Tenerife North Airport (TFN)
History, Facts and Overview

(Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain)

In the early 1930s, Lufthansa were keen to fly between Tenerife and Berlin, and so a temporary airfield was created within the island's northerly Los Rodeos area. The late 1930s saw considerable redevelopment of the site and by the early 1940s, a hard-surface runway, passenger terminal and large hangar were all in place and services began.

During the mid-1960s, Tenerife North Airport enjoyed much investment, which was used to build a tall control tower, extended the apron area and soon after, construct a new runway. Passenger numbers rose sharply in the early 1970s, when Boeing 747 jet planes began using the airport. However, by 1980, much of the traffic had been transferred to Tenerife's South Airport, leaving the North Airport, still often referred to as Los Rodeos Airport today, to be used mainly for domestic flights around Spain and in particular, the Canary Islands.


Tenerife North Airport is home to a bank operated by Caja Canarias with bureau de change facilities, as well as a total of three ATMs located in the terminal. Food and beverages are available at a small selection of outlets, such as Café Rittazza, which is surrounded by shops and features a popular observation deck, overlooking much of the airport itself.

Shopping options at Tenerife North Airport include both duty-free and duty-paid. The most notable shops are the Atlántica jewellery store, the Canariensis newsagent, the Tenerife Deli, and La Casa de los Balcones, where you will discover a wide range of local handicrafts from around the Canary Islands, including embroidery and ceramics. Limited business facilities are provided within the airport's VIP Lounge, while the neighbouring Silken Atlantida Santa Cruz Hotel offers a series of meeting rooms.