Lisbon airport rush hour?

We were considering staying in Sesimbra our last night in Portugal. Our flight home from Lisbon airport is at 10:30 am. Therefore we would be driving in our rental car from Sesimbra to the airport at around 8:30 on a Thursday. Would we encounter a lot of traffic? Would it be better to drive into Lisbon the night before, return our car rental, stay at a hotel in Lisbon, then take the Aerobus to the airport?

According to ViaMichelin.com it takes about an hour to drive from Sesimbra to the airport under normal conditions. Add time for locating the rental office and dropping off your car.

However, you'll be driving over the river and through Lisbon in the rush hour so you'd need to add time for that. How much? It all depends on how the traffic is that day. But...one wrong turn could turn your drive into a very stressful situation. Given that scenario, I'd be much more comfortable getting rid of the car the day before and spending my last night in Lisbon.

Agree with Tony. Rush hour traffic in Lisbon (like most capitals) can be pretty horrendous, and getting over the bridge will be particularly bad. Bin the car and stay in lisbon

If you have to return a car - get through check-in, security, maybe passport control - you have to arrive to the airport some 2 hours before fligh-time. Not that it can't be made on shorter notice - but too risky if there are "probelms" returning the car or lines at check-in.

Hi zootsi (and fellow posters)

I just want to stress on former advices: although it would be possible to spend your last night in Sesimbra...i don't find it (wisely) possible to leave so late (as 8h30), for even if taking «Vasco da Gama» bridge (the one crossing right into the airport's north-eastern district) you'd be really qualifying for a miss (of the plane). Otherwise trying «25 de Abril» bridge, as of a thursday morning...would lead to no less than a sad ending...or maybe not...for you'd stay longer! :))

I'm not even taking into consideration chance of loosing the way (Sesimbra doesn't connect -directly- with any of A2 or IC32 double/triple lane roads towards river crossing), but if you're skipping the much more chilled-out solution of sleeping last night in Lisbon, then at least leave no later than 7h30. And grant yourself a research on which roads to take. Onwards IC32.

Lisbon Greetings!