AGP Malaga Airport – Costa del Sol

History, arrangement and curiosities.

Have you ever wondered how Malaga Airport has become one of the most important airports in Spain? And how many terminals does it have? Or maybe you have thought, what does the acronym AGP of Malaga Airport mean?

All these questions and some more are answered below, so keep reading!

History of Malaga Airport – Costa del Sol

The history of Malaga airport began at the beginning of the 20th century when the Frenchman Pierre Latécoère was looking for land in Spain for the construction of various airfields. This French engineer, and aviation businessman, was looking for the connection between France and its African colonies through Spain.

On March 9, 1919, Latécoère landed in a Salmson 2A plane over the area called ‘El Rompedizo‘, today’s international airport of Malaga – Costa del Sol. A few months later, in September of the same year, the first commercial line between Toulouse and Casablanca was inaugurated, with a stopover in Malaga.

Aerial view of 'El Rompedizo', land that now houses the Malaga Airport.

After a few years operating as an aerodrome, in 1937 it became an airbase. And it was here that the schools for Observers, Crew Members and Specialists of the Air Force were located.

On 12th July 1946, the airport was definitively opened to national and international air traffic and was also classified as a customs facility. Initially, passengers were served at its facilities until 1948, when the first civilian terminal for passengers was inaugurated.

Since then, it has witnessed various remodelling and extensions until reaching what we know today of this prestigious international airport of Malaga – Costa del Sol.

Image of the terminal 1 of the Airport of Malaga in 1970.

What is the real name of Malaga Airport?

The question may seem strange to you, but there is still confusion about the real name of Malaga Airport; and that is, as we explain below, a subject that lends itself to misunderstanding.

Known as Malaga Aviation Field, at the time when it was operating as an airbase; it was with the opening of this airport to commercial traffic that it began to be officially called Malaga Airport. At this time, is when the acronym AGP is assigned, which we talk about in the next section.

With the inauguration, in 1991, of the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Terminal (T2) is when the erroneous belief begins that confuses the name of the terminal with that of the airport, which will continue to be called Malaga Airport until 2011, when it will be called Airport of Malaga – Costa del Sol.

Archive image of Malaga Airport in the 90s.

But, why is Malaga Airport called AGP?

One of the most common questions about Malaga – Costa del Sol Airport is about its IATA code. This international code, which designates the different airports and aerodromes in the world, usually corresponds to the first two or three letters of the name of the city where it is located. So, being AGP the code of Malaga Airport, it is normal that it generates curiosity.

Well, when the IATA code was assigned, all the combinations corresponding to the first letters of Malaga were already assigned to other airports.

Thus, it became necessary to use the fourth and fifth letters (AG). The last letter (P) was simply assigned at random, leaving the definitive nomenclature as AGP Malaga International Airport.

About the assignment of the letter P, you may have read explanations relating this fact to T2 Terminal, also known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso Terminal, but they are all wrong.

The reality is that the inauguration of T2 with the name of the most international Malaga native (with permission of Banderas), is much later than the assignment of the AGP code for Malaga Airport.

How many terminals does Malaga Airport have?

Equipped with two runways, with an elevation of 16 metres above sea level and more than 3,000 metres long, as well as 45 metres wide, Malaga Airport has 5 terminals.

The three terminals for commercial traffic at Malaga Airport have been designed and built separately in different stages, but have been internally connected so that passengers experience a total sense of continuity.

T1 Terminal
T2 Terminal
T3 Terminal
General Aviation Terminal – TAG
Cargo Terminal

Let’s see, below, a more detailed description of each of them.

Malaga Airport control tower with the Pablo Ruiz Picasso terminal behind it.

1. T1 Terminal

It is located south of the airport and connects to the T2.

The T1 terminal at Malaga Airport remains closed to the public unless the flow of passengers increases, at which time it opens its doors to avoid collapse.

It has no boarding gates and is distributed on two floors, P0 and P1.

Floor 0:

Here is the National Police station, in addition to the arrivals hall in T1.
Floor 1:

On this floor of the terminal is the T1 departure hall and the check-in counters.

2. T2 Terminal

Also known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso Terminal, the T2 consists of 4 floors and was designed by the architect Ricardo Bofill. It is located between the other two airport terminals, maintaining internal communication with both.

As with T1, Terminal 2 is kept closed unless required by the increase in passenger traffic.

Let’s see, next, what we can find in each of its three floors and its mezzanine.

Floor -1

Car Rental Companies.
Limited Free WiFi

Mezzanine

‘Costa del Sol’ Meeting Room.
Boarding Gates B24, B26, B28 and B30.
Defibrillator, in the boarding area Module B.
Limited Free WiFi.
Toilets.

Floor 0

Luggage Collection.
Immigration Control.
Boarding Area.
Security Controls.
Lost Luggage.
Access to Departures Hall.
Boarding Gates: B32, B34, B36 and B38.
Currency Exchange Office.
Two Meeting Points PMR.
Defibrillator, in the Arrivals area.
Limited Free WiFi.
Toilets.

