Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport — Attraction in Málaga

Assisted travel perspective. I travelled in Feb '25 to and from Malaga airport with my dad (cannot go up or downstairs. Can walk but is unsteady. I am also assisted travel for unseen disabilities)

Arrival: Assisted travel at malaga really needs work. Everyone involved is brilliant and friendly, but they lack experience and understanding. Their system is built around the majority and not the individual, so everyone has to wait at the gate for the 8 seater terminal buggy. To get onto the buggy is quite difficult due to the high step and tight seating. Getting off the buggy is dangerous for the same reasons. You are then passed to another buggy and another buggy as the staff tag team you through the airport. When we arrived, we were greeted by individual wheelchairs at the aircraft door (even though I had not requested one for myself) and then pushed from the aircraft through the tunnel into the airport. As soon as we were in the airport, we were asked to transfer into the seating and await our buggy. When the buggy arrived, there was not enough seats for everyone and some people had to stay behind to wait for the next buggy. I later saw one of the people left behind (hidden disability of chronic fatigue and FM) and they had been waiting so long with their 2 young kids that they decided to walk to passport control. I didn't take the buggy as I have no mobility issues. When my dad arrived at passport control, he was told to get off the buggy so he could walk through passport control. This was not a huge walk, but it was a difficult distance for my dad and Malaga airport only provided him with an escort for passport control, not a wheelchair. Once through passport control, we then had to walk to assisted travel to wait for another buggy (still no wheelchair for my dad) We waited for over 30mins for a buggy, by which time there were lots of people waiting and some were (again) left behind due to a lack of space. When we got to the baggage reclaim the conveyor belt was broken and in order to reach our bags, I had to climb over the conveyor and back with two large cases. Lots of people had to do this and none of the staff seemed bothered, apologetic or asked if I needed help. Eventually we reached the exit of the airport where we were dumped by the special assistance team and my dad had to walk a over 500yrds to the transfer area.

At no point was my hidden disability acknowledged or addressed. If you do have to use Malaga airport special assistance, please take a carer and insist on an airport wheelchair if you don't have your own.

Departures: Exactly the same as above except we were on the buggy for over an hour as we kept picking up other people who needed to go and drop their bags (so it was an hour of just driving around check in desks) The tag team of buggies continued and everyone had to walk through security as there was (again) no wheelchairs . I helped some travellers on and off the buggy (as well as my dad) as the height of the buggy was an issue for lots of the travellers. We were dropped by the final buggy at the departure gate and there was no help from the gate to the plane. This was because there was no steps between the gate and the aircraft doors but there was a slope that my dad found difficult to negotiate so we took our time. However, as we were boarding first, we ended up holding up the other passengers while we took our time. This made my dad very embarrassed and uncomfortable and he would often stop to look behind and apologies to the...

Efficient, Modern, and Perfectly Located: Top Tips for Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport

Review: Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) is one of Spain’s best-managed and most convenient gateways, making travel to the Costa del Sol smooth and stress-free. Whether you're arriving for a holiday in Marbella or heading back home, this airport combines efficiency with Andalusian hospitality. Here’s why it’s excellent—and a few insider tips to make your experience even better.

✅ Modern and User-Friendly AGP is impressively modern, with spacious terminals, clear signage, and plenty of natural light. Terminal 3, where most international flights arrive and depart, is sleek and well-organised. Security lines usually move quickly—even in summer peak season.

💡 Tip: If you’re flying early, arrive 2 hours ahead, but if you have only hand luggage and checked in online, you’ll often breeze through in under 30 minutes.

✅ Excellent Transport Links One of the airport’s biggest advantages is how close it is to the city, just 8 km from Málaga centre.

💡 Tip: Take the suburban train (Cercanías line C1) right from the airport station—it’s cheap, frequent, and drops you at Málaga Centro in about 12 minutes. It also connects to Torremolinos, Benalmádena, and Fuengirola without hassle.

