Portugal Strengthens Airports Before Summer Peak: 340 Additional Police Officers to Reduce Border Queues

Portugal is preparing new reinforcements for border control at airports: from July 4, an additional 340 Public Security Police (PSP) officers, specifically trained for border work, will begin their duties. The most significant reinforcement will be in Lisbon, where the most noticeable delays at passport control have been recorded in recent weeks. For tourists, this is an important signal: summer trips to Portugal remain accessible, but the time for completing formalities at major airports needs to be planned more carefully.

The decision was announced by Portugal's Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, on June 5. According to reports from Euronews citing the Portuguese television channel SIC, 140 of the 340 new officers will be sent to Lisbon Airport, 100 to Porto Airport, and the rest will be distributed among Faro, Funchal in Madeira, and Ponta Delgada in the Azores. This means that the authorities are reacting not to a single narrow failure, but to a systemic load on the country's main air gateways.

Portugal is entering the high season after several challenging weeks for passengers. At the end of May, the government had already announced an immediate reinforcement of Lisbon Airport with 48 additional PSP officers, an increase in the number of passport control booths, and the expanded use of e-gates. At the beginning of June, the situation was further complicated by a nationwide strike on June 3, which affected aviation, railways, and urban transport. Now, attention is shifting from a one-time strike day to the main question of the summer: whether airports can stably serve the tourist flow in July and August.

What Exactly Will Change in Portugal's Airports

The greatest practical effect is expected from the increase in the number of people at border positions. Additional police officers will undergo special training for border work, rather than simply reinforcing the general security presence. In Lisbon, which handles the largest share of the country's international traffic, this is particularly important: it is there that long queues at passport control have become the most noticeable symbol of the problem.

According to previous measures announced at the end of May, the number of document control points in Lisbon was to be increased: up to 34 for arrivals and up to 18 for departures. It was also planned to add e-gates: 31 for arrivals and 18 for departures. Separately, it was mentioned that after the completion of expansion and equipment installation works, similar reinforcements of border capacity are planned for Porto and Faro. The new announcement regarding 340 officers effectively continues this line: Portugal is trying to simultaneously add personnel, control booths, and automated infrastructure.

For the passenger, this does not mean that queues will disappear instantly. Some measures are tied to the beginning of July, and some depend on the completion of works at the airports. Furthermore, even additional border officers do not eliminate the biometric verification process itself. However, such a concentration of resources shows that the authorities recognize the risk of summer delays and are trying not to leave the problem to chance.

Why Queues Have Become a Problem Now

The main context is the full operation of the European Entry/Exit System, or EES. According to the eu-LISA agency, which technically manages the EU's large IT systems in the field of freedom, security, and justice, as of April 10, 2026, EES is fully deployed at the external borders of the Schengen Area countries. The system replaces manual stamps in passports with digital registration of entries, exits, and entry refusals for third-country nationals traveling for short stays.

For most tourists from non-EU countries, this means an additional step: when crossing the external border, the system may record document data, border crossing information, image of the face, and fingerprints. The official logic of EES is to better control the short-stay rule — up to 90 days within any 180-day period — and to more accurately detect overstays.

This is where the tension between security and throughput capacity arises. On paper, digital control should make the border more predictable. In practice, the first months of full system operation create a complex transition period: passengers do not always understand the procedure, employees work with a new process, and airports must adapt queue routes, booths, e-gates, and information signs. For a country with a large tourist flow like Portugal, this transition coincided exactly with the start of the summer season.

Why This Is Important for Tourists

Portugal remains one of Europe's most popular destinations for city trips, beach holidays, gastronomic tours, and island routes. Lisbon attracts short city-break trips, Porto — wine and cultural tourism, Faro — holidays in the Algarve, and Funchal and Ponta Delgada — trips to Madeira and the Azores. All these destinations depend heavily on the stable operation of airports, as for many foreign tourists, the plane is the primary way to reach the country.

Delays at passport control can affect more than just post-arrival comfort. They are important for connections, car rentals, hotel check-ins, cruise boarding, transfers to domestic flights or trains. If a tourist arrives in Lisbon from outside the Schengen Area and then flies to Madeira, Porto, or another European country, an additional 60-120 minutes at the border can turn a convenient connection into a risky one. If a traveler departs from Portugal to a destination outside Schengen, the queue at passport control before boarding can be critical, no less than the queue for check-in or security.

