tiny size, the level of service in this “heavenly haven” is excellent. Six airports in Cyprus, including two with international status in Larnaca and Paphos.
Larnaca Airport
Larnaca Airport is the island’s busiest. It has an area of roughly 112 square meters, which is relatively large by big city standards, but well-established systems help minimize long lines at passport control and check-in desks. The majority of scheduled flights enter and depart from here, including direct flights to Cyprus from Europe, the United Arab Emirates, China, and other nations. During the summer, charter flights from several nations arrive at Larnaca’s airport. Larnaca Airport receives around 8 million travelers from all over the world each year. The airport is around the same distance from all of Cyprus’s major tourist towns and its capital, Nicosia, at about 50 kilometers from Ayia Napa, Protaras, and Limassol.
The exception is Paphos, which is around 100 kilometers away. You can take a taxi from the airport to any of the Cypriot resorts (around 50 euros to the major resorts and roughly 100 euros to Paphos), rent a car from the airport, or take the bus. Taxis are accessible at the airport in Larnaca, directly outside the exit; private driving services are not available at the airports in Cyprus.
Shuttle bus services from the airport to Limassol operate everyday from 3:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. The fee is 8-9 euros, which includes bags. To board the bus at the airport, follow the signs to the specific zone on the airport’s outskirts. You can get a bus to Larnaca’s airport in Limassol in front of Agios Georgios Havouzas or Agios Athanasios church. The taxi fee from the bus stations to the core of the tourist zone will be around 15 euros.
The only drawback in this situation is that the bus does not go into Limassol’s tourist district’s core or to the city’s outskirts, so if you intend to use this mode of transportation, you will need to make your own way to the hotel or apartment. However, this choice is the most cost-effective. You should arrive at the airport in Larnaca two hours prior to your flight so that you may complete all necessary formalities and have a cup of coffee in the welcoming ambiance. The airports in Cyprus also allows tax-free shopping. Do not pack them in your luggage; they will need to be purchased after you pass the registration.
You can browse the duty-free shops after going through passport control and the check-in counter to find cosmetics, imported alcoholic beverages, and other items. However, it is preferable to get the customary Cypriot mementos—local wine and sweets—in advance because there are fewer options and higher prices at the airports in Cyprus.
Paphos Airport
The airport in Paphos, which is about 15 kilometers from the resort, is the second international airport in the Republic of Cyprus. Despite being much smaller than the airport in Larnaca, the service is just as well-organized. Charter planes frequently arrive and depart from Paphos Airport for destinations in Europe (mostly low-cost flights, for example, the company Ryanair, carrying out flights from Cyprus to many European countries).
Taxis from Paphos to the airport cost around 20 euros. The trip from the airport to Limassol takes around 60 kilometers, costs about 70 euros, and is located about 170 km from Ayia Napa and Protaras. There are no organized direct bus services from the airport in Paphos to other Cyprus destinations.
There are two shuttle buses that run to and from the airport in Paphos: Route 612, which travels past the city’s harbor once every hour, and Route 613, which departs at a station close to the Caravel market (twice a day). The cost is eight euros. The express bus to Paphos airport departs from Limassol and costs 9 euros. The usual arrival and departure procedures are in force at the airport in Paphos, and the website for the airport provides information on their specifics. An advanced infrastructure has been established in this area, including numerous stores and cafes, car rental agencies, and ATMs.
Airports in Northern Cyprus
Ercan Airport
The primary airport in Northern Cyprus at the moment is “Ercan” which is situated to the northeast of Nicosia. Since the airport is small, most travelers walk from their plane to the terminal. If you’re thinking about visiting Northern Cyprus, the only way to get to the airport “Ercan” directly on a scheduled aircraft is through Turkey. You will fly to the island after arriving in Antalya or Istanbul. Entry into the Republic of Cyprus should only be made through the airports in Larnaca and Paphos; it is illegal to enter from Northern Cyprus. You can fly into either the airports at Larnaca or Paphos, as well as airport “Ercan,” to reach the Turkish-occupied sector of Northern Cyprus.
Ask to have the stamp placed on a separate form rather than in your passport at the border control to avoid future issues with visiting Greece or the Republic of Cyprus. The island’s primary international airport, Nicosia, which was on the Turkish-occupied side before the invasion, is likewise abandoned.