✅ Car Rentals Made Easy AGP is the major hub for Costa del Sol car rentals, with big brands and local companies well-represented. The rental centre is easy to find, just across from arrivals.

💡 Tip: Book online in advance for the best rates—especially in high season when demand is fierce.

✅ Food and Shopping There’s a good variety of shops and restaurants airside and landside—from Andalusian tapas bars to international chains. Duty-free is spacious with a solid selection of local wines, spirits, and gourmet products.

💡 Tip: For a local flavour, try the Iberian ham or regional wines at the airport shop—it makes a great last-minute gift or travel snack.

✅ Family and Accessibility Friendly AGP is well-equipped for travellers with children or reduced mobility, with elevators, ramps, accessible bathrooms, and dedicated family areas.

💡 Tip: Travelling with kids? Look for the designated play areas near the gates—they’re a lifesaver before boarding.

✅ Excellent Connections As the gateway to the Costa del Sol, AGP offers an exceptional range of flights—covering all major European cities, North Africa, and domestic Spanish routes.

💡 Tip: If you have a layover, Málaga city is close enough for a quick visit—just store luggage in the terminal lockers and hop on the train.

✅ Clean and Safe The airport consistently gets high marks for cleanliness and safety. Staff are polite and helpful, and there’s always a visible security presence without being intrusive.

💡 Tip: Staff usually speak English, but a friendly “¡Hola!” in Spanish goes a long way Verdict: Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport is an excellent gateway to Andalucía—efficient, pleasant, and superbly connected. With a little planning and these tips, your arrival or departure will be as sunny as the Costa del Sol itself! Highly...

Friday 23 rd August 2024 As a partially sighted, hard of hearing wheelchair traveller I fly on average 6 times a year and my experiences range from good to ( annoying to atrocious and I add another adjective to my list) ….today counts as the most embarrassing plane experience I have ever had getting on a plane thanks to Malaga airports special assistance’s incompetence! Ryan air were amazingly efficient checking me, the wheelchair & baggage in knowing exactly what needed to be done and I was impressed with the service. When it was time to board I let the gate staff know I required the ambi-lift to enter the aircraft but I could slowly walk to my seat once inside;the staff member confirmed the ambi lift had been requested and asked me to wait to one side ( another passenger who could walk but struggled standing for long or using stairs was waiting with us). Eventually after the whole plane was scanned and waiting to board, special assistance personnel walked us down the now crowded ramp (asking passengers to move) to one side🙄 until we reached the front of the queue🙌🏻. We were then taken down in a lift and told to wait prior to being take onto the runway, where we watched everyone board the plane, whilst I was still waiting for he ambi lift😬. I am capable of walking down the centre aisle to my seat whilst holding onto head rests when there is no one on the plane but as I have a wide walking stance this is not possible when the plane is loaded, I therefore had to request to be taken on with their wheeled chair which requires you to be trussed up like a chicken and wheeled half laying down onto the plane whilst everyone has to be asked to mind their feet & bags and my hips were being bashed into the arm rests on the way through. Whilst passengers moaned and stared at me and rightly questioned why I was not put on the plane first 🤷🏼‍♀️. When we finally got to my seat the assistance personnel did not know how to put up the arm rest on my row, stopping me sliding from the chair onto the plane seat and I had to with great difficulty and assistance get up off the chair with no arm rests and a fixed foot plate in the way. I had to side shuffle into the row ( extremely difficult when you’re hemiplegic! ). All whilst everyone was watching. Obviously being last on the plane meant there was no room left in the overhead lockers for my carry on, which includes my wheelchair battery, all of which had to be stored under the seat in front of me, making it extremely difficult for me to access the toilet I’m not sure how Malaga airport made it into the top 200 airports as the service for disabled passengers is well below par and the airports accessible toilets are too small for a wheelchair to get in and out and the two I went in were dirty and smelled vile! ( whilst thecleaners were outside chatting ) All in all a traumatic and very distressing...