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Faro Airport Lounges: FAO Access Guide
Faro Airport has two lounges - Schengen and non-Schengen sides. Here is how to get in, what it costs, and the catches.
Published September 3, 2026 · AI-assisted editorial
Yes - Faro Airport (FAO) has lounge access on both sides of the terminal: an ANA Lounge in the Schengen departures area and a CIP Lounge (also branded the ANA CIP Lounge) in the non-Schengen departures area, which is the one that matters for most UK and Irish flights since Brexit. Both work on a pay-at-the-door or membership-pass model, and both have real catches worth knowing before you build a departure day around one.
See the full access breakdown on our FAO Airport Lounges hub page.
The two lounges at Faro Airport
Faro is a single-terminal airport operated by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal (part of the Vinci Airports group), and it splits its departures into two sides after security: Schengen and non-Schengen. Each side has its own paid lounge, and the two are not interchangeable once you have passed through passport control.
- ANA Lounge (Schengen side) - serves flights to other Schengen-area countries such as Spain, France, Germany and most of the rest of the EU.
- CIP Lounge / ANA CIP Lounge (non-Schengen side) - serves flights to the UK, Ireland and any other non-Schengen destination. Since the UK left the EU's border-free area, this is the lounge that UK-bound leisure travellers - the largest single group flying out of Faro - will find themselves routed toward.
Both are airside, past security, so you cannot visit either one before you have cleared the departure checkpoint, and you cannot use one to reach the other once you have committed to a side.
Where each lounge is and how to reach it
The Schengen-side ANA Lounge sits within the main departures concourse, close to the shops and food outlets on that side. The non-Schengen CIP Lounge is reached by following signs for the boarding gates after security and continuing past the duty-free shop - most descriptions place it up a short flight of stairs or just beyond the duty-free area, on the left-hand side. Signage inside the terminal points to both, but if you are unsure which side you have entered, check your boarding pass gate number against the terminal screens before you commit to a queue, since backtracking after a security recheck is not always straightforward at a small, single-terminal airport.
How to get in: access methods compared
| Access method | Status at Faro |
|---|---|
| Walk-in day pass (pay at the door) | Yes - roughly EUR 32 per adult and EUR 15 per child, though rates can change without notice |
| Priority Pass | Accepted at Faro's lounges, with no option to pre-book - entry is walk-up and subject to space |
| DragonPass / LoungeKey | Accepted on the non-Schengen side, same walk-up, space-permitting basis |
| Premium credit cards (e.g. cards with Priority Pass or a lounge programme attached) | Works if your card's own lounge programme lists a Faro lounge as a partner - check your card issuer's current lounge directory before you fly |
| Airline business/first class or elite frequent-flyer status | Some airlines and alliance elite tiers get complimentary entry, but this varies by carrier and is not guaranteed across the board - confirm with your airline |
| Advance online prepay | ANA sells lounge access through its own online store ahead of travel, which is worth doing if you want price certainty rather than relying on the door rate |
What catches travellers out at Faro
- Space is not guaranteed. Even a valid Priority Pass, DragonPass or credit-card membership can be turned away once the lounge is full. Faro's lounges are compact relative to the volume of leisure charter traffic the airport handles, and access is explicitly "subject to space availability" - staff can and do close the door.
- Peak season means real crowding. June through September, when Algarve holiday traffic is at its heaviest, both lounges have been reported as standing-room-only at busy departure banks. If a calm pre-flight stop is the point of paying, a lounge at capacity defeats it.
- The "main" lounge is not automatically yours if you are flying to the UK. Since Brexit, UK departures fall on the non-Schengen side, which by several independent reviews is the more crowded and more mixed-quality of the two. Do not assume the nicer-sounding "ANA Lounge" branding applies to your queue - check which side your gate is on.
- Reported opening hours are inconsistent between sources. ANA's own site and some third-party guides list roughly 07:00 to 19:00, while lounge-membership directories and traveller reviews list hours running later, into the 22:00-23:00 range. Treat published hours as approximate and confirm on the day if your flight is in the evening.
- Charging and connectivity are basic. Expect ordinary EU wall sockets rather than dedicated USB points, and pack an adapter if you need one. Wi-Fi has been described as patchy by more than one reviewer, so do not plan on it for anything that needs a stable connection.
- Maximum stay is capped, typically around three hours. This is not a facility for riding out a long delay or an overnight wait - it is meant for a pre-boarding pause, not a substitute for a hotel or a rest area.
- Food is a snack, not a meal. Expect small sandwiches or toasties, pastries such as pastéis de nata, crisps and nuts, plus self-serve beer, wine and soft drinks. It is enough to take the edge off, not enough to skip dinner.
Food, drink and what to expect inside
Reviewers consistently describe both lounges as functional rather than luxurious: air-conditioned, with flight-information screens, disabled access, and enough seating to cope with normal traffic outside peak weeks. The self-serve food spread runs to sandwiches, savoury pastries, crisps, and a limited but real selection of alcoholic and soft drinks. Do not expect a hot buffet, showers, or a dedicated quiet or sleep area - Faro's lounges are a step up from the gate seating, not a full business-lounge experience on the scale of a major hub.
Alternatives if you can't get in or don't want to pay
Faro's terminal has standard landside cafes (including a Costa Coffee that opens early) and airside food and drink outlets if the lounge is full, closed, or simply not worth the walk-in price for your layover length. Free Wi-Fi is available terminal-wide through the airport's own network, which is a reasonable fallback if lounge Wi-Fi is the main draw. If you are building a full pre-flight plan around Faro, our trip preparation guide and transfer search tools cover the rest of the journey - getting to the airport reliably matters more to most travellers' day than an hour in a pay lounge.
Frequently asked questions
Does Faro Airport have a lounge? Yes. There are two: the ANA Lounge on the Schengen side and the CIP Lounge (ANA CIP Lounge) on the non-Schengen side, both airside past security.
Which lounge do I use for a UK or Ireland flight? The non-Schengen side lounge, since the UK and Ireland's non-Schengen status (Ireland is in the EU but outside Schengen for airport routing at Faro) puts those departures on that side of the terminal.
Is Priority Pass accepted at Faro Airport? Yes, at the lounges on both sides, on a walk-up basis with no pre-booking option. Entry is subject to space, so a valid pass does not guarantee a seat during busy periods.
How much does a walk-in day pass cost? Reported pricing is roughly EUR 32 per adult and EUR 15 per child, though prices can change - confirm the current rate at the door or via ANA's online store before you fly.
How long can I stay in the lounge? Typically up to three hours, based on published Priority Pass terms for the location.
What time do the lounges open and close? Generally from around 07:00, though closing times are reported inconsistently across sources - some list 19:00, others list later into the evening. Check on the day if your flight departs later.
The bottom line
Faro Airport does have lounge access, split across its Schengen and non-Schengen departure areas, and it is realistic to plan around one - as long as you treat the access rules as approximate rather than guaranteed. Space is not promised even with a valid pass, hours vary by source, and the experience is basic rather than premium. If a calm pre-flight stop matters to your trip, build in a backup plan (arrive early, have a landside cafe in mind) rather than assuming the lounge door will be open when you get there.