The Best Airport for Marbella

Planning a trip to Southern Spain and looking for the most convenient airport for Marbella? This guide is here to help. We’ve just returned from a Marbella trip and in this guide we’re sharing everything you need to know about airports, transfers, and finding good-priced flights.

By: Lesley Stewart | 12 March 2025

If there’s one thing for sure, the sun-drenched beach resort of Marbella has long been considered one of the most chic holiday destinations in Southern Spain. But how do you get to the Andalusian beach town? If you’re looking for the best airport for Marbella, this guide has you covered.

For years, the Marbella has welcomed the jet set, and anyone who likes to soak up the Mediterranean sunshine in a boujee beach bar will adore this Andalusian beach town. Away from the sparkling waters of the Med there’s also plenty of cultural and historical appeal in the Old Town; a haven of stylish hotels, chic eateries and bars, bougainvillea-trimmed balconies, and pretty plazas.

It’s one of our favourite Spanish beach towns, so good in fact that we’ve visited for everything from day trips to glamorous weekend getaways and week-long fly & chill holidays.

Like most travellers, we want to start our Marbella vacation to start the moment we arrive - so we don’t want tedious transfers or big travel times. That meant finding the airport closest to Marbella airport was a top priority.

If you, like us, are searching for the closest airport to Marbella, we’re sharing the best option below.

Marbella Airport Options

The first thing to know is that there is no airport in Marbella - but there are two international airports nearby. The first is Malaga Airport (AGP) with the smaller Gibraltar Airport (GIB) along the coast.

Malaga is our preferred option, and we think the best airport for Marbella; more flights, better transfer options, and a whole heap of amenities that Gibraltar doesn’t have. Malaga is also the perfect city to fly into as it’s well-connected from the UK, USA, and Europe’s biggest cities, with regular flights and holiday packages from most major airlines.

From the UK, you can choose to fly with Jet2 (who we use), Ryanair, EasyJet, or TUI. And US travellers can fly directly to Malaga on a nonstop flight with United Airlines.

Once you’ve arrived, Malaga Airport to Marbella town centre is a 35-minute drive (50km / 31 miles), and travelling between them is easy.

Getting to Marbella From The Airport

We’ve used both public transport and private transfer to get between Malaga Airport and Marbella; which you choose depends on your budget and how much luggage you’ll have.

From experience, if you have heavy suitcases then a private transfer is by far the easiest option, and I highly recommend booking this (especially if you’re in a group and split the cost). But if you’re a hand-luggage-only kind of traveller, public transport is a straightforward alternative.

• Holiday transfers: If we want a chillout holiday with a stylish pool and gorgeous rooms, we book our trip with Jet2Holidays. Their holidays include transfers between Malaga Airport and Marbella; travelling with them is straightforward and convenient.

• Private Transfers: If you want a guaranteed pick-up time, VIP service, and a little luxury, then book a private transfer. This is the best option if you have a lot of luggage or are travelling in a group, and its a far more relaxing travel experience than public transport. Expect to pay around £230 for a group of four with luggage.

• Public transport: A regular bus service runs from Malaga Airport to Marbella city centre with buses departing from Terminal 3 every 25 minutes (roughly). The journey takes around 40 minutes, there’s space for luggage, and tickets cost €10.

  The buses can be busy, and yes, I felt crammed with my big suitcase, but it's a budget-friendly, easy, and convenient travel option.

• Taxi: A private taxi cost between Malaga Airport and Marbella is around €80, for up to four passengers and luggage. Be warned: we’ve seen horrendously long queues in the taxi rank, and during the summer months expect to wait (in the baking heat) for over an hour.

  Unless you can pre-book a taxi, I really don’t recommend this option and suggest you book a transfer in advance. If you do choose to take a cab, you’ll find the taxi rank outside Terminal 3.

Car rental

If you plan to spend your Marbella getaway strolling between the pool and the beach, chances are you won’t need a car. And other gorgeous Med-side spots like San Pedro and Estepona are an easy bus or taxi journey along the coast.

But if you’re planning to explore further afield, and I highly recommend you do, the best way to explore Southern Spain is by driving yourself.

We use Discover Cars for our car rental in Spain, choose full coverage insurance, and opt for trusted companies like Hertz, Enterprise, or Sixt. Renting a car in Spain is easy, and the best place to collect your rental is at, or close to, Malaga Airport. Book your car with Discover Cars here.

Malaga Airport Tips

If you agree that Malaga is the closest airport to Marbella, these tips and practical information are good to know in advance…

Terminals

Being one of Spain’s busiest airports, and the gateway to the ever-popular Costa del Sol beach resorts, Malaga Airport is big and always busy. Seriously, we were here for a winter getaway and it was buzzing even in December!

It’s also super modern and, thanks to a recent renovation, you’ll find plenty of bars, restaurants, duty-free shopping, souvenir stores, amenities, and places to relax.

If you’re travelling with Ryanair or EasyJet, you’ll use Terminal 2, Vueling from Terminal 1, while Jet2 and United Airlines operate from Terminal 3. These are connected so don’t worry about moving between the terminals.

Malaga Airport Lounge

My top tip is to book the airport lounge ahead of your return journey, and you’ll find the Malaga Airport lounge in Terminal 3 just after security.

If you’ve spent a wonderful week soaking up the sun and good vibes in Marbella, the last thing you want is a chaotic airport; having a comfortable place to relax before your flights makes travel so much more enjoyable.

You’ll get access to food and drinks, free Wi-Fi and charging ports, and a quiet seating area. Admittedly, it’s not the most luxurious lounge, but it is a cozy place to relax away from the crowds, and I find it a real enhancement to my holiday.

We enjoyed glasses of fizz and little dishes of olives, put our feet up, and watched the world go by before our flight was called. It was such a treat!

I use Priority Pass to gain access and it’s the first thing I book after my flights and hotel.

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NEARBY RESORTS & BEACH TOWNS

Finally… Are You Booking a Trip Soon? Use My Travel Checklist:

I use these sites and online resources most to book my trips. Booking through the links below is a great way to support Wander Somewhere at no extra cost to you. And if you need help organizing your trip, get my travel itineraries here.

1. Book Your Holiday

I use Jet2 and Expedia to find the best flights, holidays, and packages. They have an incredible inventory of fantastic holidays around the world.

2. Book Your Accommodation

I use Booking.com for hotels, apartments, and B&Bs. They have the largest inventory and consistently offer the best rates and rewards, like complimentary breakfasts and room upgrades.

3. Book Your Rental Car

Driving yourself is the best way to explore most destinations. I use Discover Cars for our hire cars, choose full coverage insurance, and opt for a highly-rated company like Hertz, Enterprise, or Sixt.

4. Book Your Tours & Activities

I use Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favourite sites to find tours no matter which country I’m visiting, and they have a vast inventory of options, including coach tours, activities, and my favourite, jump-the-queue tickets.

5. Book Airport Lounge Access

I use Priority Pass to access hundreds of VIP lounges worldwide. Having a comfortable place to relax before and between flights, plus snacks and drinks, makes the airport experience so much more relaxing.

6. Book Your Restaurants

Most often, I like to know where I’ll eat and guarantee that it will serve delicious food. I use TripAdvisor to check reviews, plus find highly-rated hidden gems.

7. Buy Your eSIM 

I never leave the country without an Airalo eSIM. They cover many countries, have a range of packages to suit your data usage and guarantee you’ll avoid roaming charges.

Finally, if you have any questions about the destination above, get in touch!

Lesley x

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