Glossary

Terms and acronyms used in official documents, with their Portuguese equivalents.

Facts on this page as of · Corrections

Illustration — not to scale, not the airport design
Illustration: Luís de Camões Airport Observatory (original work). About this image

38 terms

Aircraft stand Posição de estacionamento
A parking position for an aircraft. VINCI cites 120 for the new airport. Source: VINCI Airports
Airport charges Taxas aeroportuárias
Fees airlines pay the airport operator, usually passed on to passengers. Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Airside Lado ar
The parts of an airport beyond security used by aircraft: runways, taxiways, aprons and stands. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Campo de Tiro de Alcochete CTA Campo de Tiro de Alcochete
The military firing range, mostly in Benavente, chosen as the airport's site. Source: Diário da República Source: OpenStreetMap contributors
Code F Código F
The largest category in the international aerodrome reference code, for aircraft with the widest wingspans. Runways, taxiways and stands must be designed to accommodate it. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Complete application Candidatura completa
The final application ANA must deliver by 16 January 2028, containing the final versions of all reports. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Concession contract Contrato de concessão
The contract under which ANA operates Portugal's main airports and under which it must apply to build the new one. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Concessionaire Concessionária
The company holding the concession: ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Constant (2024) prices Preços constantes (de 2024)
Amounts expressed in the value of money in a base year, excluding later inflation. Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Contact boarding bridge Ponte de embarque em contacto
An enclosed walkway between the terminal and the aircraft door. The design has 72. Source: ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (VINCI Airports)
Council of Ministers resolution RCM Resolução do Conselho de Ministros
A formal government decision published in the Diário da República. RCM 66/2024 chose the airport's site. Source: Diário da República
Demilitarisation Desmilitarização
Clearing and releasing military land, including removal of munitions, so it can be used for civil purposes. Source: Diário da República
Diário da República DR Diário da República
Portugal's official gazette, where laws and resolutions are published. Source: Diário da República
Environmental impact assessment AIA Avaliação de impacte ambiental
The legal procedure in which an authority assesses a project's environmental effects before it can be licensed. For this airport it is APA process AIA 3982. Source: Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (SIAIA)
Environmental impact declaration DIA Declaração de Impacte Ambiental
The decision at the end of the assessment: favourable, conditionally favourable or unfavourable. None had been issued for the current project at the baseline date. Source: Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (SIAIA)
Environmental impact study EIA Estudo de Impacte Ambiental
The document the proponent submits for the assessment. ANA delivered the airport's study, about 5,000 pages, on 31 July 2026. Source: ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (VINCI Airports)
Grantor Concedente
The State, which grants the concession and assesses the application. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
High-speed line LAV Linha de alta velocidade
A railway built for high-speed passenger services. The Lisbon–Madrid line is planned to serve the airport. Source: Infraestruturas de Portugal
Humberto Delgado Airport AHD Aeroporto Humberto Delgado
Lisbon's current airport, to be replaced completely by the new one. Source: Portuguese Government (XXIV Constitutional Government)
IMT – Institute for Mobility and Transport IMT IMT – Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes
The public institute where the Government said its September 2026 letter to ANA would be published. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Independent Technical Commission CTI Comissão Técnica Independente
The body that examined strategic options for Lisbon's airport capacity before the 2024 decision. Source: Comissão Técnica Independente
Independent runway operation Operação independente de pistas
Runways far enough apart to be used simultaneously without depending on each other. A 2025 proposal sought spacing for triple independent operation. Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Infraestruturas de Portugal IP Infraestruturas de Portugal
The state company responsible for national road and rail infrastructure. Source: Infraestruturas de Portugal
Interim reports Relatórios intercalares
The four reports that build up the application: consultation, selected site and environment, technical, financial. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Landside Lado terra
The parts of an airport open to the public and road access: terminal, car parks, stations. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Minimum specifications Especificações mínimas
Technical requirements for the new airport set in the concession contract; the Government said in 2025 that some were out of date. Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Movements per hour Movimentos por hora
Take-offs and landings an airport can handle in an hour; a measure of runway capacity. Source: Portuguese Government (XXIV Constitutional Government)
Net Zero Net Zero (emissões líquidas nulas)
A target of balancing greenhouse-gas emissions with removals. ANA uses it for the terminal without defining scope. Source: ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (VINCI Airports)
New Lisbon Airport NAL Novo Aeroporto de Lisboa
The official working name of the project, now Luís de Camões Airport. Source: Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (SIAIA)
Nominal prices Preços correntes
Amounts in the money of the year they are paid, including inflation. No published source yet
Pier Pier
A finger of the terminal along which gates are arranged. The Government asked in March 2026 for the 'Pier Swing' to be reconfigured. Source: Portuguese Government (XXV Constitutional Government)
Portuguese Environment Agency APA Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente
The authority responsible for environmental impact assessment in this process. Source: Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (SIAIA)
Preventive measures Medidas preventivas
Temporary legal restrictions on land use in areas reserved for a planned public project. Source: Diário da República
Public consultation Consulta pública
The period in which anyone can comment on a project's environmental study before the decision. Source: Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (SIAIA)
Right of reply Direito de resposta
The right of a person or institution named in reporting to have its reply published. The observatory offers it before publishing material criticism. No published source yet
Satellite terminal Terminal satélite
A separate passenger building linked to the main terminal. ANA's July 2026 report dropped the earlier satellite or Terminal 2 concept. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Taxiway Caminho de circulação
A path linking runways with aprons and stands. Source: Portuguese Government — Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Third Tagus Crossing TTT Terceira Travessia do Tejo
A proposed road-rail bridge between Chelas and Barreiro/Lavradio, part of the Lisbon–Madrid high-speed line. Source: Infraestruturas de Portugal