Amilcar Cabral International on Sal is the busiest gateway to Cape Verde, and it is built for charter waves rather than for a slow trickle of passengers. Italy built the first airfield here in 1939 as a refuelling stop on the South Atlantic route, and South African Airways famously refuelled on Sal for decades when much of Africa denied it landing rights. Today the long runway, the longest in the country at 3,272 metres, brings in TUI, easyJet, TAP, Binter Canarias and Cabo Verde Airlines, and Vinci's Cabo Verde Airports has run it since 2023.
For your phone, the important facts are that the operator desks sit near the arrivals exit and are reported closed for late flights, that the resort town of Santa Maria is a 17 kilometre taxi ride away, and that Unitel T+ sells a cheap visitor eSIM online that you can install before you leave home. Land with something working and the rest of the arrival takes care of itself.
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The Operator Desks by the Arrivals Exit
Amilcar Cabral International has a single two-storey terminal, and the arrivals side is compact: passport control, a baggage hall sized for a few charter flights at once, customs, and then the exit to the forecourt where reps, taxis and transfer coaches wait. Travel guides written in 2026 place stands or authorised desks for both Cape Verdean operators, Alou and Unitel T+, near that arrivals exit, alongside currency exchange.
| Option at SID | What it gives you | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Alou desk | A card on the larger network; the D'Kel Bom 5 GB monthly pack is 700 CVE | Passport registration; reported closed for late arrivals |
| Unitel T+ desk | A card on the network the travel eSIMs use; 5 GB monthly is 1,250 CVE | Same registration and hours caveats |
| Unitel Morabeza eSIM | 10 GB for 10 days at 1,100 CVE, bought online before you fly, no documents | One-time QR install; account needed |
| Airalo or Nomad | From 9 dollars on Airalo, 15 on Nomad, on Unitel T+ | Three to five times Morabeza's price per gigabyte |
Neither operator publishes opening hours for its airport desk, and we could not confirm them. That matters at Sal more than at many airports, because a large share of the traffic is charter and low-cost flying from northern Europe, much of it landing in the afternoon and evening, and several flights often arrive close together. A queue of a hundred holidaymakers for one SIM desk is not unusual on a winter Saturday.
The cleanest arrival
Buy your eSIM at home, Unitel's Morabeza if price matters most or Airalo or Nomad if you would rather use an app you know, and switch it on as you taxi in. Unitel says a Morabeza plan bought abroad activates automatically on its network on arrival, and suggests dialling #500# if it does not.
Paperwork You Need Data For Before You Land
Cape Verde's entry process starts online, which is one more reason to have connectivity sorted before departure rather than after. Visitors from visa-exempt countries, which include most of Europe, pre-register on the government's EASE portal, ease.gov.cv, before travelling. The same portal carries a notice that from 1 January 2026, nationals of a listed group of countries must obtain an entry or transit visa from a Cape Verdean embassy before arrival, under penalty of refused entry. Check the list on the portal against your passport before you book.
A sensible order of operations
1. Complete EASE pre-registration at home and save the confirmation as a PDF or screenshot, not just an email.
2. Buy and install your eSIM while you are on home WiFi, because the Morabeza QR code installs once and cannot be reused.
3. Note your transfer company's WhatsApp number and your hotel's address in Santa Maria offline.
4. On landing, enable the eSIM, confirm it has registered, and message your rep before you reach the baggage hall.
The one-install rule on Unitel's own eSIM is worth taking seriously. Many visitors install an eSIM in the departure lounge and then fumble the settings; on Morabeza, deleting the profile by mistake means buying a new one. Airalo and Nomad are more forgiving here and have support you can reach in English.
Terminal WiFi at SID
Cabo Verde Airports, the Vinci-led company that took over the country's seven airports in July 2023 on a 40-year concession, runs SID. We could not find a published network name or session limit for passenger WiFi at Sal, and traveller reports in 2026 do not agree on it, so we are not going to invent one. Look for the airport's network in your WiFi list once you are inside, and do not plan around it.
When terminal WiFi is enough
When it is not
The departure side is where most people actually use airport WiFi at Sal, in the waiting area upstairs while several return charters board at once. On arrival, you are out on the forecourt within minutes of collecting your bag, and that is where a mobile line earns its keep.
