Nice airport: location, destinations, and services
Thinking of spending your summer vacation at the French Riviera? As the biggest city located in this marvellous region, Nice is a good starting point for your journey.
The Promenade des Anglais, the charming Old Town, the Matisse and the Marc Chagall Museum, the Cours Saleya flower market, and last but not least the infamous Blue Beach are all landmarks that you should not miss when you go there.
If you are travelling by plane, you will most likely land at Nice Côte d'Azur (IATA code: NCE) airport. Here is everything you need to know about it.
Location
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (in French: Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur) is the main international airport serving the French Riviera. The airport is located about 8 km southwest of Nice, the capital of the French Alpes-Maritimes départment. This airport also serves the city-state Principality of Monaco, since the distance between them is only about 30 km.
Nice Airport is the third busiest airport in France, after Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, and serves as a focus city for Air France and an operating base for easyJet.
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Terminals
The airport has two passenger terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 1 serves mainly domestic flights, as well as flights to other European destinations, while Terminal 2 handles international flights to destinations outside of Europe. The two terminals are connected by a free shuttle bus service.
Transport
If you are travelling to or from Nice Cote d' Azur Airport, there are several transportation options available, including taxis, buses, and trains.
Private transfer / own car / car rental
If you hire a private transfer or you have your own car, you can reach the city within 20-30 minutes. You can also hire a car at Nice Airport, from agencies like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Entreprise, Goldcar and Sixt. The car rental desks are open until 10 p.m., if you arrive later than that, you should go to the Car Rental centre, located next to Terminal 2.
Keep in mind that if you rent a car at Nice airport and your accommodation is in the city centre, especially in the Old Town (Vieux Nice or Vieille Ville), you should make sure that your hotel or apartment has a parking lot since public parking can be a little tricky in Nice.
Taxi
Taxi fares from the airport to the city centre mostly come at a fixed rate of 32 Euros but there might be some surcharges (for example a night rate), so we advise you to speak to the driver first to avoid unpleasant surprises.
If you would like to take a taxi to Monaco, you will be charged about 95 Euros, and a cab ride to Cannes will cost you 85 Euros.
Public transport
The Nice airport is well connected by both trams and buses, which can take you to the city centre quickly and at a cheap price (a single ticket costs 1.50 Euros).
Train
There is also a train station (St. Augustin) located at a 20 minutes walking distance from Terminal 1, which offers connections to destinations along the French Riviera like Cannes, Antibes, Grasse, Monaco, Menton, and Saint Tropez.
Airlines and destinations
As we already mentioned, Nice Airport is the third busiest French airport and as such, it serves a significant number of airlines and allows passengers to fly to various destinations. Terminal 1 mainly serves big airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa, and British Airways, while Terminal 2 serves low-cost airlines such as EasyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air.
Passengers who choose to fly from Nice Airport can get internal flights to other French cities or choose from destinations all over Europe (some of them seasonal) and selected destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, and North America.
| Notice Given | Arrival at Final Destination |
| 14 Days or More |
No compensation |
| 7-13 Days | A delay of more than 4 hours |
| Less than 7 Days | A delay of more than 2 hours |
Services
Nice Airport offers a wide range of services and facilities to passengers, including restaurants with various food and drink options, cafes, duty-free shops, ATMs, currency exchange offices, and luggage storage. There are also several hotels near the airport where you can stay if you have an early morning flight.
Besides that, passengers can enjoy free Wi-FI access in both terminals and relax in several lounges, including the Club Airport Premier Lounge and the Canopy Lounge.
We hope you enjoy your vacation and your flights to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. However, if you experience any flight disruptions (be it a flight delay, cancellation, or denied boarding due to overbooking), you might be entitled to financial compensation of up to 600 Euros (according to European Regulation EC 261/2004) and we from SkyRefund can help you claim it. Check your eligibility here and leave the rest to us, we will be more than happy to help you.
Did you have a delayed flight in the last 3 years?
Check your compensation for delayed flights for free!