Faro Airport - fast track?

[britespark1]

Has anyone recently used fast track tickets to get through security at Faro please? We fly back to Birmingham Monday and I’ve heard horror stories.

We came back via Faro last weekend. There were no queues, we were through security in less than 10 mins and we didn't have to wait at passport control.

We were travelling with a three year old so did get waved through some queues, but even if we hadn't been it still would have been pretty efficient. The passport people were exceptionally friendly and took the time to chat with the 3 year old.

If you are travelling with kids then there is a great play area above one of the pubs. Stuff for littlies and also games consoles for the older ones.

Is it the end of half term this weekend - I guess that will have an impact, but there were loads of school-age kids at all the places we went to that week.

Also if any of you were the lovely lady who gave their (finished with) bodyboard to my grand-children on the beach then thank you very much - they had a ball!

Thanks for your reply. It’s great to hear something postive! Mine are pre-teens/early teens but it’s their first time abroad so a big deal for them. I’m hoping as school actually starts back the day we fly home that it won’t be too horrific but you never know. Thanks again!

Fingers crossed it's all straightforward for you.

We travel a lot and it was definitely one of the more pleasant airport experiences.

Fast track is just for security which isn't usually the problem- there were huge problems with passport control during summer 2023 summer and at Easter this year.
However, I came back from Faro just over a week ago and DH two weeks before that and it was very quick through both security and passport control.

There have been an enormous number of complaints and I think the company who run the passport control have had a real bollocking because the authorities were concerned that it would affect the tourist industry on which the Algarve really depends. They seem to have got their act together and people are now saying generally how much better it is.

They are installing a huge number of machines in the passport halls too which should additionally speed things up.

No problem 3 weeks ago. Very fast and efficient but then it wasn't a school holiday.

Also lots of machines at passport control, and staff directing passengers on where to go, and also to help anyone whose passport was rejected and so needed to join the queue to be checked at a manned booth.

@KnottyKnitting we were there in the summer and it was horrific. Two hours to get through passport control, there was no discernible queue, just hordes of people being shoved along left, right and centre. It didn't help that only two or three booths were open, and you can't use their e-gates if you're under 18, which meant most of the holiday makers there as they were all families.

We came home from Faro on Sunday, security was ok, a bit slow but ok. Our flight home though was delayed as so many people stuck in passport control.

Thanks for the responses all. Most appreciated. I won’t bother with the fast track then but I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed it all goes ok!

Just to update in case anyone was in the same boat, all went really smoothly. No queues in security, only a small fast-moving one through passport control. Our biggest wait was once we landed back at Birmingham, and that was only about 45 mins through border control.

Glad that all went well OP.