From SID to Santa Maria, Espargos and Beyond
The airport sits about 2 kilometres west-southwest of Espargos, beside the EN1 road that runs the length of the island. Santa Maria, where almost all the hotels are, is roughly 17 kilometres south. The ride takes around twenty minutes in normal traffic.
| Route | How | Reported cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| SID to Santa Maria | Taxi from the forecourt | 15 to 20 euros, about 1,500 to 2,200 CVE; more after midnight | About 20 minutes |
| SID to Santa Maria | Package transfer coach | Usually included | 30 to 60 minutes with hotel drops |
| SID to Espargos | Taxi | A few euros | 5 minutes |
| Espargos to Santa Maria | Aluguer minibus on the EN1 | A small fixed fare; confirm before boarding | About 25 minutes, leaves when full |
Taxi fares are agreed rather than metered, and drivers take escudos or euros in cash. Fares quoted in guidebooks span a range, so a working phone is handy for checking what your hotel says the fare should be. If your package includes a coach transfer, the rep usually stands just outside the arrivals doors; if your flight is late or your bag is lost, WhatsApp is how they will try to reach you.
Connecting to another island
Cabo Verde Airlines operates domestic flights from Sal after taking the inter-island network back from Bestfly in 2024. Delays and schedule changes are common, and notices often arrive by message. Boa Vista (BVC) and Praia (RAI) have their own international airports, so if you are heading straight to one of them, check whether a direct international flight beats connecting through Sal.
Desk Prices Against the eSIM Options
For the typical Sal visitor, a week at a Santa Maria resort, here is how the realistic options compare on the same 5 to 10 GB allowance.
| Price | Data and validity | Network | Paperwork | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alou D'Kel Bom Mes 1 | 700 CVE, about 6.35 euros | 5 GB, 30 days | Alou | Passport at a desk, or passport number online |
| Unitel T+ monthly pack | 1,250 CVE, about 11.35 euros | 5 GB, 30 days | Unitel T+ | Passport at a desk |
| Unitel Morabeza 10 | 1,100 CVE, 10 euros | 10 GB, 10 days | Unitel T+ | None; online account |
| Nomad 5 GB | 29 US dollars | 5 GB, 30 days | Unitel T+ | None |
| Airalo 5 GB | 30 US dollars for 7 days, 35 for 30 | 5 GB | Unitel T+ | None |
| Airalo 1 GB | 9 US dollars | 1 GB, 3 days | Unitel T+ | None |
On money alone, local wins clearly at Sal, and two of the local options can be bought before you fly. The travel brands earn their premium on a short stopover, on a trip where Cape Verde is one of several countries, or for travellers who simply want everything in one familiar app. For coverage on the island itself, the Sal guide covers Santa Maria, Espargos and the day trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the SIM desks at Sal airport open when evening charters land?
We could not confirm their hours. Travel guides report Alou and Unitel T+ desks near the arrivals exit and also report them closed for late arrivals. With several European charters often landing close together in the evening, assume you may not be able to buy a card on arrival and bring an eSIM instead.
How far is SID from the hotels in Santa Maria?
About 17 kilometres by road, roughly twenty minutes by taxi. The airport is right next to Espargos, the island capital, about 2 kilometres away. Taxi fares to Santa Maria are reported at 15 to 20 euros, agreed in advance and paid in cash.
Do I need to register online before flying into Sal?
Visitors from visa-exempt countries pre-register on the government's EASE portal, ease.gov.cv, before travel. The portal also notes that since 1 January 2026, nationals of a listed group of countries need a visa from a Cape Verdean embassy before arrival. Check the current list on the portal for your passport.
Is Unitel's Morabeza eSIM sold at the airport?
It is sold online at esim.uniteltmais.cv, and Unitel says plans bought abroad activate automatically on arrival. You can also buy it after landing on terminal WiFi or a hotel connection. Because each QR code installs only once, installing it calmly at home is the safer approach.
Can I fly from Sal to the other islands the same day I arrive?
Often, yes. Cabo Verde Airlines runs domestic flights from Sal, including to Praia, Boa Vista and Sao Vicente, and the Santo Antao hiking crowd usually connects through Mindelo and then takes the ferry. Schedules change frequently, so leave a generous connection and keep your phone on for rebooking messages.