Two minutes from T1, Car Park 1 is the main option
Car Park 1 sits right by Terminal 1 at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, used for both short and long stays. You walk it in around 2–3 minutes, so it works for quick drop-offs, weekend trips, or a full holiday. It’s a surface lot, not covered, so in Madeira sun your car is in the open the whole time.
This is the airport’s primary official car park, directly in front of the main T1 departures area. It connects to the terminal via a short pedestrian route with crossings, so you’re not dealing with shuttles or waiting 10–15 minutes for a bus. You pay on exit at the on-site machines or via the barrier system, depending on how you booked.
Pricing splits between hourly short-stay and daily long-stay, with the tariff stepping down for multi-day parking. That means under 3–4 hours often makes sense for pick-ups and drop-offs, while anything over 24 hours should be treated as long stay. Because the car park is right at T1, taxis and rental returns are just a couple of minutes’ walk away if you’re mixing parking and other transport.
Car Park 1 works for overnight parking before an early TAP or easyJet departure from T1, and it’s close enough that you can leave the car later than you would with off-airport lots that need 15–20 minutes transfer time. If you’re landing late at night, the walk back across the forecourt is short, lit, and straightforward.
Tip: In peak summer Saturdays, aim to arrive 20–30 minutes earlier than usual; Car Park 1 fills up faster when multiple holiday flights hit T1 close together.