A 40‑minute airport–Benidorm run is normal on the A7/AP‑7
From Alicante‑Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (NAT) to Benidorm, regulars quote about 40 minutes in normal traffic on the A7/AP‑7, and that’s why car renters and timeshare owners default to the motorway instead of waiting for big coach transfers.
The on‑ramp for the A7/AP‑7 sits a short drive north of the airport access road on the N‑338, and once you’re on the motorway it’s basically a straight coastal line with clear signs for Benidorm, Calpe, and Torrevieja.
One key detail: the AP‑7 stretch between Alicante and Benidorm is now toll‑free, which pushes more traffic onto the motorway and makes it more attractive than the older N‑332 coastal road for airport days.
How to drive ALC to Benidorm via A7/AP‑7
- 1. Exit NAT terminal and follow signs to N‑338: pick up a rental or taxi in the arrivals car park and head towards the N‑338, following blue motorway signs rather than your phone at first.
- 2. Join A7 towards Alicante/Murcia: after a few minutes on N‑338, enter the A7; watch for overhead signs pointing to AP‑7 for Valencia/Benidorm.
- 3. Merge onto AP‑7 northbound: continue onto the AP‑7 marked for Valencia/Benidorm; this section has no toll booths and no ticket barriers.
- 4. Stay on AP‑7 for roughly 45 km: expect around 30–35 minutes on this motorway leg in light traffic; signage lists Benidorm well before the exits.
- 5. Take the Benidorm junctions: use the signed exits for Benidorm (there are separate ones for Levante/centre and Poniente); from here it’s usually 5–10 minutes on local roads to most hotels.
What regulars do
Drivers who fly into ALC a few times a year almost always choose the A7/AP‑7 over the N‑332, saying it cuts a noticeable chunk off the airport run unless they explicitly want the slower scenic coast road.
On peak Saturdays in July and August, old‑hands leave Benidorm or Calpe at least 30–45 minutes earlier than Google Maps suggests, treating the app’s ETA as best‑case only.
Watch out for on the A7/AP‑7
Several drivers complain that blindly following sat‑nav from NAT can dump them onto smaller local roads before the motorway, so they watch for the blue A7/AP‑7 signs first, then let the GPS catch up.
Service areas close to Alicante can feel crowded, and posts mention fuel queues when transfer coaches bunch up, so top up fuel or take a break 10–20 km before you think you need to on the way back to the airport.
One last tip
Build a 20–30 minute buffer on summer weekends for the A7/AP‑7 run back to NAT, then spend it in the rental car park return lanes instead of stressing in a slow‑moving lane outside a resort junction.