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How to get to Tenerife from Italy: flights and tips

Tenerife is the largest and most visited of the Canary Islands: the Teide volcano, the black volcanic beaches, the nightlife of the south and the landscapes of the north make it a complete destination. Getting there from Italy is easy, but there's one detail to know right away: Tenerife has two airports, and picking the wrong one can cost you time and money. Here's everything you need.

Tenerife's two airports

  • Tenerife South (TFS) — Reina Sofía airport. This is the one for international and tourist flights, close to the southern beach areas (Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje). Most flights from Italy land here.
  • Tenerife North (TFN) — Los Rodeos airport, near La Laguna and Santa Cruz. Used mainly for inter-island and Spanish domestic flights.

When you book a flight, always check which airport you're landing at: if you're staying in the south and land in the north (or vice versa) there's nearly an hour of driving across the island in between.

Where you depart from in Italy

Direct flights to Tenerife South leave mainly from:

  • Milan (Malpensa and Bergamo)
  • Rome (Fiumicino)
  • Bologna
  • Venice
  • Verona (seasonal)

The airlines are mostly low-cost and charter: Ryanair, Neos, easyJet, Wizz Air depending on the season. The direct flight takes about 4 hours 45 minutes.

From cities without direct flights, it's worth considering a stopover in Madrid or Barcelona with Iberia or Vueling — sometimes cheaper than a direct flight in high season.

When it's best to fly

As with all the Canaries, the tourist high season is the European winter:

  • Cheaper: May, June, September, October.
  • More expensive: December (holidays), January, February, Easter.

With flexible dates, spring and autumn offer great weather and better prices.

How to save on the flight

  1. Book 2–3 months ahead: last-minute prices climb.
  2. Fly midweek: Tuesdays and Wednesdays cost less than weekends.
  3. Compare nearby departure airports (e.g. Bergamo vs Malpensa).
  4. Factor in baggage: on low-cost airlines the base fare includes almost nothing; sometimes an all-inclusive charter works out cheaper.
  5. Use a flight comparison tool to see every fare and the cheapest date at a glance.

From the airport to your area

Compare Italy–Canaries flights
Find the best fare and the cheapest day for your dates
  • From Tenerife South (TFS) to Los Cristianos / Las Américas / Costa Adeje: 15–25 minutes by car or transfer.
  • From Tenerife North (TFN) to Santa Cruz / La Laguna: 15 minutes.
  • Between the two airports or between south and north: about 1 hour.

In Tenerife too, renting a car is the best choice if you want to explore: the Teide, the northern villages and the coves aren't easy to reach by public transport.

In short

To get to Tenerife from Italy: aim for direct flights to Tenerife South (TFS), book ahead, choose spring or autumn if you can, and always check your arrival airport. With a little flexibility on dates and a comparison tool to check the fares, flying to the largest of the Canary Islands costs less than you'd think.