Palma airport (PMI) transfers to your hotel: all options

Q: What is the difference between a shared transfer and a private one?

A shared transfer — the shuttle — travels with other passengers and drops each one at their accommodation, so it makes several stops before yours: it is the cheapest option and the one that costs the most time. A private transfer is a vehicle for your group alone, straight to the door and timed to your flight. With luggage, with children or travelling as a group, the difference in time usually makes up for the difference in price.

From Palma airport to your hotel: all the options

You have just landed at Palma (PMI) and you want to reach your accommodation without the stress. Bus, taxi, hire car or a booked transfer: which one suits your case.

This article was translated from the Spanish original with the help of artificial intelligence. Read the original (in Spanish)

A trip to Mallorca really begins when you step out of the terminal into the warm air and the smell of pine. Palma de Mallorca airport (IATA code: PMI) sits at Son Sant Joan, on the edge of the city, beside the bay. Getting to your accommodation from there is straightforward; what matters is choosing well according to who you are travelling with, how much luggage you have and — above all — where you are staying, because Mallorca is large and staying in Palma is nothing like staying in Sóller or Cala Ratjada.

This guide goes through the alternatives, with what each one costs, so that the first journey is as calm as the rest of the trip.

The essentials

Airport: Palma de Mallorca (PMI), at Son Sant Joan, beside the bay of Palma.
Bus: two EMT lines, the A1 into central Palma and the A2 to S’Arenal. 5.00 € a ticket.
Mind your destination: apart from the TIB’s four Aerotib lines (A11, A32, A42 and A51, to coastal areas), there is no direct line; you go into Palma and change at the Estacio Intermodal.
The easiest option with luggage, family or a group: a booked transfer that takes you straight from the plane to the door.

The options, one by one

A booked transfer (the most direct)

A driver waits for you, helps with the luggage and takes you straight to your accommodation, wherever it is. No queues, no changes, no hunting for parking. It is the option you appreciate most if you travel as a family or a group, if you arrive with children and suitcases, or if your hotel is in the Serra, in an inland village or at a poorly connected cove. You book ahead and on arrival you simply walk out and get in.

The public bus

The A1 connects the airport with central Palma and the A2 with S’Arenal. The airport ticket costs 5.00 € — a special fare; an ordinary Palma city ticket is 2.00 € — and you pay in cash on board or by tapping a bank card as you board, with nothing to buy beforehand. Under-fives travel free with an adult. It is the cheapest option and works very well if you are staying in Palma or S’Arenal; if your destination is anywhere else, be ready to change.

Taxi

There is a rank outside the terminal. It is convenient for getting quickly to Palma and its surroundings. For longer runs — to the north, the east or up into the Serra — the fare climbs considerably, and at peak summer times there can be a wait.

Hire car

There are desks at the airport itself and it gives you complete freedom for the rest of the trip. Two warnings: in July and August you should book well in advance, and in high season parking at the better-known coves and in the Serra villages is a sport for early risers — several car parks fill by mid-morning and some access roads are regulated. If your plan is village and beach without moving every day, you may not need it daily.

Which to choose

Staying in Palma or S’Arenal and travelling light → the A1 or A2 bus.
Arriving as a family, with cases and children → a booked transfer.
Travelling as a group → a booked transfer (split between several, it adds up well).
Hotel in the Serra, inland or at a cove → a booked transfer; by bus it is two journeys and a wait.
Want to roam the island at your own pace → a hire car, booked in advance.
Heading for the Serra de Tramuntana → read first how access and transport work up there.
My destination is a boat (charter or berth) → the guide to getting to your boat, port by port.
Coming to play golf → the guide to golf in Mallorca: the courses, how far they are and how to move between them with your bag.

Our take

The first and last journeys are the ones you most appreciate having solved. In Mallorca there is a factor the other islands do not have: size. Reaching Palma is easy by any route, but if your accommodation is a long hour from the airport, the difference between a direct transfer and a chain of bus, change and wait is half an afternoon of your trip. Decide by where you sleep, not by where you land, and save the car for the days you genuinely want to explore.

Fares and lines checked on 21 September 2026 on the EMT Palma website. Public transport prices change: if you travel well after that date, it is worth confirming them.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a bus from Palma airport?

Yes, two EMT lines. The A1 links the airport with central Palma and the A2 with S'Arenal. The airport ticket costs 5.00 € and you can pay in cash on board or simply tap a bank card as you get on. Under-fives travel free with an adult.

How much is the bus from Palma airport?

5.00 € for a single on the airport lines (official EMT Palma fare, checked on 21 September 2026). It is a special fare: an ordinary Palma city ticket costs 2.00 €. If you pay cash on board, note that the maximum change given is 10 €.

How do I get from Palma airport to the rest of the island?

There is no direct line from the airport to most towns, although the TIB runs four direct Aerotib lines to coastal areas: the A11 towards Calvià, the A32 towards Alcúdia and Can Picafort, the A42 towards Manacor and Cala Millor, and the A51 towards Llucmajor and Campos. Otherwise, the usual route is to take the A1 into Palma and change to the intercity coaches at the Estacio Intermodal on Placa d'Espanya. If you are staying in the Serra, in the east or at a cove, expect the journey to stretch out; a transfer booked in advance runs door to door.

Should I book the airport transfer in advance?

Yes, especially in July and August and if you land at night. Palma is one of the busiest airports in Spain in summer and the taxi queues at peak times show it. Booking ahead fixes both the time and the price before you leave home.

What is the difference between a shared transfer and a private one?

A shared transfer — the shuttle — travels with other passengers and drops each one at their accommodation, so it makes several stops before yours: it is the cheapest option and the one that costs the most time. A private transfer is a vehicle for your group alone, straight to the door and timed to your flight. With luggage, with children or travelling as a group, the difference in time usually makes up for the difference in price.

What is a VIP or Premier transfer?

It is the top tier of the private transfer: a higher-category vehicle and a driver waiting when your flight lands. You book it like any private transfer, giving flight, destination and number of passengers. On its Mallorca and Ibiza pages, Shuttle Spain offers it under the name VIP-Premier. It makes sense on long runs, when travelling for work, or when the first day of the trip is worth starting well.

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