Early years The airport opened on 15 October 1942, during
World War II, and initially operated in conjunction with the
Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base: seaplanes performed transatlantic flights, and passengers were transferred onto continental flights operating from the new airport. As a neutral airport, it was open to both German and British airlines, and was a hub for smuggling people into, out of, and across Europe. It is widely referenced in the classic film
Casablanca, whose plot revolves around an escape attempt to Lisbon airport. As such, it was heavily monitored by both
Axis and
Allied spies. Although Portugal was neutral, the airport was used by allied flights en route to
Gibraltar,
North Africa and
Cairo. By 1954 the number of passengers reached 100,000. Major upgrades from 1959 to 1962 included a new runway capable of handling the first generation of jets, such as the
Boeing 707 and
Douglas DC-8.
Airport expansion The construction of Terminal 2 was concluded and operational since August 2007. Expansion of Terminal 1 with new boarding gates was concluded in 2011. A large new shopping and restaurant area, new airbridges and parking positions, a more efficient use of currently existing structures, and a new underground
Lisbon Metro station were inaugurated in July 2012. In October 2010,
easyJet opened a new base at Lisbon Airport, using Terminal 2 for departures. In 2022, the airline moved to Terminal 1. Between 2007 and 2013, Lisbon Airport underwent several structural and equipment improvements and expansions. These included the construction of Terminal 2, lighting and baggage claim refurbishment, new cargo facilities, fuel storage, north pier and boarding lounge, north bus gate and baggage claim, enlargement of express cargo facilities, electrical refurbishments, departure lounge refurbishments and underground station and other terminal improvements all of which have been completed. In July 2013, a new commercial area was inaugurated in the Terminal 1 air side area with 20 new stores and spacious naturally lighted internal circulation areas. In July 2015, a significantly larger
food court was introduced, catering to more tastes and delicacies. In January 2019, Portugal's government unveiled a €1.1 billion plan to expand the airport. Although the airport is at capacity, the expansion faces opposition due to impacts on pollution and noise. Construction began in December 2024 on the expansion of Terminal 1, with 10 new
jet bridges and more space for
apron. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2027 and increase the airport's capacity to receive up to 50 million passengers per year.
Planned closure The airport is expected to be shut down after the
Lisbon Luís de Camões Airport, in the current site of the
Field Firing Range of Alcochete, by road from Lisbon, is fully operational, expected in 2034. Initially, the airport was to be replaced by the
Ota Airport, a planned airport in
Ota, a village north of Lisbon. In 2007, an independent study coordinated by the Portuguese Industry Confederation (CIP) suggested a site in
Alcochete Municipality as an alternative location. The site is occupied by a military training facility, which would be moved to another location. A second government-contracted study led by the
National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) concluded in late 2007 that Alcochete was the best location. The selection of Alcochete was announced on 10 January 2008, more than 35 years after the first capacity increase studies were initiated. The Portuguese government announced that Alcochete was the preliminary choice, to be finalised after public consultation. The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the government on 8 May 2008, but the contract was shelved as part of Portugal's cost-cutting austerity measures, and completely dismissed from Portugal's transportation strategy plans in July 2013, with investment being concentrated on expanding and further improving the existing Lisbon Airport infrastructure. ==Naming==