Since its recovery from the pandemic, Portugal has been increasing its tourist numbers year upon year and is seen as an international success story in terms of attracting new people to the country. However, despite all the success with its tourism and immigration marketing campaigns, Portugal did not have a plan for how to keep up with the burgeoning numbers of tourists, especially at its largest airport: Humberto Delgado in Lisbon. Right now, arriving in Portugal through Lisbon Airport is an operational failure that actively puts both travelers and residents to physical and mental tests before they have even had a chance to pick up their luggage.
I recently reentered the Schengen zone from Africa with Lisbon as my first port of entry. It was a mistake I will not repeat unless I have no other choice financially. When I reached immigration, the “All Passports” line was already over two hours long. I ultimately waited two and a half hours to reach a border officer despite being a legal resident of Portugal with a valid residence card in hand.
Many people ask why residents like me do not simply use the EU citizens line or the electronic gates. I have an American passport and do qualify for standing in the line with electronic gates. However, my passport has not worked at the electronic gates a few times in the past and the line that day, even for EU citizens and passports with electronic chips, was over one hour long. I have personally waited over an hour in that line before only to be turned away by a machine and sent by the staff to the back of the All Passports line. After experiencing that once, you start making defensive choices. I chose the All Passports line because I was trying to avoid turning a three hour wait into four.
The Current State of Immigration at the Lisbon Airport
In my opinion, the current state of the immigration line at the Lisbon Airport is unacceptable by any modern airport standards. I have never waited longer at any other airport in the world. Once you get into the line, there is no access to bathrooms. If you leave, you lose your place. There is no access to food or water. Elderly travelers, some barely able to stand, are forced to remain on their feet for hours, although I did see some people who looked close to collapse leaving the line to get into a fast track line on the right-hand side of the All Passports side. About two hours into my wait, a man somewhere behind me began shouting in a language I did not understand. I never figured out what the problem was, but I felt that he was expressing the frustration that all of us were feeling standing there.
People started sitting down in the middle of the line. People walked over to the wall and leaned against it gripping water bottles that had been brought to them by staff. I could see the initial excitement on people’s faces at the thought of finally arriving in Lisbon turn to dismay. At one point, I noticed an empty immigration booth at the front. It turned out that the officer was on a lunch break. People deserve breaks, of course, but with these crazy lines, no booth should ever be left unmanned. If Lisbon Airport has so few operational booths that a single lunch break causes further delays, that is a staffing failure. On top of that, there were multiple periods when no staff member was present to actively direct passengers to the next available booth. Anyone who understands crowd flow knows this role is essential. Without it, the entire system slows down even more. Friends have told me in the past that they have seen people in the line jump up and start directing traffic in the absence of someone there to guide others.
How Baggage Claim Works Three Hours Later
And then comes baggage claim. After waiting nearly three hours to clear immigration, my luggage had already been removed from the carousel and I couldn’t find my flight listed on the monitor anymore. I only found my luggage after asking staff standing near the lost luggage section what carousel had been used for my flight. The Lisbon airport has over 12 luggage belts in two distinctly different sections, so it is not obvious or easy to find your bag if it has long since been moved elsewhere. In my opinion, I think the airport either needs to keep flight information on screens for several hours or use large marker boards to list the carousels that were used throughout the day or a website where you can input your flight number and get the former carousel number. This would be better than asking the same two overwhelmed staff members for the information again and again.
This situation is happening despite the fact that Portugal has not yet implemented the new Schengen border control system that will require fingerprinting and additional checks for non EU citizens. With lines already collapsing under the current setup, adding another layer of processing without fixing staffing, infrastructure, and flow management will be disastrous.
The problem is not limited to Lisbon. Porto Airport and Faro Airport face similar pressures during peak periods. Right now, all three are airports worth avoiding if you have any alternative.
So What Are the Alternatives?
Portugal’s immigration bottlenecks are a direct result of its popularity and its outdated infrastructure. Lisbon Airport opened during World War II, and it only decided on the location for a new airport in 2024. While Lisbon’s popularity should be a point of pride, it also comes with a responsibility to its residents and “tourist customers.” These conditions demand immediate action, not promises of reform years down the line. At a minimum, all booths must be staffed at all times, a rethink of the design of the booths should be conducted to add more booths, crowd flow must be handled continuously, and basic human needs like bathroom access and water must be addressed.
There is also a strong argument for allowing all legal residents of Portugal to use the EU citizens line. Residents pay taxes, contribute to the economy, and hold government issued residence cards. Treating them the same as short term visitors at the border makes no sense and adds unnecessary pressure to the longest lines. Surely, a one-time registration and fingerprinting in the system could be conducted for such residents at regional offices so that residents could move more smoothly through Portuguese airports.
Avoid Portuguese Airports If You Can Afford It
Until meaningful changes are made, there is a practical workaround that travelers should seriously consider. Make sure your first point of entry into the Schengen zone is not in Portugal. If you are flying from New York, route through Paris first, clear immigration there, and then fly onward to Lisbon. You will arrive as a Schengen passenger and walk straight to baggage claim. If you are coming from Africa or Asia, route through Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, or another major European hub before continuing to Portugal. A two-hour connection elsewhere is very likely faster than standing for three hours in Lisbon immigration.
Pack Water and Snacks
In the meantime, make sure that you use the restroom, have a full water bottle, and some snacks in your bag before entering the immigration line at Lisbon Airport. Make sure you are also wearing comfortable shoes. You will likely get both hungry and thirsty while you wait. In the best case scenario, you may make new friends in line who will help you pass the time.
Final Thoughts
Portugal deserves better than this. Travelers deserve better than this. And residents who have built their lives here absolutely deserve better than this. The country’s popularity is not slowing down. Immigration reform at airports cannot wait any longer.
