The decision to strengthen connections between mainland Portugal and the archipelago follows the positive performance of these routes during summer 2026.

In a press release, Azores Airlines, part of the Azorean aviation group SATA, said it “recorded positive results on routes between the Azores and Porto during the summer 2026 season, indicating consistent demand, reflected in high load factors on flights connecting São Miguel and Terceira to the city of Porto”.

Flights between Ponta Delgada and Porto recorded an average load factor of 90%. On routes serving Terceira Island, the figure reached 80%, which the airline said demonstrated “significant passenger uptake”.

“These results reinforce the importance of these connections within the airline’s network and support Azores Airlines’ decision to strengthen and maintain its commitment to connectivity between the Azores and Porto, starting in the upcoming IATA winter 2026/27 season and continuing in the planning for summer 2027,” SATA said.

Winter flights

For flights to Ponta Delgada, Azores Airlines will offer 15 weekly connections during both the winter season and the following summer, adding two weekly flights compared with summer 2026, when 13 services operated each week.

The Ponta Delgada route will grow by 15.4% compared with winter 2025/2026, providing capacity for 109,912 passengers. This represents a 10% increase in the number of seats offered by the airline.

On the route between Terceira and Porto, capacity for winter 2026/2027 will increase from 23,392 to 29,400 seats, representing growth of 25.7% compared with the same period a year earlier. The number of weekly flights will rise from three to four, an increase of 33.3% in operations.

“The schedule planned for IATA winter 2026/2027 and summer 2027, which represents a 3% increase compared with the same period in 2026, demonstrates the airline’s commitment to passenger mobility between the Azores and mainland Portugal throughout the year,” the statement added.

Visiting the Azores

The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago comprising nine islands. Although not all airports can accommodate flights from mainland Portugal, visitors can travel between the islands on smaller aircraft and explore the entire archipelago.

The Portugal News’ Portugal Handbook features an article on the Azores, highlighting what the region has to offer visitors.

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