Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) — Airport Guide 2026

🏗️ The Terminal & What It Was Built For

The airport opened to international traffic in 2007 and was renamed Aristides Pereira International on 19 November 2011, after Cape Verde’s first president. Locals and older maps still call it Rabil, after the village it sits beside. It is run under the same concession group that manages Cape Verde’s other airports, and the terminal’s design logic points at one task: moving charter passengers between planes and coaches. It is single and compact. TUI’s European operations — TUIfly, TUIfly Netherlands, the Belgian routes — dominate the arrivals board; Binter Cabo Verde links Boa Vista to the rest of the archipelago; CVsky took over the domestic network in 2026. Outside of package holidays, the schedule is thin and seasonal. If you are trying to build a multi-island trip independently, this is the airport that will frustrate you.

🛂 Border & Visa: EASE, the Security Tax & the 2026 Change

The Cape Verde entry system front-loads the work. Everything is done online before you fly, not at the immigration desk.

EASE pre-registration is mandatory for all arrivals. Complete the traveller form on the official EASE platform at least five days before arrival and pay the Airport Security Tax (TSA) at the same time — about 3,400 CVE (€31) for a stay of up to 30 days. The authorisation is emailed back within 72 hours and is valid for one year.

The 2026 visa change affects a large share of travellers. Since 1 January 2026, 96 nationalities can no longer get a visa on arrival and must obtain one before boarding, either online via EASE or at a Cape Verde consulate. EU and UK passports are among the 61 nationalities that remain visa-free for stays up to 30 days; EASE pre-registration and the TSA still apply to them.

Bring your passport (valid for the trip), EASE confirmation email, and proof of onward travel.

🚐 Getting to Sal Rei & the Resorts

Sal Rei, Boa Vista’s main town, is about 5 km from the terminal — 10 to 15 minutes by road.

Most arrivals travel by resort coach transfer — package operators run dedicated coaches from the terminal straight to hotels along the south and west coasts, either included in the booking or bolted on as an add-on. Shared minibuses cover some routes for a couple of euros but are slower with luggage and less reliable for timing. There is no rail on the island. A hire car makes sense only if you plan to explore beyond the resort belt; the Viana desert dunes and the remoter coastline require either a car or a booked excursion.

🛋️ Lounges

BVC has no airport lounge. There is no Priority Pass access, no pay-in option. The terminal has a café and a small duty-free, and that is the full offer. On departure, a charter-holiday rush fills the building quickly; the realistic approach is to time your arrival at the airport sensibly.

💵 Money: Escudos, Euros & the Airport Bureau

The Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) is fixed to the euro at about 110 to one, so there is no rate to watch. Euros are accepted across the resort economy; change comes back in escudos. Cards work in the hotels. Carry cash for beach bars, market stalls in Sal Rei and tips — card acceptance outside the main resort complexes is inconsistent.

Worth bringing home: grogue (the local sugar-cane spirit) and ponche (its sweeter liqueur), alongside Cape Verdean coffee, salt and goat’s cheese. Buy them in Sal Rei rather than relying on the airport duty-free selection, which is thin.

🐢 The Island: Dunes, Turtles & the Layover Math

Boa Vista’s draw is scale and emptiness. The Viana desert cuts through the interior — a band of wind-blown dunes walkable without a guide. The south coast runs to long, near-deserted beaches; Santa Mónica is among the longest in Cape Verde. Offshore lies the Cabo Santa Maria, a cargo ship wrecked on the sands and now the island’s most photographed landmark.

Boa Vista is one of the world’s significant loggerhead turtle nesting sites. The females come ashore through the warm months, roughly June to October, and licensed operators run guided night visits. Humpback whales pass offshore earlier in the year, around March to May.

The layover math is straightforward: Boa Vista is not a transit point. The schedule is built around week-long stays. Sal Rei is a 10–15 minute taxi from the terminal — reachable if you somehow have hours to fill — but the Viana dunes, the Cabo Santa Maria wreck and the turtle beaches are spread across the island and need a tour or hire car. None of it works as a between-flights excursion.

🧭 Before You Fly — Checklist

• Complete EASE and pay the TSA at least five days before departure. If you are on a package, confirm the registration is in your own name. From 1 July 2026, an incomplete pre-registration means double the tax at the border.
• Check whether your passport is among the 96 nationalities now required to obtain a visa before boarding. If it is, the consulate visit or EASE visa application must happen before you book.
• The taxi from BVC to Sal Rei is ~1,100 CVE (€10); agree the fare before setting off. On a package, the resort coach transfer is almost certainly included or available.
• Use euros or a Sal Rei ATM. The airport bureau’s spread is poor.
• BVC has no lounge. Allow for general seating on busy charter departure days.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

📊 At a glance — BVC 2026