There is only one international airport in Albania. It is named after Mother Teresa and is located 15 km from the capital city of Tirana. In this guide, you will learn everything a tourist needs to know about this place, from currency exchange and car rental to where you can get a PCR test.
Tirana International Airport: General Information
I’ll keep it brief and concise. It’s already quite clear.
- There is only one international airport in Albania, and yes, there is only one operational passenger airport as well. There are no domestic flights within the country; all flights are international.
- The airport is located near the capital, 15 km from Tirana. You can find the travel map in this guide, where it is marked.
- Official name: Mother Teresa International Airport.
Useful to know:
Mother Teresa is the most famous Albanian in the world. You will find many other interesting facts about Albania in the article linked below.
So, when people mention Tirana Airport, Albanian Airport, or simply the airport, know that they are all referring to the same place.
- IATA code: TIA.
- Official website of Tirana Airport: https://www.tirana-airport.com
- There you will find the online arrivals and departures board.
- Domestic airline: Air Albania.
- It is a very small airline that operates flights only to neighboring countries. Most tourists fly to Tirana in transit through Frankfurt, Vienna, Belgrade, Istanbul, or Milan.
- For information on how to reach Albania, where to buy cheap tickets, and what to consider, read the article: direct flights to Tirana and more.
Services available at Tirana Airport
Albania’s airport is quite small. It handles approximately 20-30 flights daily. For comparison, in Vienna, the same number of aircraft are serviced in 40-50 minutes. Despite its modest size, it is a modern airport where you will find everything you need.
- Currency exchange offices.
- By the way, there are two currency exchange offices here: one in the arrival area and one in the main hall.
- It is worth noting that the exchange rates at the airport are almost the same as in the city. It is not necessary to exchange all your money at once, but you can exchange 50-100 euros upon arrival for initial expenses.
- There are many ATMs from all the major banks of the country nearby.
- There is a mini-market called CONAD where you can buy snacks or essential items. By the way, you can read all about the stores in Albania here.
- Offices of all three mobile operators are located in the main hall of the airport. Learn all about internet services in the country.
Important to know:
There are no car rental offices or PCR testing booths inside the airport building. They are all located 100-200 meters away from the main building. The link to the map was provided earlier, where you can find all these facilities.
At Albania’s airport, you will find all the major players in the European car rental market. However, it is essential to book a car in advance. Due to the limited number of flights and low passenger traffic, they will be waiting for you according to your flight time. If you haven’t booked anything in advance, there is a high chance that half of the rental companies will simply be closed. And if your flight is late, they will all be closed.
- Read all about car rental in Albania, insurance, deposits, and pitfalls in the comprehensive article on car rental.
Tirana Airport: Taxis, Transfers, and Buses
A bit off-topic for this article, but here’s some information: Public transportation in Albania is poorly developed. Traveling by car is essential in this country—it’s easy, cheap, safe, and the drivers are very calm. You won’t see much if you rely solely on public transportation that you could explore with a car. And in some places, you simply can’t reach without a car.
Tirana Airport is no exception. On one hand, public transportation is available, but on the other hand, it would be nice to have more frequent options.
Bus from Tirana to the Airport
The bus operates daily, departing from the Skanderbeg Square in the city center.
- Coordinates of the stop in Tirana: 41.3284336, 19.8207989.
- Departs every hour, 24/7
- The official bus carrier Luna operates on the route Tirana-Airport. For the latest information, please check their website https://luna.al
- Bus ticket price: 400 lek or $4.
Useful to know:
From Tirana Airport, you can immediately travel to Durrës, Vlore and Shkoder. Shuttles operate infrequently, but there are 5-6 trips per day. The ticket price is 600-1200 lek (6-12$). You can find the schedule in the provided link. In Albania, everyone has WhatsApp, so I recommend contacting them in advance to confirm the timing according to your flight and possibly even reserve seats. It wouldn’t hurt to do so.
Taxis to/from Tirana or the Airport:
It’s simple, or rather, complicated, but simple. Read all about taxis in Albania in a separate article. But if I summarize briefly what you need to know about taxis at Tirana Airport:
- There is no Uber in the country.
- Taxi services are provided by millions of independent private drivers. There are several major companies, but Albania is not the country where it’s easy to call a taxi through an app.
- The standard taxi fare from the airport to the center of Tirana is 2000-2500 lek (up to 20 euros or $25). Don’t agree to pay more. However, you can find taxis for as low as 1500 lek. But for more details, refer to the article provided in the link above.
- Advice: When looking for a taxi at the airport, discuss the fare upfront.
- Taxis in Albania are safe, and the drivers are very welcoming to tourists.
- You can pay for the taxi in either euros or lek.
- Without traffic, the ride to the city center takes about 20 minutes. With traffic, it can take an hour to an hour and a half.
- Read the comprehensive city review article for information on traffic in Tirana.
Duty Free
Keep in mind that the departure zone of the airport has only 4 gates. Consequently, there aren’t many Duty-Free shops. Just two, and oh, there’s also a coffee shop. That’s it.
Here are a few things to know about Duty-Free at Tirana Airport:
- Prices are very high.
- The selection is limited.
- If you haven’t purchased any gifts or souvenirs, you can do so here.
- However, for example, there are almost no magnets or other souvenirs. So, it’s better to buy everything in advance.
- Here, you can buy Albanian rakia, Fernet liqueur, and mountain Albanian tea. Read about all of these in the article: what to bring as gifts from Albania.
- But, for example, a pack of mountain tea that we bought in the mountains for 150 lek ($1.50) costs 11 euros at Duty-Free. Think for yourself, decide for yourself 🙂
Airport of Albania: Where to get a PCR test
I’m not sure how relevant this information is today, but here it is: there are several PCR testing points right at the airport:
- 41.4203, 19.71275
- 41.42003, 19.71225
- Both points operate 24/7.
- Results are provided within 90 minutes, but if you ask and explain that your flight is soon, they can provide them within an hour. However, it’s better to arrive in advance.
- PCR test price: 30 euros. Antigen rapid test: 15 euros. Payment can be made in euros or lek.
- If you need a PCR test before departure, upon arrival, check this booth; it’s possible it may have been removed by now. 😄
Travel tips
There isn’t much to tell you here. However, I can give you some advice:
- A car is essential in Albania. I recommend renting a car at the airport.
- Buy all gifts and souvenirs in advance; they cost a fortune at the airport.
- You can exchange money right here.
- I also recommend reading the article about the time in Albania, especially for those who haven’t arrived in Albania yet but plan to leave the airport by bus. There are a few things to consider, although there aren’t many.
In conclusion, airport in Albania is very small, but it has everything you need.
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Albania
- Flights at the best prices with best discounts
- Car rental in Albania (cheaper – only by bus):
- DiscoverCars – a major international resource
- LocalRent – the leader in the Albanian car rental market. Very low deposits, even in cash.
- Hotels and apartments throughout the country:
- Tours, excursions and activities:
- GetYourGuide – more than 550 tours
- Viator – 920+ excursions and activities throughout the country
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo eSIM in Albania from $4.5
- DRIMSIM – universal SIM card (or eSIM) in any country in the world.
- Taxi and airport transfer: Intui.Travel