Holidaymakers travelling to and from a popular European country are being warned about lengthy wait times in airports.
The EU's new entry/exit system (EES) rolled out further last month, with non-EU nationals travelling in Europe now required to provide personal data and have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken.
The EES has received backlash since its introduction, due to it causing longer waits for passengers at airports.
Major airlines, including Jet2 and Ryanair, have called for the rollout of the new system to be suspended until after the summer to allow for a "smoother airport experience" during peak travel season.
CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary, Malta Air, David O’Brien, has also threatened to pull all flights.
Now, Brits are being warned of six-hour waits at airports in Portugal caused by the new EES.
Gatwick Airport passengers warned of 6-hour waits in Portugal due to EES
The new EES rollout has led to severe delays at Portuguese airports, particularly in Lisbon and Faro.
Gatwick Airport offers weekly flights to both cities every week, with multiple airlines servicing this route.
However, any passengers flying to these spots in Portugal, whether it be from Gatwick or elsewhere, are being warned about marathon wait times there.
A Portugal travel advisor, known as @travel_luckk on Instagram, said: "Last week a family I advised landed in Lisbon and stood in line for 6 hours and 40 minutes.
"Their toddler slept on a suitcase. They missed their transfer to the Algarve.
"This wasn’t bad luck. This is Portugal in 2026—and almost no one is talking about it yet."
She warned that travel through Lisbon can be particularly difficult, even more so on Monday mornings between 6am and 11am.
While Faro International Airport is one to "avoid" from May to September.
The travel expert explained: "Faro was built for 4M passengers.
"It now processes 9M+ in summer.
"Add EES on top, and arrivals from the UK and Germany regularly stall for 5+ hours."
Porto is currently a quieter and more efficient alternative, according to @travel_luckk, for entry into northern and central Portugal.
The Portugal travel advisor said: "OPO is 40% faster through EES than Lisbon right now.
"Smaller terminal, calmer staff, fewer transatlantic dumps."
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She also advised families with children under 12 to request access to the assisted lane, which could reduce wait times to around 30 minutes.
In addition to border delays, rolling luggage handling strikes are compounding the travel disruption.
Travellers heading to Portugal this summer are advised to plan ahead, allow for extra time, and consider alternative routes or airports where possible.
Do you have a holiday planned in Portugal or any other European city this year? Let us know in the comments.
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