Vágar Airport

Vágar Airport (FAE) is the port of arrival for most visitors to the Faroe Islands. This is the only airport in the island group.

The airport is situated on Vagar Island in the western part of the country. Vágar Airport is located between the village Sørvágur and Lake Leitisvatn. Home to the Faroe Islands flag carrier Atlantic Airways, this is where all flights to the island group arrive.

All you need to know about Vágar Airport

The western end of the runway lies only 400 metres (1312 feet) from the nearest houses in Sørvágur. On the opposite end of the runaway lies the lake Leitisvatn. This is the famous ‘floating lake’ which creates an optical illusion when seen from the Trælanípa Cliff. The runway is 1799 metres (1.1 mile).

Vágar Airport was established during World War ll by the British Army. The runway has been extended since then and the facilities around the airport upgrade. A new terminal was inaugurated in 2014 with a tax-free shop, restaurant, bar, resting area, and a new arrival hall.

The Airport Terminal

A very limited flight traffic to the Faroe Islands makes travel effortless and stress-free to and from Vágar Airport. There are never more than fifteen flights arriving and departing daily. This is during the peak travel season in July.

Just to give you a sense of how small the airport is, there are only two gates at the airport. There is Gate 1 and Gate 2.

The airport is calm, and queues for check-in, security, and baggage claim are minimal. No overwhelming crowds comes with several advantages.

• No need to arrive at the airport more than 1 hour before outbound flight
• Quick luggage claim process
• Personalised service at the airport

Another great advantage of the crowd-free airport is that you get more time to explore the islands. One very popular activity is this Drangarnir Boat Tour. It takes you to the number one attraction in the Faroe Islands. The boat tour starts in Sørvágur only minutes away from Vágar Airport.

Breathtaking views before landing

When approaching the airport, you will either descend over Lake Leitisvatn or over the Sørvágsfjørður fjord and then the village Sørvágur just before landing. If the plane enters the runway over Sørvágur, you will have the terminal building on your left-hand side upon landing.

Entering the runway from the end where Sørvágur is located will give you the most beautiful views, visibility permitting. From this side of the runway, you will fly over the spiky Tindhólmur Islet in one direction and the valley and small village Gásadalur in the other direction.

After you have disembarked the airplane, you will walk outside for less than a minute before entering the terminal at Vágar Airport. The atmosphere at the airport is relaxed as there is only moderate traffic. There are daily flights to Copenhagen and weekly and seasonal flights to other destinations.

Locations Close to Vágar Airport

The airport is a 40 minutes drive from the capital, Tórshavn. There are several daily bus departures from the airport to Tórshavn. You can also get from the airport in a taxi. There are several taxi companies operating from Vágar Airport.

The small village of Gásadalur lies only a 15 minutes drive from the airport. The settlement is one of the most popular attractions in the Faroe Islands. Gásadalur is where you will experience the famous Múlafossur waterfall that drops directly into the ocean.

Vágar Airport Car Rental

All car rental agencies in the Faroe Islands offer pickup at the airport. So if you hire a car in the Faroe Islands, you will for sure be able to pick it up right upon landing.

You will fond the car rental staff only a 1 minutes walk from the airport’s small arrival hall. There are signs in the arrival hall pointing towards the car rental agencies. All car rentals on Guide to Faroe Islands come with pickup at Vágar Airport. Browse the widest selection of car rentals in the Faroe Islands.

Many package tours start at Vágar Airport with travellers either being picked up by a driver or seeing travellers picking up their rented car at one of the car rental desks. Once heading form the airport, you are only minutes away from the breathtaking nature.

Høgni Reistrup

Høgni Reistrup is the CEO and Co-founder of Guide to Faroe Islands. Born and raised in the Faroe Islands, Høgni has deep roots in the archipelago. He co-founded the marketplace Guide to Faroe Islands in 2018 as a way for travellers to plan and explore the best of the island group.

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