Tenerife AirportWhich Tenerife airport am I flying to, North or South?
The answer lies in the ticket code. And for the 10 cities that both airlines fly to, here’s a table explaining it.
North or South: how to tell
The short answer is on your ticket. Find the three-letter code for your destination airport: TFN is Tenerife North and TFS is Tenerife South. There is no mystery to it, and it is the only thing that matters.
The long answer is why the question arises. Almost all international flights land in the south and almost all inter-island flights in the north, so most people don’t have to choose. But there are 10 cities with flights to both, and that’s where it’s definitely worth checking before you buy: making a mistake will set you back nearly 60 kilometres and quite a bit of time.
The rule of thumb
The rule of thumb, which is rarely wrong:
- Coming from another Canary island? North, almost certainly.
- From Madrid, Barcelona, Seville or Bilbao? Almost always north, although there are a few flights heading south.
- From the the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy or France? South, without exception, according to the published timetable.
- Are you staying in Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje or Playa de las Américas? Are you interested in the South? That’s actually where you’re going to land.
- Are you staying in Santa Cruz, La Laguna or Puerto de la Cruz? The North is the place for you.
The 10 cities that are booming
This is where the uncertainty really lies. The figures refer to the flights scheduled within the 14-day window of the official timetable.
| City | Flights to the North | Flights to the South | The usual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Canaria | 658 | 160 | North |
| La Palma | 558 | 54 | North |
| Madrid | 410 | 68 | North |
| Lanzarote | 292 | 54 | North |
| Seville | 114 | 12 | North |
| Málaga | 72 | 10 | North |
| Bilbao | 60 | 6 | North |
| Santiago de Compostela | 40 | 16 | North |
| Valencia | 46 | 8 | North |
| Asturias | 22 | 4 | North |
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the IATA codes for each airport: TFN is Tenerife North – La Laguna and TFS is Tenerife South. They appear on the ticket, on the luggage tag and on the display boards.
If your hotel is in the southern tourist area —Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Gigantes— then the south, by far. If it’s in Santa Cruz, La Laguna, Puerto de la Cruz or the Orotava Valley, then the north.
The route 343 run by TITSA is the only bus that links the two directly, and it takes close to two hours from end to end. The other option is a taxi, which is not cheap on that trip. The details.
Technically yes, and with a hire car it makes sense. Without a car, factor in the time and cost of crossing the island, and check that the hire company lets you return it at a different office without a surcharge — many charge for it.