Domestic flights are the quickest and most comfortable way to island-hop around Cape Verde. Since March 2024 the national carrier Cabo Verde Airlines has been flying several times a week between Sal, Boa Vista, São Vicente, Santiago, Fogo, Maio and São Nicolau.
Before that, domestic flights were operated by the Angolan-Cape Verdean airline BestFly, which has now been insolvent for some time.
All domestic flights are now operated exclusively by CVsky (Cabo Verde Airlines), using the popular ATR 72 turboprops and occasionally a Boeing 737.
Short flight times between the islands
Flight times between the islands are very short – the flight is essentially take-off, a brief cruise and a quick descent. Depending on the route, expect around 20 to 50 minutes in the air. Because the aircraft are relatively small and do not fly very high, the ride can sometimes be a little bumpy.
Domestic flight prices
The average price for a domestic flight in Cape Verde is around €40–90 per person one way, depending on the distance and the season. For flights with a stopover, add roughly another €30. Because local people also depend on domestic flights, ticket prices are regulated by the government to prevent them becoming excessive.
Buying tickets for domestic flights
Tickets for domestic flights are not available through the usual flight booking portals. Local tour operators on the islands sell them, and you can also buy online through the CVsky website, for which you will need a credit card.
⚠️ Note: connections with a stopover are often offered, for example Sal to Santiago via São Vicente. These are more expensive, but the stopover is usually safe because you stay on the same aircraft. If you see two different aircraft types in the detailed view of a connection, however, you will have to change planes – and there is a risk of missing the onward flight.
⚠️ Tickets sell out quickly, especially in high season, so it is worth booking as far ahead as you can.
There are various ticket categories. As standard, 23kg of checked baggage is included. More expensive fares often allow extra baggage and give you more flexibility to change or cancel.
Problems when booking domestic flights
Tickets and timetables are often only released online 1–2 months before departure, so booking very far ahead is usually not possible. You need to be patient and keep checking until the new schedule appears and tickets for your dates become available.
There are regular reports of problems paying on the Cabo Verde Airlines website with foreign credit cards. If a payment fails, it is worth trying a different type of card (Visa or Mastercard, for example). If that does not work either, you can send them a message and they will refer you to a local travel agency in Cape Verde where tickets can be bought.
If you would rather not deal with this kind of organisation and prefer to have everything arranged and booked for you, you can have a complete individual round trip or individual hiking tour put together with our local partners.
Last-minute schedule changes
⚠️ Last-minute changes to departure times happen often. Make sure you are contactable, and check and confirm your flight times again a day or two before departure.
Timetables change regularly, but there is at least one flight a day between the larger islands.
Islands without an airport
The islands without a working airport – Santo Antão and Brava – can only be reached by ferry. You will find the details on our Cape Verde ferries page.