For all ski lovers, and even those who simply love travelling and majestic settings, a ski holiday in Andorra is certainly something to add to the wish list. Once you’ve decided which of the Grandvalira ski slopes you’re most excited to try out, the next step is to work out how do you get to Andorra and what airport do you fly to for Andorra. In this guide to the Andorra airport, we’ll outline all you need to know.
Andorra airport: Is there an airport in Andorra?
The first thing to make clear is that there isn’t actually an Andorra airport, at least not inside the borders of the country. With the principality measuring in at 468 square kilometres, Andorra is the sixth-smallest state in Europe and the answer to the question ‘Why does Andorra have no airport?’ is a simple one. It’s because there isn’t enough flat space for, nor is there a need for, an airport inside the Andorra border.
Even if there is no Andorra airport, there are, though, some heliports in Andorra, based in La Massana, in Arinsal and in Escaldes-Engordany.
Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell is the nearest airport to Andorra
With no airport inside the microstate, the nearest airport to Andorra is located just over the border in Spain. Based by the town of La Seu d'Urgell, Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport is the airport closest to Andorra. The distance between this Andorra airport and the capital of Andorra la Vella is 18km as the crow flies, or 27km by car, which takes just half an hour.
Barcelona: The most popular nearest airport to Andorra
Even though Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell is the airport closest to Andorra, it isn’t the only one used by tourists travelling to the famous ski resorts. The airports of Barcelona (200km away), Reus (240km), Girona (260km), Lleida (150km), Toulouse (195km) and Carcassonne (176km) are also frequently used.
Of all these near-to-Andorra airports, the most popular one with visitors is the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. From Barcelona’s airport, there are regular bus connections to Andorra, with at least six daily bus transfers and more during the Andorra peak season.
Andorra airport flight routes: Can you fly to Andorra from Madrid? Which UK airports fly to Andorra?
If keen to travel as directly as possible to the principality, then, as outlined above, Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell is the airport closest to Andorra. But, given the small size of the runways, there aren’t many Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell airport flights. It doesn’t even have an international license yet, so all the flights’ starting points will be from other parts of Spain.
If you decide to look into Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell airport flights, it’s worth keeping note that the Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport code is LEU. By searching online, you’ll see that the only city with regular flights to Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport is Madrid, and, even then, there are only a few per week. There have occasionally been flights to the Andorra airport from Mallorca too, but Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport is essentially a link to the Spanish capital’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport.
Therefore, there are no direct London to Andorra flights or any direct UK to Andorra flights, but the fact that Madrid’s airport is so well-connected means that it should be possible to fly to Andorra with only one changeover.
For those who already live in this part of Europe, there are also many other ways to travel to Andorra besides the air. Many visitors use train, bus or even car to reach Andorra, and there is free parking in Andorra for Grandvalira ski pass holders.