Jazmin Li
Barcelona is served by three airports: El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto (also known as Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport), Girona Airport, and Reus Airport. El Prat is the only airport in Barcelona and is located 12-13km southwest of the city centre. It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain and the sixth busiest in Europe. The airport has two terminals, T1 and T2, and offers direct access to Barcelona by bus, train, or taxi. Girona and Reus Airports are located approximately 100-120km outside of Barcelona and offer access to the city via transfer services.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport |
| Other Names | Barcelona-El Prat Airport, El Prat Airport, BCN Airport |
| Location | 12-15 km southwest of Barcelona city centre |
| Transport Links | Bus, taxi, train, or private car |
| Terminals | 2 (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) |
| Subdivisions | Terminal 2A, 2B, and 2C |
| Airlines | EasyJet, Ryanair, Transavia, Vueling, Air Europa, Iberia, Lufthansa, Air France |
| Passenger Traffic Ranking | Second busiest in Spain, sixth busiest in Europe |
| Passenger Numbers | 50.2 million (2018), 52.6 million (2019), 41.6 million (2022) |
| Parking | Over 20,000 parking spaces |
| Amenities | Coffee shops, bars, specialist eateries, airport lounges, spa |
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What You'll Learn
Terminals and runways
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, is located 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) southwest of the centre of Barcelona. It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain, and the sixth busiest in Europe. In 2019, the airport handled a record 52 million passengers, with that number growing annually.
The airport has two main terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 2 is further subdivided into three areas: 2A, 2B, and 2C. Each airline operates out of one of the terminals, regardless of destination. For example, all EasyJet flights arrive at and depart from Terminal 2. Terminal 2 also has a Rodalies Barcelona commuter train station (on Line R2), with services every 30 minutes to Maçanet-Massanes.
The airport has three runways in service: two in parallel, 06L/24R and 06R/24L, and a cross, 02/20. An additional runway, 07R/25L, was built in 2009 as part of the Plan Barcelona expansion project. This expansion project also added a third terminal building, designed by Ricardo Bofill, and a new control tower. The airport's area expanded from 8.45 to 15.33 square kilometres (3.26 to 5.92 sq mi), and it became capable of handling 55 million passengers annually.
Barcelona Airport offers direct access to Barcelona by bus, train, or taxi. The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) public bus line 46 runs from Paral·lel Avenue, and the Aerobús offers direct transfers from T1 and T2 to the city centre at Plaça Catalunya. The L9 (orange) line connects the airport to Barcelona by metro, but to get to the city centre, you will need to change to the L1, L5, or L3 line.
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Transport links to the city
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, also known as El Prat Airport, is located 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) southwest of the centre of Barcelona. It is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train or private car. The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) public bus line 46 runs from Paral·lel Avenue. The Aerobús offers direct transfers from T1 and T2 to the city centre at Plaça Catalunya. There are taxi ranks outside both Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2). The airport has two passenger terminals, with Terminal 2 (T2) subdivided into three areas: T2A, T2B and T2C. Terminal 2 has a Rodalies Barcelona commuter train station (on Line R2), with services every 30 minutes to Maçanet-Massanes. The L9 (orange) metro line also connects the airport to Barcelona city, but to get to the city centre you will need to change to the L1, L5 or L3 line.
There are two other airports nearby Barcelona: Girona and Reus. These are approximately 100-120 kilometres outside Barcelona and offer access to the city via transfer services. To get to Barcelona from Girona Airport, you can take a short bus journey into the city centre of Girona, and then catch a bus, train or coach to Barcelona. There are also coaches that run directly from Girona Airport to Barcelona city centre, scheduled to coincide with Ryanair flights. If you are travelling to Reus Airport, you will need to take a bus to Reus city centre and then take a coach from there. It is important to check ahead to see if the bus is still running, as you may otherwise need to take a taxi or stay the night in Reus.
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Airport expansion
Barcelona El Prat Airport, also known as Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, has undergone several expansions over the years to accommodate the increasing passenger traffic. The airport, located 12-15 km southwest of Barcelona, is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain and the sixth busiest in Europe.
