Madrid Barajas Airport is the busiest airport in Spain and the sixth in Europe, it is also the biggest one in the country. It is located in Barajas, a Madrid’s suburb, 8 miles northeast of downtown.
What is the real name of Madrid Airport?
Originally Madrid Airport was named after the city of Barajas, on which limits the venue is located. On March 2014, the airport changed its name to Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport to honor the first democratic president of Spain, after Franco’s regimen. In spite of the changes, the airport codes remain the same. Those being IATA code MAD and ICAO code LEMD.
©Jesus Solana
Who designed the Madrid Airport?
The oldest terminals in Madrid Airport were built from 1933 to 1970 by different architects. It design was functional but not remarkable in any case. In 1997, the airport authorities decided to convene a competition to expand its airport. The winner on the contest was the British architect Richard Rogers. He designed Terminal 4, normally known as T4, and its satellite terminal T4-S. The extraordinarily design of the Madrid Barajas Airport T4 and T4-S has been award by different institutions, including Richard Rogers receiving the Pritzker Prize in 2007.
T4 counts with 76 gates and 48 additional ones in the T4-S. Both terminals are connected by a monorail, only access by passengers that already check-in on T4 and pass the security control.
©Daniel Lobo
What is on each airport terminal?
Each of the Madrid Airport terminal receives thousands of passenger every day. Since the airport enlargement each terminal counts with its own metro station, bus station and cabstand, allowing passengers to move from one another and outside the airport. Passengers in transit can use the internal shuttle service to every terminal except T4-S, which is only connected by monorail with T4.
Terminal 1
T1 is operated by thirty-one airlines, including some Latin American companies, like Aeroplineas Argentinas, Air México, Boliviana de Aviación, Conviasa y Cubana de Aviación. The north-American airlines are also in the venue, including Delta, Air Canada, United Airlines y US Airways.
Terminal 2
T2 is operated by 16 airlines mainly serving routes across Europe, like Aegean Airlines, Air Europa, Air France, Lufthansa, SAS, Swiss, Tap or LOT.
Terminal 3
T3 is a terminal dedicate exclusively to Air Europa passenger arrival. There is not counter service on this terminal, so passenger traveling with Air Europa in need or baggage drop or check-in need to get to T2.
Terminal 4
T4 and T4-S are operated by thirty airlines, including Air Berlin, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Finnair, El Al, Emirates, Iberia, Royal Air Maroc, LAN, Vueling and Qatar Airlines.
