Quick answer:
Valencia Airport (VLC) is a genuine alternative gateway to the Costa Blanca, not just Alicante Airport. Journey times range from just over an hour (Denia) to around 1 hour 30 minutes (Benidorm) by car, taxi, or private transfer. Public bus options exist but are far slower, the Valencia Airport to Benidorm bus alone can take 2 to 4 hours depending on connections, compared to roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by road.
Most people planning a Valencia Airport to Costa Blanca trip default to Alicante Airport without checking Valencia first. That’s a mistake for two groups of travellers in particular: anyone flying a route that only serves Valencia, and anyone who finds a meaningfully cheaper flight into VLC. This guide covers exactly what that trade-off looks like in practice.
Why consider Valencia Airport for a Costa Blanca trip?
Valencia Airport sits around 8 km west of Valencia city, with a single modern terminal and strong European route coverage. It’s a valid option for the Costa Blanca specifically when:
- Your preferred airline flies into Valencia but not Alicante
- Valencia flights are noticeably cheaper on your travel dates
- You’re combining a Costa Blanca stay with a few days in Valencia city itself
- You’re headed to Dénia or Jávea, the two northernmost major Costa Blanca towns, which sit closer to Valencia than to Alicante Airport
It stops making sense once your destination is Benidorm or further south, at that point the extra 40 to 50 minutes of driving compared to Alicante Airport adds up, especially on a short trip.
Journey times and prices from Valencia Airport
| Destination | Distance | Journey time (car/taxi/transfer) | Fixed transfer price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dénia | ~95 km | ~1h 05m | €135 |
| Jávea | ~105 km | ~1h 15m | €145 |
| Moraira | ~110 km | ~1h 20m | €155 |
| Calpe | ~120 km | ~1h 25m | €165 |
| Altea | ~130 km | ~1h 30m | €180 |
| Benidorm | ~146 km | ~1h 30m | €200 |
Fixed prices shown are Costanova Transfer’s published one-way rates as of August 2026. See the full Valencia Airport route list for every destination.
Valencia Airport to Benidorm bus: what to actually expect
The Valencia Airport to Benidorm bus is the cheapest way to make this specific journey, but it comes with a real time cost worth understanding before you book it. ALSA operates the route, generally with only a handful of direct departures per day, and total journey time varies significantly by source and connection, commonly landing anywhere from about 2 hours to over 4 hours, against roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by car, taxi, or private transfer covering the same 146 km.
Two practical notes if you’re considering the bus:
- Departures are limited. Unlike the frequent, all-day service between Alicante Airport and Benidorm, the Valencia Airport to Benidorm bus runs only a few times daily, so it’s worth checking the exact schedule against your flight landing time rather than assuming a bus will be waiting.
- Luggage space is limited. Several operators note restricted luggage capacity on this route, worth checking before you commit to it with a full set of holiday bags.
For a family or a small group, a fixed-price private transfer often ends up cheaper than four individual long-distance bus fares, while cutting the journey from hours down to about 90 minutes.
VLC to Alicante province: bridging two regions
Here’s a detail that trips people up: Valencia Airport is in the Valencian Community but sits in Valencia province, while the Costa Blanca (Benidorm, Calpe, Dénia, Jávea, and the rest) is in neighbouring Alicante province. A VLC to Alicante province trip is a genuine inter-provincial journey, not a short regional hop, which is exactly why the drive runs 65 to 90 minutes longer than the equivalent trip from Alicante Airport itself.
That’s not a reason to avoid Valencia Airport, plenty of travellers save more on the flight than they spend on the extra transfer time, it’s simply useful context for setting expectations. If your itinerary allows it, pairing a couple of nights in Valencia city with your Costa Blanca stay is a natural way to make the longer airport choice work in your favour rather than against it.
Getting from Valencia Airport to your Costa Blanca accommodation
Once you’ve landed, you have the same core options as at any airport:
- Private transfer: fixed price agreed before you travel, direct to your accommodation, no schedule to work around. Costanova Transfer runs dedicated routes to Dénia, Jávea, Calpe, and Benidorm in a fully electric fleet.
- Taxi: available at the rank outside arrivals, metered, no booking needed.
- Bus: cheapest, but slow and infrequent for Costa Blanca-bound routes specifically, better suited to Valencia city itself.
- Rental car: flexible if you plan to explore multiple towns, but factor in fuel, tolls, and parking in town centres.
If you’re still deciding which airport fits your Valencia Airport to Costa Blanca trip better, our full Alicante Airport guide and Valencia Airport guide cover both in detail, and the popular routes page lists every fixed price from both airports side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is Valencia Airport a good option for the Costa Blanca? Yes, particularly for Dénia and Jávea in the northern Costa Blanca, which sit closer to Valencia than to Alicante Airport. For Benidorm and destinations further south, Alicante Airport is the shorter route.
How long does it take to get from Valencia Airport to the Costa Blanca? It depends on the destination. Dénia takes around 1 hour 5 minutes by road, while Benidorm takes around 1 hour 30 minutes. Public bus options take considerably longer.
Is the Valencia Airport to Benidorm bus a good option? It’s the cheapest option but the slowest by a wide margin, commonly 2 to 4 hours depending on connections and schedule, against about 1 hour 30 minutes by car or private transfer.
Which is better for the Costa Blanca, Valencia Airport or Alicante Airport? Alicante Airport is closer for most Costa Blanca towns, especially Benidorm and points south. Valencia Airport becomes competitive specifically for Dénia and Jávea, or when flight prices or routes favour Valencia.
Do transfer prices from Valencia Airport cost more than from Alicante Airport? Yes, since it’s a longer journey. A fixed-price transfer to Benidorm costs €200 from Valencia Airport compared with €75 from Alicante Airport, reflecting the extra distance and time.
