✈️ Madeira flight subsidy for residents: what you pay and how to claim
Flying between Madeira and Lisbon is part of island life, and the Madeira flight subsidy for residents takes most of the sting out of the fare. The official name is now the Mecanismo de Continuidade Territorial (MCT), renamed from the Subsídio Social de Mobilidade by a law that took effect on 6 June 2026. The rules work for foreign residents too. Here is who qualifies, what you actually pay, and how to claim without losing a week to forms.
Last updated: October 2026If you have lived in Madeira for at least six months, with your habitual residence and tax domicile on the island, you pay at most €79 for a return trip to mainland Portugal (€59 if you are a student) and the State refunds the difference between the eligible fare and that amount. Nationality does not matter. You claim online at gov.pt with a Chave Móvel Digital or Citizen Card, within 90 days of the flight.
Check that you qualify for the Madeira flight subsidy for residents
The law covers people of any nationality, and their household, with habitual residence and tax domicile in Madeira for at least six months on the date of the trip. “Habitual residence” means living there at least 183 days in each calendar year. Students of any age also qualify, whether they live in Madeira and study elsewhere or live elsewhere and study in Madeira. Workers with a tax domicile on the mainland or in another EU or EEA country who work regularly in Madeira count as “equivalent residents”. So do children under 18 without a Madeira address whose mother or father lives there.
Know what you pay
Between Madeira and the mainland, a resident pays at most €79 and a student at most €59 for a return trip. You pay the full fare first, then the State refunds the difference between the eligible cost of the ticket and that amount. For a one way ticket the amounts are halved, so a resident pays €39.50. Porto Santo residents pay the same €79 and €59 on flights to the mainland. Only economy fares count, and fares bought with miles or discounts are not refunded. The official page, updated on 9 September 2026, still shows an eligible cost limit of €400 (€500 for Porto Santo), even though the June 2026 law removed the ceiling while the systems catch up.
Get your digital key before you book
Claims go through the gov.pt platform, and you log in with a Chave Móvel Digital or the codes from your Citizen Card. Foreign residents can activate the Chave Móvel Digital with a passport or a residence card or permit. With a residence card you need a Portuguese tax number (NIF) first. The platform also checks your tax residence with the Tax Authority, with your consent, so make sure your tax address is in Madeira.
Buy the ticket and claim online
Get the invoice in your name or a household member’s name. With TAP, SATA and easyJet you can claim straight after booking. With Ryanair you claim after you fly. The legal deadline runs from the day the ticket is issued to 90 days after the flight, or after the return flight. An invoice is enough to submit. You then have 30 days after the subsidy is granted to upload the receipt or other proof that you paid. Travel agencies cannot claim for you at the moment, so submit it yourself.
Know when a CTT counter still applies
Most claims are online, but CTT counters still handle trips bought up to 14 January 2026, trips under Madeira’s Programa Estudante Insular, and trips bought by companies. CTT support in person has been extended to 30 June 2027. If your claim stalls, you can email the support address below.
CTT Zarco store, Funchal (MCT counter)
Avenida Zarco, n.º 9, 9000-069 Funchal
🕒 MCT service hours listed by CTT: 09:00 to 11:30 and 14:00 to 17:00. Check before you go.
📞 +351 21 047 16 16 (CTT general line, working days 08:30 to 19:30)
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Get a free quote → Live Madeira infoFrequently asked questions
Can I get the Madeira flight subsidy if I am not Portuguese?
Yes. The law applies to residents “independentemente da sua nacionalidade”, meaning regardless of nationality. What counts is habitual residence and tax domicile in Madeira for at least six months on the date of the trip.
How long do I need to live in Madeira before I qualify?
At least six months. Once you pass that mark, your trips from that date are covered. Some groups, such as EU or EEA workers with a contract with an employer in Madeira, can qualify as equivalent residents earlier.
How much do I pay for a return flight to Lisbon?
A resident pays at most €79 and a student at most €59 for a return trip between Madeira and the mainland. If the fare is €79 or less, there is no refund. For a one way ticket the amounts are halved, so a resident pays €39.50.
Do I need a Portuguese NIF to claim?
In practice, yes. The platform checks your tax residence with the Tax Authority, and a residence card activates the Chave Móvel Digital only together with a Portuguese NIF.
Is the €400 ceiling gone?
In law, yes: since 6 June 2026 there is no maximum eligible ticket cost. In practice, the official gov.pt page (updated 9 September 2026) still lists €400 for Madeira and €500 for Porto Santo, and asks people with tickets above those amounts to wait for the systems to be updated.