Transfer at Barcelona Airport

Barcelona

Barcelona Airport is divided into 2 terminals, which are about 2 km apart.

Cheap hotels near Barcelona Airport

Terminal 1 is more modern and further away from the centre of Barcelona. It is only accessible by metro and buses. Terminal 2 is closer to the centre and adds a train to the metro and buses.

Examples of airlines by terminal distribution:

  • Terminal 1: Air Canada, Air Europa, Air France, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Delta, Iberia, KLM, Latam, Level, LOT, Lufthansa, Swiss, United, Vueling.
  • Terminal 2: easyJet, Eurowings, Ryanair, Smartwings, Wizz Air

For a complete breakdown of airlines by terminal, please visit the airport's official website: www.aena.es/en

Transfer between flights

Transferring between terminals is not possible without leaving the transit area, you have to go outside and use the shuttle bus, which is free and takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get there. These buses run 24 hours and you can find out the exact details on the airport's official website: aena.es.

You will be transferred on one ticket exclusively in Terminal 1, which is large but very clear and within the Schengen area the minimum transfer time is set at 30 minutes.

Transfer procedures

What checks do you expect during the transfer between flights?

If you have purchased a transfer on one ticket, you don't have to worry about checking your luggage and leaving the transit area. If you have combined your flights on your own and are travelling with hand luggage only, there is also no need to leave the transit area.

  • Schengen -> Schengen: you do not go through any checks
  • Schengen -> Non-Schengen: you go through passport control
  • Non-Schengen -> Schengen: pass through passport and security control
  • Non-Schengen -> Non-Schengen: pass through passport and security control
  • Terminal 1 <-> Terminal 2: in all cases you go through passport and security control

Where to go for a longer transfer?

If you have a layover of more than 7 to 8 hours, it may be worth going to the centre of Barcelona, where you will have a net time of about 2.5 to 3.5 hours to walk around.

Given the proximity of the airport to the sea, it is suggested to head to the beautiful sandy beach with dunes in the nearby resort of Castelldefels. From both terminals, the beach can be reached by bus L77 (map and timetable: ambmobilitat.cat/LineaL77) - it runs once every 30 minutes and the journey takes about 10-15 minutes. You can only buy a ticket for 2,10 eur from the driver and only in cash.

Airport map

A clear interactive map of all terminals can be found on the airport's official website: aena.es/en

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