The airport's history of expansion dates back to 1918 when it replaced Barcelona's first airfield, El Remolar, due to its limited expansion prospects. Significant developments took place in the late 2000s, with the completion of an expansion plan called "Plan Barcelona" in 2009. This plan added a third terminal building, designed by Ricardo Bofill, along with a new control tower and an additional runway. The airport's area increased from 8.45 to 15.33 square kilometres, and its capacity surged to 55 million passengers annually, a remarkable jump from 33 million in 2007.
The expansion continued with the inauguration of a new Terminal 1 in June 2009, designed by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura. This new terminal boasts an impressive area of 548,000 square metres, a vast aircraft ramp of 600,000 square metres, 13,000 new parking spaces, and 45 new gates, expandable to 60. Terminal 1 can accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 747-8I.
The expansion efforts aimed to enhance the airport's capacity and efficiency, attracting low-cost and regional carriers to fill the terminals. Terminal 2, which became underutilised after the opening of Terminal 1, adapted its landing fees to attract new carriers. This strategy helped revitalise Terminal 2, although it still operates below its full capacity.
Barcelona El Prat Airport continues to be a bustling hub for travellers, with over 52 million passengers in 2019, and it serves as a gateway to the beautiful coastal areas of Spain and the wider Catalan region.
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Airlines and destinations
Barcelona is served by three airports: El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto (also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport), Girona, and Reus. El Prat is the only airport that is actually in Barcelona, whereas Girona and Reus airports are approximately 100-120km outside the city. El Prat Airport is the second-largest airport in Spain and one of the busiest airports in Europe, with 50.2 million passengers passing through in 2018.
El Prat Airport has two main terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which is further divided into three areas: 2A, 2B, and 2C. Each airline operates from one of the terminals, regardless of destination. For example, all EasyJet flights arrive at and depart from Terminal 2.
El Prat Airport is a popular choice for visitors to Barcelona and the wider Catalan region, including tourist destinations on the Costa Brava, such as Sitges and Tossa del Mar. It is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car.
A total of 81-86 airlines operate from El Prat Airport, flying to 145 destinations within Europe and beyond. The most popular route is to Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport, with other busy routes including Mallorca, Amsterdam, Sevilla, Paris, Ibiza, Málaga, Rome, London, Munich, and Lisbon.
Some of the airlines operating from El Prat Airport include:
- Vueling
- Ryanair
- Iberia
- EasyJet
- Air Europa
- Lufthansa
- Air France
- Aegean Airlines
- Aer Lingus
- Air Algerie
- Air Baltic
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air Serbia
- American Airlines
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
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Airport facilities
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, is the only airport in Barcelona. It is located 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) southwest of the city centre, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain, and the sixth busiest in Europe, having handled a record 52 million passengers in 2019.
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which is further subdivided into Terminals 2A, 2B, and 2C. Each terminal has its own taxi rank. There are four airport lounges, including the Canudas Lounge in Terminal 2 and the Pau Casals Lounge in Terminal 1. The Aqua Salon Spa is also available for passengers seeking relaxation. In addition, the airport offers a wide range of dining options, including coffee shops, bars, and specialist eateries.
The airport provides a total of more than 20,000 parking spaces. It is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car. The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) public bus line 46 runs from Paral·lel Avenue, and the Aerobús offers direct transfers from both terminals to the city centre at Plaça Catalunya. The L9 (orange) metro line connects the airport to Barcelona, and passengers can transfer to the L1, L5, or L3 line to reach the city centre.
Barcelona Airport has three runways in service, with two in parallel (06L/24R and 06R/24L) and a cross (02/20). The airport terminal has an area of 548,000 square metres, an aircraft ramp of 600,000 square metres, 13,000 parking spaces, and 45 gates that can be expanded to 60. The terminal can accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380-800 or Boeing 747-8I.
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the airport in Barcelona is Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport. It is also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, El Prat Airport, or BCN Airport.
The airport has two terminals, T1 and T2, with T2 further divided into three areas: 2A, 2B, and 2C. The airport has three runways, with two in parallel (06L/24R and 06R/24L) and one cross runway (02/20). It offers a wide range of services and facilities, including coffee shops, bars, and specialist eateries. There are also four airport lounges and the Aqua Salon Spa.
Barcelona Airport is easily accessible by bus, taxi, train, or private car. The L9 (orange) metro line connects the airport to the city, and you can get to the city centre by changing to the L1, L5, or L3 line. There are also direct transfers from T1 and T2 to the city centre at Plaça Catalunya.
