A getaway to Mallorca from Catalonia: what we've learned picking up travelers at Palma airport

It's midday on an ordinary Wednesday in the arrivals hall at Son Sant Joan Airport. In front of the baggage claim door, the drivers wait with their signs in hand. Almost everyone has come out of a door like this at some point, searching for a name among the signs.

Saturday is the big shift change day on the island. Those coming from Barcelona, however, arrive whenever they want. It's one of the things we've learned at Mallorca Transfer Taxi, the private transfer brand of the Mallorcan company 89 Transfers, after more than 5,000 transfers for over 4,000 clients since June 2021.

Barcelona doesn't wait until Saturday

In our records from 2021 to 2024 with identified arrival flights, Barcelona is the leading origin city on the Iberian Peninsula: 58 bookings, ahead of Madrid's 45. This is a small sample, representative of our clients and not the entire market, but the pattern is clear.

Only 5 of these 58 pickups were on a Saturday, a mere 9%. Within the same set of bookings, Saturday accounts for almost 20% of pickups and is by far the busiest day of the week. Among British and Irish passengers, the percentage is 18.6%. Even flights from Madrid follow the pattern: 9 out of 45.

Those coming from Barcelona prefer Sunday and Wednesday, with 12 pickups each, and arrive at midday: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. are the times with the most pickups, 14 and 11 respectively. And they come mainly from May to September (51 out of 58), with July leading the way (15).

"Saturday is the day we make the most pickups, and it's precisely the day we see the fewest customers from Barcelona. Many arrive on a Wednesday or Sunday, at midday," explains Ramon Pons, founder of Mallorca Transfer Taxi.

The reward for avoiding Saturday

When we measured real-world travel times from the airport using Google Routes, the worst time of the week was on a Saturday in August between 10:00 and 14:00, during peak tourist season, followed by Friday afternoons. The journey to Alcúdia increased from 46-50 minutes under normal conditions to 61 minutes in the worst-case scenario.

The other way to avoid traffic is to choose your dates wisely. Our blog study, using data from the INE (National Institute of Statistics), explains that Mallorca's tourist season now runs from March to November: in May 2025, the Balearic Islands received 21% fewer international arrivals than in August, and in October, 38% fewer.

And October is no consolation prize. AEMET's climate averages place the maximum temperature in Palma around 23°C and the sea temperature between 22 and 23°C. March, April, and November, meanwhile, are ideal months for hiking and cycling.

Which transport option suits you best?

It depends on where you're going and how many of you there are. In the arrivals hall, these are the cases to keep in mind:

• If you're going to the center of Palma. If you're traveling alone or as a couple, you don't need us: the EMT A1 bus arrives at Plaza de España in about 20 minutes, costs €5 (€8 round trip) and runs every 12 or 15 minutes.
• If the journey is short and during the day, the taximeter usually offers the lowest price. Using the official 2026 fare, a trip to Palmanova costs around €37; a transfer in our full vehicle starts at €84.
• If you're going to the Tramuntana mountains, to get from Palma Airport to Sóller by public transport, take the A1 to Plaza de España and then the TIB bus 204 to Port de Sóller: about 45 minutes longer, with departures approximately every half hour. The direct transfer costs from €125 for the entire vehicle, up to four passengers.
• If you're a family or a group, or traveling far, a pre-booked transfer makes more sense: you know the price before you fly, vehicles are available for 1 to 12 passengers, child seats are free upon request, and you pay the driver upon arrival, either in cash or by card.

We offer daily pick-ups from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The driver waits inside the terminal and tracks your flight. On Wednesdays at noon, we'll be at the arrivals gate with a sign.