Azores Airlines is the international arm of the SATA group, based at João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada. Airbus A320-family jets fly to about 20 destinations in Portugal, Europe and North America, linking the islands with the mainland and across the Atlantic. It has no alliance and runs SATA Imagine. Cabins are Business and Economy.
Azores Airlines, formerly SATA Internacional, is the SATA group’s airline for flights beyond the Azores.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Azores Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Azores Airlines is the international airline of Grupo SATA, headquartered in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel in the Azores and owned through SATA Air Açores by the Azores regional government. It flies Airbus A320-family jets from the Azores and Lisbon to mainland Portugal, Madeira, Europe and North America, and suits travellers heading to the islands, including North Americans using them as a stop between the US or Canada and Europe.
The airline was founded in March 1990 as OceanAir. When OceanAir stopped flying in 1994, SATA Air Açores became its main shareholder and then its sole owner. It was relaunched as SATA Internacional on 20 February 1998 and resumed flights on 8 April 1998 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo SATA.
In January 2015 the company announced a plan to cut its debt from 179 million euros to 40 million euros by 2020 by reducing its fleet and workforce. Later that year it rebranded as Azores Airlines with a green livery, announced in October 2015. Teresa Gonçalves is chief executive of the airline and of the group.
Azores Airlines operates from João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada and from Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon. It serves about 20 destinations, with scheduled flights to mainland Portugal, including Lisbon and Porto, to Madeira, and to Europe and North America, along with charter work. Boston has long been a key North American route; the airline's first Airbus A330 commercial flight went there in March 2016. Flights between the Azores islands are run by its parent, SATA Air Açores.
Azores Airlines is not in a global alliance. It codeshares with Air France, TAP Air Portugal and WestJet, and has interline agreements with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Porter Airlines and Cabo Verde Airlines, which helps North American travellers connect to and from its transatlantic flights.
In January 2021 an Azores Airlines A321LR flew a charter from Lisbon to Bogotá that set a record for the longest flight by the type at that time.
Checked against trusted sources:
Azores Airlines official website
Azores Airlines (IATA: S4, ICAO: RZO) is the long-haul and international arm of the SATA group, based in Ponta Delgada in the Azores. It flies about 10 Airbus A320, A321neo and A321LR aircraft to around 20 destinations in Portugal, Europe and North America.
| Headquarters | Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A321LR, A321neo, A320neo, A320 |
| Frequent flyer | SATA Imagine |
| Official website | azoresairlines.pt |
Flight routes
Ponta Delgada (PDL) departures3 destinations
Ponta Delgada (PDL) departures3 destinations
The fleet is all Airbus A320 family, about ten aircraft in August 2025. Three A321LRs have 190 seats, 16 in Business and 174 in Economy, and fly the transatlantic routes. Two A321neos have 186 seats with 16 in Business. Three A320-200s and two A320neos carry 168 passengers each. The last Airbus A310s left in October 2018, and larger aircraft are sometimes leased for the summer peak.
Two cabins.
Fare options from light to flexible
Front-cabin comfort
The SATA group’s frequent flyer programme.
Cabins are Business and Economy. SATA Imagine, the group loyalty programme, lets members collect points on Azores Airlines and SATA Air Açores flights.
On Azores Airlines, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your S4 e-ticket.
Allowances depend on route and fare; transatlantic flights usually use a piece concept. Check your e-ticket.
The four steps below take you from your Azores Airlines booking to the gate, whether you depart from PDL or another airport on its network.
Online check-in for S4 flights is on the official Azores Airlines website or app. You need the S4 booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surnameInternational Azores Airlines passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires. Domestic S4 passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · IDEach airport has its own Azores Airlines check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international S4 departures.
Well before departureHand in checked luggage at the Azores Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Azores Airlines counterWays to pay less for an Azores Airlines ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.
Azores Airlines fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.
Midweek flightsJuly and August, when Azorean families abroad visit, are the busiest months.
SummerThe lowest S4 fare is not always the cheapest trip once bags and seats are added. Compare the fare types before you pay.
Baggage & changesTrips between North America and Lisbon route via Ponta Delgada; a stopover lets you see São Miguel.
Ponta DelgadaSearch Azores Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
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Yes. SATA Internacional was renamed Azores Airlines in 2015.
Yes. It flies to Boston and New York, plus Toronto in Canada.
Yes, within the rules of your fare. Basic S4 fares are the most restrictive, so check the fare conditions first and change the booking through Azores Airlines or your travel agent.
On an infant ticket, a child under two usually flies on an adult’s lap. Add the baby when you book with Azores Airlines and check what it allows for prams and car seats.
Enter your S4 flight number on azoresairlines.pt or in the app, or watch the departure boards at the airport.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Azores Airlines.
Everything travellers ask before flying Azores Airlines.
Checked against azoresairlines.pt and public aviation references, with a review each season.
Getting there
Azores Airlines uses the IATA code S4 and the ICAO code RZO. Its radio callsign is AIR AZORES.
The Azores Airlines baggage allowance depends on your route, cabin and fare. The Baggage allowance section of this guide gives 4 figures, by cabin and route where they differ. Check the allowance printed on your ticket before you pack.
Online check-in: yes. Check in on azoresairlines.pt. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
No, Azores Airlines is not a member of Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam.
Contact Azores Airlines through its official website, azoresairlines.pt.
Booking
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