The idyllic island destination of Madeira will become more accessible than ever before to golfers across the UK and Europe with a dozen new flight routes launching this winter.

Belfast, Amsterdam and Copenhagen are among the major cities set to offer direct flights to the archipelago’s capital, Funchal, across nine highly respected airlines including EasyJet, Jet2 and Air Baltic.

UK-based golfers will soon be able to fly with Jet2 to Madeira from Liverpool or the Northern Irish capital, while EasyJet is handling flights from Amsterdam and Bordeaux.

Other routes being established include Munich (Discover Airlines), Nuremberg (Eurowings), Reykjavik (Play), Riga (Air Baltic) and Gothenburg (Braathens Airways).

Meanwhile, Czech airline Smartwings is offering flights from Katowice, as well as a direct route from Warsaw to Porto Santo – Madeira’s second-largest island and home to one of the destination’s three acclaimed golf courses.

The Seve Ballesteros-designed Porto Santo Golfe is complemented by two courses on mainland Madeira: the picturesque Palheiro Golf and Robert Trent Jones’ 27-hole masterpiece, Clube de Golf Santo da Serra. All three courses can be experienced for one price with the Madeira Golf Passport, available to buy as a three, four or five-round package.

In 2026, the trio will be joined by a highly anticipated new course at Ponta do Pargo, designed by six-time Major winner and Ryder Cup legend Sir Nick Faldo’s company Faldo Design.

Alongside the new European options, United Airlines has announced a new network connecting Funchal with 89 airports across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In total, the expanded offering will see 23 countries from the UK, Europe and North America operating services into Madeira in the next 12 months.

The eyes of the golfing world will be on Madeira this month when Funchal’s Savoy Palace plays host to the illustrious World Golf Awards and World Travel Awards. All three golf clubs, as well as Madeira itself, are in the running to earn one of the most prestigious honours in the industry.

An archipelago of Portugal, Madeira’s position 500km from the African mainland lends it a mild sub-tropical climate throughout the year, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter. Away from a stellar line-up of golf and other sporting venues, the islands are exalted for their vast natural parks and more than 30 varieties of wine.

For more information on Madeira, please visit www.visitmadeira.com

About Madeira. Belongs to all

• Madeira. Belongs to all is the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau, which aims to promote Madeira as a tourist destination to consumers and the travel trade.
• Madeira, otherwise known as ‘the islands of eternal spring’, is just a short, three-and-a-half-hour flight from London. It covers 740km2 and has a population of only 260,000. On the same latitude as Morocco, the Atlantic archipelago has a sub-tropical climate, a rich volcanic soil and a unique eco-system. It is one of the only places in the planet where banana trees grow next to vineyards.
• Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity.
• In 1999, Madeira's indigenous forest, the Laurissilva, was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. The Madeira Natural Park is a protected area that covers around two-thirds of Madeira Island's territory, equivalent to 67% of its surface.
• The Madeira Golf Passport costs €280 and offers three rounds of golf at either Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra or Palheiro Golf. Plus, the courses will supply free transfers to and from the hotel. Additional rounds, including a day at Porto Santo Golfe, can be included for an upcharge.

For high-resolution imagery, please visit tinyurl.com/mr39hpu8

For more information on Madeira visit www.visitmadeira.com