There are only two ways to reach Menorca: by plane or boat. The airport is located in Mahón, and if you choose to travel by boat, you can arrive at either the port of Mahón or Ciutadella.
In this article, I will provide all the necessary details about schedules, prices, and other information so you can explore all the available options.
How to Get to Menorca
1. How to get to Menorca by Plane
Menorca has a single airport (IATA code MAH) just four kilometres west of Mahón. The airport was established in 1939, and the first commercial flight occurred ten years later.
Today, Mahón Airport serves over 4 million passengers annually. Most visitors come during the summer, primarily from Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and France. A smaller number of travellers arrive from nearby airports in Ibiza and Mallorca.
The airport features a two-story terminal well-equipped with several restaurants, shops, a VIP lounge, and a large parking lot just in front of the terminal entrance.
There are 42 check-in counters and 16 boarding gates leading to five aircraft parking areas. The airport has two runways accommodating various Boeing models for takeoff and landing.
Due to its popularity as a tourist destination, Menorca has direct flights to major Spanish cities, especially Barcelona, and several European cities, including Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Marseille, Milan, London, and Paris.
Travellers can also connect to numerous other locations worldwide through these cities, with new routes being introduced each year.
Low-cost carriers such as Vueling and Easyjet, along with charter flights, offer most flights to the island, particularly during the tourist season.
Direct flights from Barcelona take less than an hour, while flights from inland cities in Spain typically last between one hour and an hour and a half. Flight times for international destinations, such as London, Paris, or Düsseldorf, are approximately two hours.
If you haven’t arranged accommodations yet, this article, where to Stay in Menorca, provides guidance on the most recommended areas to stay on the island.
Once you arrive at the airport, you can easily reach Mahón through public transport. Specifically, take bus line 10, which takes about ten minutes to get to the city. The ticket costs $2.80.
The other two options to travel from the airport are to use a taxi or rent a car.
If you want to go from the airport to Ciutadella or other towns in Menorca you can use the bus; however, you will first need to go to Mahón and then take another bus that connects the capital with your desired location. To get to Ciutadella, use bus line 1. The cost of a ticket is $5.75.
Alternatively, you can rent a car or take a taxi.
For more information about the bus lines, visit https://menorca.tib.org/es/autobus.
Another way to get to Menorca is by private plane via the Aeródromo de San Luis, which is located two kilometres from Mahón. Note that the aerodrome does not have a control tower, so you must communicate your flight plan before departure.
The aerodrome features a restaurant, but you can only leave the aircraft in the hangars for a few hours. More information can be found in the following link: http://www.aeroclubmenorca.com/
2. How to get to Menorca by Boat
Choosing to arrive in Menorca by boat increases your options for destinations on the island. Additionally, if you take a ferry, you can bring your car with you. This way, once you arrive on the island, you can save on the cost of car rental, taxis, and bus rides, giving you greater freedom of movement.
The ferry is the most common type of boat, and four companies handle most transfers: Balearia, Corsica Ferries, GNV, and Transmed.
The ferries dock at two main ports on the island: Ciutadella and Mahón. Other ports, such as Fornells, can only be accessed by private boats or through agencies that organize excursions to Fornells and other locations with ports or moorings.
Regarding ferry travel from the mainland, you can travel from:
Barcelona, with daily departures to Mahón taking approximately 7 hours and 45 minutes and to Ciutadella taking around 9 hours. Ticket prices for both destinations range from $28 to $200, depending on whether you travel with a car and the season.
Menorca can be accessed from Valencia via a weekly ferry departing for Mahón. The journey takes 15 hours, and ticket prices range from $75 to $250.
Additionally, Menorca is accessible from neighbouring Mallorca:
- From Alcudia to Mahón, the trip takes approximately 2 hours.
- From Alcudia to Ciutadella, the journey time is between 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.
- From Palma to Mahón, the ferry ride lasts about 6 hours.
For further information, you can visit:
Menorca is also connected by ferry to Toulon, France. Corsica Ferries operates a weekly service to Ciutadella, which takes 9 hours.
Another option for reaching Menorca is to hire a boat, either with or without a skipper, primarily from nearby islands such as Mallorca, Formentera, and Ibiza.
Lastly, Menorca can be reached by cruise ship. The main cities accessible via cruises are Mahón and Ciutadella, where cruises typically make a stopover. However, the departure points for these cruises are larger than those served by ferries, with routes originating from various locations across the Mediterranean.