Madeira airport wind: why flights divert and what to do
Why strong wind stops planes landing at Madeira, when it happens, what your airline must do if your flight is diverted, and how to plan so a windy day doesn’t ruin your trip.
Madeira airport sits between steep mountains and the sea. When the wind blows hard from certain directions, it tumbles over the hills and becomes turbulent just above the runway. For that reason the airport has mandatory wind limits: if the wind is stronger than the limit, or the gusts are too strong, planes are not allowed to land.
How often does it happen?
Most days, never. Wind problems come in episodes, usually a few times a month in winter and much less in summer. On a bad day, some flights circle for a while and land; others divert and come back a few hours later or the next day.
- Most affected: November to March, and afternoons more than mornings.
- Least affected: May to September, although strong north-easterly trade winds can still cause delays.
Where diverted flights go
Diverted planes usually land on Porto Santo, 15 minutes away, and wait there for the wind to drop. Others go to Lisbon, Porto, Faro or the Canary Islands, depending on the airline and fuel. Sometimes passengers are flown or shipped from Porto Santo to Madeira later the same day.
Your rights if your flight is diverted or cancelled
Under the EU rules for air passengers, the airline has to look after you: meals and drinks while you wait, a hotel if you are stuck overnight, and a new flight to Madeira or a refund. Weather is treated as an extraordinary circumstance, so you are usually not entitled to the extra cash compensation. Keep your receipts and claim through your airline.
How to plan for it
- Leave a buffer before onward connections. If you fly home via Lisbon or another hub, avoid tight connections on separate tickets, especially in winter.
- Prefer morning flights in the windy season, when the wind is often calmer.
- Don’t book non-refundable things for your arrival evening. A dinner reservation is fine; a non-refundable tour is a risk.
- Get travel insurance that covers delays and missed connections.
- Download your airline’s app and allow notifications. Diversion decisions are made in the air and announced quickly.
Checking the wind before you fly
Look at the airport’s flight information page for live arrivals. On our homepage and weather page we show the latest official weather report from the airport: wind speed, gusts and direction, with a simple guide to what they mean. As a rough rule, wind of 15 knots or more with gusts of 25 knots or more is when diversions start, depending on the direction. Only the airline and air traffic control decide, so treat our indicator as a heads-up, not a forecast for your flight.
Is it dangerous?
No. The limits exist precisely so that planes only land when it is safe, and pilots get special training to fly into Madeira. The worst outcome is a delay.
Sources: ANA, Madeira Airport flight information, European Commission, air passenger rights