Gran Canaria airport sits exactly where you would want it: at Gando, on the east coast, roughly halfway between the capital and the south. From the arrivals door, Las Palmas is about twenty minutes away and the dunes of Maspalomas half an hour. The island itself, though, is not evenly spread out: what suits you on landing depends almost entirely on where you are going to sleep.

And one small gesture before leaving the terminal if you are coming from continental Europe: put your watch back an hour. The Canaries keep the same time as London, an hour behind mainland Spain.

The essentials

  • Airport: Gran Canaria (LPA), at Gando, beside the GC-1 motorway.
  • Indicative driving distances: Las Palmas, about 20 km (≈ 20 min); Maspalomas, about 30 km (≈ 30 min); Puerto de Mogán, 40 to 45 min.
  • Global buses: the 60 to Las Palmas; the 66 south to Faro de Maspalomas; the 90 also links the airport with the south.
  • Time: one hour behind mainland Spain, all year.

The options, one by one

Bus: two lines that cover almost everything

In the Canaries a bus is a guagua, and Gran Canaria’s intercity buses are run by Global. If you are travelling with a reasonable suitcase and staying in the capital or on the south coast, it is a genuine option. Line 60 goes to Las Palmas, stopping at San Telmo bus station and at Santa Catalina. Line 66 heads south via Playa del Inglés to Faro de Maspalomas, and the 90 (Telde–Faro de Maspalomas) also serves the airport, stopping at the southern resorts.

Times and fares change: check them on Global’s website before you fly, especially if you land at night.

Taxi

The rank is just outside arrivals. Taxis are metered, with a higher tariff at night and at weekends. It is the simplest way to the capital or the south if you have booked nothing.

Private transfer

A driver waiting for you, tracking your flight, who leaves you at the door. It makes sense when your destination is far or awkward: Mogán, a house inland or a hotel up on the summit, where the roads wind and no bus drops you at the door. Also if you land late, with children or as a group. Book it with a licensed company, giving your real flight time.

Hire car

There are rental desks in the airport itself. It is the natural choice if you plan to drive up to the summit or explore the north; for a beach week in the south you may not need it every day. Before deciding, read how to get around Gran Canaria: the island is round, but it is never crossed in a straight line.

Which to choose

  • Staying in Las Palmas (Santa Catalina, Vegueta, Las Canteras) → bus 60 or taxi.
  • Staying in Playa del Inglés or Maspalomas → bus 66 or taxi.
  • Staying in Meloneras or Mogán → taxi or private transfer; with luggage, the most comfortable.
  • Staying on the summit (Tejeda, Cruz de Tejeda) → car or private transfer. It is another island, more than 1,500 metres up.
  • Heading to a boat → our guide to getting to your boat, harbour by harbour.
  • Still deciding where to stay → our houses of quiet luxury in Gran Canaria: city, dunes and summit.

Our view

Gran Canaria puts its airport in just the right place, which makes arriving easy almost every time. What is worth avoiding is improvising on the kerb: the difference between a direct bus and a long wait, or between a taxi to the south and a mountain road at night, is decided before you fly. If you are staying on the coast, the bus is a perfectly decent option. If you are staying up high, on the summit, have that first journey settled: that climb is best enjoyed by daylight and unhurried.

Information as of October 2026. Bus lines as listed by the airport; times and distances are indicative. Timetables and fares change: check Global’s and the airport’s websites before you go.