Floor 1

Departures Hall.
Check-in Desks: 201 to 265.
Boarding area, Security and passport controls.
Boarding Gates: B11 to B18, and gate B20.
Luggage laminating machine.
Two Meeting Points PMR.
Shopping and restaurant area.
Breastfeeding room with children’s play area.
‘Europa’ Meeting Room.
Tour Operator Info.
Defibrillator, in the Boarding area Module B.
Limited Free WiFi.
Post Box.
Toilets.

3. T3 Terminal

The T3 terminal of the Malaga Airport is located to the north of the airport site, next to the T2. It consists of 4 floors, was designed by the architect Bruce S. Fairbanks and is operational since March 15, 2010.

In its more than 250,000 m2, it includes a large number of areas that serve different needs, which we will now look at in detail:

Floor -1

Tour Operators Bus Station.
Transports Hub.
Meeting Point PMR.
Defibrillator.
Limited Free WiFi.

Floor 2

VIP Room.
Shops and restaurant area.
Limited Free WiFi.

Floor 0

Car Rental Offices.
Arrivals Hall.
Security Controls.
Immigration Control.
Customs.
Lost Luggage.
Lost and Found.
Malaga Airport Information Office.
Exhibition Hall.
Shops and restaurant area.
Two Meeting Points PMR.
Multipurpose Meeting Room.
Currency Exchange Office.
Medical Centre.
Tour Operators Info.
ATMs.
Transport Information.
Multi-Faith Room and Chapel.
Tourism Office.
Bus Stop.
Taxi Stop.
Train Station Access.
Transports Hub.
Defibrillators.
Limited Free WiFi.
Toilets.

Floor 1

Departures Hall.
Check-In Desks: from 301 to 362.
Check-In Desks: from 363 to 386.
Boarding Area.
Security and Passport Controls.
Boarding Gates: C31 to C40
Boarding Gates: D42 to D68.
Iberia Self-check-in-Machines.
Norwegian Self-check-in-Machines.
Malaga Airport Information Office.
Luggage Laminating Machine.
Spanish Guardia Civil.
Arms Office.
VAT Refund Office.
Two Meeting Points PMR.
Pharmacy.
Para-pharmacy.
Shopping-and restaurant area.
ATMs.
Currency Exchange Office.
Defibrillators.
Post Box.
Limited Free WiFi.
Toilets.

4. General Aviation Terminal – TAG

The General Aviation Terminal at Malaga Airport, also known as the executive terminal, is built on top of what was the old passenger terminal inaugurated in 1948.

Although it is much smaller and independent than the others, its 1800 m2, distributed in 3 floors, provide service for all types of private aviation activities, executive charter flights, air taxis, sport flights, etc.

It is here, in the General Aviation Terminal at Malaga Airport, where we have our facilities as a pilot school.

5. Cargo Terminal

At the cargo terminal of the Malaga Airport, access to passengers is restricted, as this is where air cargo is carried out. Built-in the ’90s, just after the inauguration of the T2, Malaga Airport is located to the north of the site and has an area of 5700 m2.

The cargo terminal has an armoured chamber for the custody of valuable merchandise, four cold rooms, a specific area for the treatment of radioactive material, a space for live animals care and a laboratory for the sanitary control of products for both human and animal consumption.

The cargo terminal has 16 loading islands to load the merchandise in the vehicles in charge of its later distribution to the different destinations.

Would you like to know more about the AGP Malaga Airport?

If you have liked to know all these curiosities about the airport, or if you are planning to travel soon, you will surely be interested in reading more about Malaga – Costa del Sol Airport (AGP).

For this, we recommend you to consult our posts series with useful information about Malaga Airport, where you will find everything you need to know about the airlines that operate there, destinations, parking lots, transport, and other services available.

Pilot Training in Spain
E-ATO 190

know-more-about-agp-malaga-airport-costa-del-sol

AGP Malaga Airport – Costa del Sol

History of Malaga Airport – Costa del Sol

What is the real name of Malaga Airport?

But, why is Malaga Airport called AGP?

How many terminals does Malaga Airport have?

1. T1 Terminal

Floor 0:

Floor 1:

2. T2 Terminal

Floor -1

Mezzanine

Floor 0

Floor 1

3. T3 Terminal

Floor -1

Floor 2

Floor 0

Floor 1

4. General Aviation Terminal – TAG

5. Cargo Terminal

Would you like to know more about the AGP Malaga Airport?

Compartir esta entrada

Follow us on social media! Instagram, Tik Tok, Youtube, Facebook…

World’s Best Airlines 2024

Skytrax World Airline Awards, the ‘Oscars’ of aviation

An airline pilot’s salary: How much do pilots earn?

New Xerez DFC equipment, a tribute to the world of motor racing!

ATPL Exams: How to successfully pass them

Geodesic lines: Why don’t aeroplanes fly in a straight line?

Freedoms of the Air: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?

Airplane brakes: Everything about how an aircraft stops