While generations of Brits and Europeans have turned toward the Portuguese island of Madeira for a quick jaunt to the tropics, the territory off the North African coast has recently also started catching the attention of U.S.-based travelers.
Due both to similar geographies and a history of migration between the two islands, Madeira is often called the "Hawaii of Europe" — both locations attract tourists looking for beaches, surfing and stunning hikes through verdant hills and waterfalls.
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But due to its small size and location west of Northern Africa in the North Atlantic Ocean, Madeira can be a bit of a trek for non-hardened travelers outside of Europe — while only a 90-minute flight from Lisbon, getting to the island from the U.S. commonly requires flying into a mainland capital and then catching a flight with a regional airline.
These new flights will take you to Madeira directly
But with North American traveler interest in all of Portugal continuing to rise, regional carrier Azores Airlines is stepping in to make it easier to get to the area. This week, the carrier began running direct flights to Madeira’s capital city Funchal from Boston and Toronto — the former will run weekly on Fridays while the latter departs on Tuesdays. At different points of the year, Azores has also offered both direct and connecting flights between Funchal and New York’s JFK Airport.
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“In 2023, Azores Airlines’ operation between Madeira and the Azores is extremely positive,” Azores Airlines CEO Teresa Gonçalves said in a statement. “The bet on direct flights between Madeira and North America outcomes from the success of the operation between New York and Funchal.”
The airline followed the inaugural flights by also announcing new routes to the northern Portuguese city of Porto from Boston, New York and Toronto. The Boston route will run weekly on Tuesdays while the New York and Toronto flights will depart on Thursdays and Saturdays, respectively. The return flights will be in the late mornings of Wednesdays, Sundays and Fridays.
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Airline wants to be the vehicle for bringing Americans to the Azores
The home of port wine and seaside buildings decorated with painted tiles known as Azulejo, Porto has also been having a moment among American tourists. At the start of March, United Airlines (UAL) doubled the flights it offers to the city from Newark Liberty as well as adding a new route to the southern Algarve city of Faro that was ultimately canceled as the airline focuses on the Boeing (BA) investigation that affects its supply of planes.
But even with the increased competition from larger carriers, Azores Airlines is better positioned to grow its customer base and become the go-to for North Americans traveling both to and within Portugal.
“This direct air operation reinforces the offer of flights departing from Porto and North America, destinations to which Azores Airlines has been flying for more than two decades and where it has consistently grown,” Azores Airlines Director of Sales and Marketing Graça Silva said in a statement. “We believe that the city of Porto and the entire Northern Region have uniquely attractive arguments for the tourist segment, but equally important for the business and friends and relatives’ segments.”
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