马拉加、格拉纳达还是阿尔梅里亚？飞往 Costa Tropical

Three airports serve the Costa Tropical: Málaga, Granada and Almería. Málaga has by far the most flights. Granada is smaller but just as close, and it is the quickest for Motril. This guide compares drive times and the ways to get from each airport to the coast.

Three airports, one coast

Málaga is the big one, with almost 27 million passengers in 2025. Granada (Federico García Lorca airport) had about 1.2 million and Almería about 800,000.

What matters most is the time from the airport to your door, not the size of the airport. A small airport with a short drive can beat a big one with a long drive.

How long the drive really takes

Almuñécar is about 55 minutes by motorway from both Málaga and Granada airports. Transfer companies quote 1 hour 6 minutes from either one (89 km from Málaga, 95 km from Granada). Almería is 161 km and almost two hours away (1 hour 58 minutes), so only fly there if the fare is much cheaper.

Real times depend on the car and the traffic. From Málaga airport we allow about 1 hour 20 minutes, as the local Almuñécar guide suggests.

For Motril, Granada is the closest: 83 km and 56 minutes. Málaga is 114 km and 1 hour 16 minutes, and Almería 127 km and 1 hour 20 minutes.

Who flies where

Málaga has the most routes: 217 routes to 118 cities in winter 2025/26. London is the busiest, and there are flights to the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany and Poland. Schedules change each season, so check before you book.

Granada has only 13 destinations. Its only northern European route is London Luton with Wizz Air UK, so there are no direct flights to the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia or Poland.

Almería flies mostly to the UK, plus Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg. Routes at Granada and Almería change by season, so check Aena's current list (Aena runs Spain's airports) before you plan around one.

Getting from the airport to the coast

By bus: ALSA runs one direct bus a day from Málaga airport to Almuñécar, leaving arrivals at 14:30 (some listings say 14:15). Going via Málaga bus station takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. Check times and fares on alsa.com.

By car: a hire car gives you the most freedom on the coast. Allow about 1 hour 20 minutes from Málaga airport. For La Herradura and west Almuñécar, leave the motorway at exit 305; it is 5 to 6 km from there.

By train: there is no railway to Almuñécar, but you can take the AVE high-speed train from Madrid to Granada (about 3 hours 32 minutes) or to Málaga, then a bus or car for the last part.

By sea: Motril has a ferry port, with sailings to Melilla, Nador, Tanger-Med and Al Hoceima in North Africa. The Melilla crossing with Armas Trasmediterránea takes about 7 hours, and fares start from 50 euros.

Which airport suits you

In short: choose the cheapest flight for your dates, then check the drive. Granada is fastest for Motril, Málaga has the most flights, and Almería is the longest drive to both towns. The Costa Tropical buyer's guide helps you compare the towns, and our guide to Almuñécar is a good next read.