Therefore, the practical advice is simple: for international flights from Portugal this summer, it is better to allow more time than usual. For departures outside the Schengen Area via Lisbon, Porto, or Faro, it is advisable to check airline and airport recommendations on the eve of the flight, avoid planning very short connections, and keep documents ready before entering the control zone. Passengers with children, elderly travelers, tourists with luggage, and those flying in large groups should be especially careful.

What to Consider When Flying Through Lisbon, Porto, or Faro

Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport remains the country's main hub and the first candidate for peak queues. If you plan a flight through the capital, it is useful to check the Lisbon Airport (LIS) page in advance, and for an early departure or late arrival, consider hotels near Lisbon Airport. This does not solve the passport control problem, but it reduces the risk of rushing when the flight is early in the morning or arrival is delayed.

For Porto, the situation may be calmer, but significant reinforcement is also being sent there — 100 new officers. This indicates the expected load on the country's northern hub. Passengers flying through Porto Airport (OPO) should allow extra time for control, especially if the route includes exiting the Schengen Area or arriving from a third country. If you need to get to the city or hotel quickly after arrival, you can evaluate transfers and taxis from Porto Airport in advance.

Faro is the key gateway to the Algarve, where the number of vacationers increases sharply in summer. Even if queues there are not as loud as in Lisbon, the seasonal concentration of flights and tourists can create delays during specific hours. Before traveling to the south of the country, it is worth checking Faro Airport (FAO) and, if the route involves travel to Algarve resorts, compare transfers and taxis from Faro Airport in advance.

How EES Changes the Habit of Planning European Trips

Before the launch of EES, many tourists perceived passport control in the Schengen Area as a relatively quick formality: a stamp, a few questions, and moving on. The new system changes this psychology. For the first crossing after data registration, the procedure may take more time than the traveler expects. Subsequent crossings may be simpler, but this depends on the specific checkpoint, equipment functionality, queues, and passenger category.

The most important thing is not to confuse EES with ETIAS. EES is already operating as a border crossing registration system. ETIAS is a separate future electronic authorization for visa-free travelers, and it is not the cause of current queues in Portugal. For the tourist, this means that the problem of the summer of 2026 is not a new application before the trip, but the physical passage through the border at the airport.

That is why Portugal's decision is important not only for this country. It shows how European tourist destinations will adapt to the digital border in a real season. If the system causes delays, governments must increase staff, redesign control zones, install more e-gates, and better inform passengers. Success will depend not only on the technology, but on how well airports, police, airlines, and border services work together.

What Travelers Should Do Now

Passengers flying to or from Portugal in June-July should act pragmatically. First, check flight status and airline notifications on the day of travel. Second, do not plan minimal connections where the route includes passport control. Third, remember that border delays can occur both on arrival and departure, if the flight is connected to a country outside the Schengen Area.

If the route begins or ends in Lisbon, it is worth planning the trip to the airport in advance. After a week with a strike and previous public transport disruptions, it is useful for tourists to have a backup plan: taxi, transfer, transfer, early departure from the hotel, or staying overnight near the airport. For those renting a car, it is appropriate to check the return conditions and the rental point's operating hours; for the capital, you can look at car rental options at Lisbon Airport in advance.

It is also worth preparing documents so as not to waste time in the queue: the passport should be at hand, the boarding pass should be open or printed, and information about the hotel or return ticket should be available if the border officer asks to see it. For families and groups, it is desirable to explain the control procedure to all travel participants before boarding, so as not to get lost near the automatic gates or booths.

Conclusion

Portugal is not closing and is not introducing new restrictions for tourists. On the contrary, the country is trying to keep the summer season manageable after the launch of the new European border control system and several weeks of tension in transport. The additional 340 police officers in airports are an attempt to make travel through Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Ponta Delgada more predictable.

For travelers, the main conclusion is not dramatic, but practical: Portugal can be planned for the summer, however, the airport should no longer be perceived as a quick formality. Additional time, careful flight checks, reasonable connections, and prepared documents can be as important as a cheap ticket or a well-chosen hotel.