Transfers on the Costa Blanca

The whole Costa Blanca coast is served by a single airport, Alicante-Elche, and in summer it runs at its limit. We drive to the centre of Alicante, to Benidorm, to Altea, to Calpe, to Javea and to Torrevieja.

The resorts spread out from the airport in two directions, and that is worth taking into account when you choose a hotel. To the south along the N-332 lies Torrevieja, ~47 min away: salt lagoons, urbanisations and long beaches. To the north along the AP-7 are Benidorm at ~48 min, Altea at ~57 min, Calpe at ~1 hr 2 min and Javea at ~1 hr 23 min. The centre of Alicante is ~26 min away.

Benidorm is known for its towers and its nightlife, Altea for its old town of white houses and the blue domes of the church on the hill, Calpe for the Ifach rock that rises straight out of the sea. Three resorts half an hour apart and completely different in character. Javea is the furthest north, by Cape San Antonio. The drive from Alicante takes ~1 hr 23 min - Valencia airport is not closer, even though the map suggests otherwise.

Public transport from the airport is awkward: there is no train and no tram here, only the C6 bus into central Alicante and the Alsa coaches to the resorts, which arrive at bus stations rather than at your hotel. To Altea and Calpe there is no direct bus from the airport at all - you change in Benidorm for the tram.

The driver contacts you after landing and names the exact meeting point. Waiting at the airport is free for 60 minutes, counted from the actual landing. The price is fixed when you book: per car, not per person, and it does not depend on traffic on the coastal road, the time of day or the number of passengers. Child seats are free in every class.

Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández. The airport sits at El Altet, on the coast between Alicante and Elche, and all six routes on this page start here. The city of Alicante is 14 km away, Torrevieja 43 km to the south, Benidorm 63 km to the north and Javea, the furthest town we serve, 103 km.

How the meeting works. Your driver follows the flight number, so a delay or an early arrival moves the pick-up without a call from you. When the plane is on the ground he gets in touch and says where he is waiting. Flights from the UK and other countries outside the Schengen area go through passport control, which can be slow on summer afternoons. The free hour runs from the actual landing, so message the driver if the queue is long. He helps with the suitcases.

A sign with your name. To be met inside the terminal, add the paid meet-and-greet option when you book: the driver then waits in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name.

Flying into Valencia instead. In peak season Alicante flights sell out first, and Valencia is sometimes cheaper. We also drive from Valencia airport to Benidorm in ~1 hr 36 min, to Alicante in ~2 hr and to Dénia, next to Javea, in ~1 hr 16 min.

Six routes leave the airport. Each figure below is the starting price for the whole car in Econom; the larger classes cost more, and every route page lists all six.

Alicante city centre: from €32, ~26 min. The shortest ride, on the N-338 and A-70. A working city under Santa Bárbara castle, with the palm-lined Explanada, Postiguet beach in the centre and the wider San Juan beach to the north. It suits a city break or a last night before the flight home.

Benidorm: from €91, ~48 min. North on the A-70 and AP-7. The old town on its headland divides lively Levante from the longer, calmer Poniente. Families come for the Terra Mítica and Terra Natura parks, walkers for the Serra Gelada cliffs. Name your hotel and the driver stops at the right tower. For up to seven people, the Van is from €144.

Altea: from €100, ~57 min. Low-rise and quiet, with galleries in the upper lanes and pebble beaches with clear water - a good fit for couples and swimmers. The hilltop quarter is mostly closed to cars, so the driver stops at the nearest point a car can reach.

Calpe: from €113, ~1 hr 2 min. The Peñón de Ifach is a natural park you can climb with a permit booked ahead. Sandy La Fossa lies north of the rock, Arenal-Bol south of it, and flamingos feed in the salt lagoon behind the seafront. Good for active travellers and families who want sand; tell us which side of the rock your hotel is on.

Javea: from €139, ~1 hr 23 min. The longest ride from Alicante. Javea is three places in one: the stone old town inland, the fishing port and the sandy Arenal, plus villas on the hills beneath Montgó. It suits families renting a house, walkers and food lovers. Give the street address, not just the town.

Torrevieja: from €67, ~47 min. The only route heading south, on the N-332. Flat and dry, with a pink salt lagoon in a natural park, the dune-backed beach at La Mata and many foreign residents who live here all year. A lot of guests stay in an urbanisation such as Punta Prima or Orihuela Costa, and the driver takes you to the gate.

Three roads cover almost every trip. The A-70 swings around Alicante and joins the AP-7, the motorway north to Benidorm, Altea, Calpe and Javea. The older N-332 runs closer to the sea through the town centres, slower and full of roundabouts; it is the usual way south to Torrevieja, past Santa Pola and Guardamar. The last stretch to Javea follows local roads around the Montgó massif.

Tolls. The AP-7 between Alicante and Valencia stopped charging tolls when its concession ended, so the drive north normally has none. Tolls are never part of our price: if a route does use a toll road, you pay the driver back for it on the spot, against the receipt.

Traffic. Outside the summer the roads are mostly clear. In July and August expect slow stretches on the Alicante ring road at commuter hours, near the Benidorm theme parks and on the N-332 through the towns south of the airport. Weekends are the worst, when Spanish families head for their beach flats. A jam costs you time, not money.

When to come. The season is long. July and August are hot, crowded and the airport's busiest months. Late spring and early autumn bring a warm sea and easier roads, and mild winters keep Benidorm lively with long-stay guests from northern Europe. Book early for Easter week, the Hogueras de San Juan bonfires in Alicante in late June and the Castell de l'Olla fireworks in Altea on the Saturday nearest 10 August.

Match the class to your group. Econom, Eco and Business each take up to three passengers and two suitcases; Premium takes three passengers and three suitcases. Econom (a Toyota, Hyundai or similar) is the cheapest. Eco is an electric or hybrid business-class car, a Tesla or Lexus. Business is a Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 or similar, suited to work trips. Premium is a class above Business, for important guests or a special day. Eco, Business, Van and Premium come with a bottle of water.

Families and groups. Four people, or three with more than two suitcases, need the Van: up to seven passengers and seven suitcases, with room for a pushchair. A wedding party, a team or two families on one flight fit in the Bus, a minibus for up to 16 passengers with their luggage. The price is per car, so the cost per head falls as the seats fill.

Child seats cost nothing in any class and are mandatory for children up to and including 135 cm. Tick the option when you book and say how many you need.

Late arrivals. The driver tracks your flight whatever the hour, and a pick-up after midnight costs what a midday one does. WhatsApp support answers around the clock.

Booking. Book on the website or in the app; the price appears straight away, and the amount is reserved on your card before the trip and charged after it. Give a precise address: the hotel name in Benidorm, the side of the rock in Calpe, the district in Javea, the urbanisation and house number around Torrevieja. For the ride back to the airport the driver waits 15 minutes free at your door, so be ready on time.