Malta International Airport

The airport sits at Luqa in southern Malta. As of November 2026, the airport says that with clear roads you can reach Valletta in approximately 25 minutes, but traffic builds at peak times (07:00 to 09:00 and 16:30 to 18:30), so allow longer then. The Cirkewwa ferry terminal for Gozo is about 29 km away by road, in the far north.

As of November 2026, Malta Public Transport runs the Airport Direct (TD) routes from the bus terminal outside arrivals: TD1 to Rabat, Bugibba, Mellieha and Cirkewwa (hourly), TD2 to St Julian's and Pembroke, TD3 to St Julian's, Sliema, Gzira and Msida, and TD4 to Valletta and the Gozo Fast Ferry (each every 30 minutes), plus TD5 to Rabat and Bugibba (every 60 minutes). As of November 2026 a single Airport Direct trip costs 3 euros, or 3.50 euros on TD1, paid in cash or by contactless card on board. No pre-booking is needed. Regular routes also stop at the airport, including 117, 135, 208 and 218 to Mater Dei Hospital and the University, 214 and 201 to Rabat, and 71, 72 and 73 to Zurrieq, Safi and Qrendi; a single day-route fare is 2 euros in the winter season (18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027).

No. Malta Public Transport replaced the X1, X2, X3 and X4 express routes on 20 April 2025 with the Airport Direct TD routes and a set of regular routes. Some older guides, and a few airport help pages, still mention the X routes, so check route numbers in the tallinja app or on the Malta Public Transport timetable before you travel.

As of November 2026, taxis run between the airport and anywhere in Malta 24 hours a day. The airport names Malta Taxi as the official taxi service, and you can buy a pre-paid ticket at a fixed rate from the taxi booth in the Welcomers' Hall when you land, or book through the Malta Taxi app. Check the price for your destination at the booth before you pay; the airport also links to Malta Taxi for fare calculations.

For Gozo, cross by sea. For the car and passenger ferry, take bus TD1 or a taxi north to the Cirkewwa ferry terminal (about 29 km by road) and sail to Mgarr on Gozo. For the foot-passenger fast ferry, take TD4, which runs from the airport to Valletta and the Gozo Fast Ferry. Our Gozo ferry guide compares the two crossings.

Yes. More than 30 car rental companies operate from the airport, and pre-booked cars are collected from the rental offices on Level 1 (lower) of the Park East car park, a separate building about a 3-minute walk from the terminal: follow the 'RENTAL CARS' signs. Malta drives on the left, like the UK, and uses UK-style three-pin Type G sockets at 230 volts.

There is no exchange bureau in the terminal: the airport points travellers to the Bank of Valletta branch in Luqa for currency exchange. ATMs are available in the Check-In Hall and the Welcomers' Hall, at Schengen Departures near Gate 4 and in the arrivals corridor before baggage reclaim. Malta uses the euro, and buses accept contactless cards as well as cash.

As of November 2026, the airport operates 24/7, though it has no sleeping facilities. Wifi is free with no time limit, and there are charging points around the terminal. The La Valette Club runs lounges at Departures and at Arrivals, open to members and to non-members who buy a one-time pass; no pre-booking is required, but walk-in admission depends on occupancy, and the maximum stay is three hours. The airport advises arriving at least two hours before a departing flight.