Did you know? Porto Airport turned 80 in 2026, and its renewed runway now has a Category II landing system

Porto Airport marked 80 years of operations in 2026, and the anniversary came with one of the biggest changes to its airfield. VINCI Airports, the shareholder of ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, announced that a fully renovated runway and a new Operations Coordination Centre were inaugurated on 16 March 2026, in the presence of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.

The runway project was completed over 19 months. It included full resurfacing, modernisation of the drainage systems, replacement of the airfield lighting with LED technology and the installation of a Category II Instrument Landing System, known as ILS. VINCI describes the project as the largest investment ever made at the airport.

The landing system is the part that matters most to passengers. According to VINCI, the new Category II ILS allows operations in low-visibility conditions.

The airport is also busier than ever. It handled 16.9 million passengers in 2025, its highest traffic level to date, and more than 120 direct destinations now connect Northern Portugal with Europe, the Americas and Africa. VINCI reports growth of 166% since it took over operations in 2012.

On days of poor weather, passengers should still check their flight status with their airline; the announcement does not say how often the new system will be needed or which flights it will affect.