Sachin Walls
Berlin's main airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER). The airport opened in 2020 after a 15-year construction period and nine years of delays. It is located just across the Berlin-Brandenburg border in Schönefeld, 27km from Berlin city centre. The airport features a calming and delicate central roof, extensive use of wood interior walls, and beautiful architecture. It has two parallel runways, a mezzanine level for security checks, and a railway station directly under Terminal 1, providing excellent connections to the city centre.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" |
| IATA | BER |
| ICAO | EDDB |
| Former Names | Berlin Schönefeld Airport, Berlin Tegel Airport "Otto Lilienthal" |
| Year Opened | 2020 |
| Terminals | 1, 2, 5 (closed) |
| Runways | 2 |
| Airlines | easyJet, Ryanair, Eurowings, Condor, Sundair, Lufthansa |
| Transport Connections | Railway network, S-Bahn, regional trains, Flughafen-Express, InterCity long-distance line, bus, taxi |
| Parking | 10,000 spots across short-term and long-term |
| Architectural Features | U-shaped main terminal, calming and delicate central roof, extensive use of wood interior walls, 3 rail platforms |
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What You'll Learn
Berlin Brandenburg Airport's history
Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (IATA: BER) is Berlin's current main international airport. It is located in Schönefeld, just south of Berlin in the state of Brandenburg. The airport is named after the former West Berlin mayor and West German chancellor Willy Brandt. It is 18 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of the city centre and serves as a base for airlines such as Condor, easyJet, Eurowings, Ryanair, and Sundair. The airport mostly offers flights to European metropolitan and leisure destinations, as well as a few intercontinental services.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport replaced Tempelhof, Schönefeld, and Tegel airports, becoming the single commercial airport serving Berlin and Brandenburg. The airport has two parallel runways, allowing for simultaneous instrument approaches. The airport also has its own railway station, located directly under Terminal 1, providing easy connections to the city centre via S-Bahn or regional trains.
The history of Berlin Brandenburg Airport dates back to the early 1990s after German reunification. The existing airports in Berlin were ageing and becoming congested, so plans were made to construct a large commercial airport to serve the city. In 1991, the Berlin Brandenburg Flughafen Holding GmbH (BBF) was founded, owned jointly by the states of Berlin and Brandenburg and the Federal Republic of Germany. On 28 May 1996, Schönefeld was chosen as the site for the new airport, and construction was planned to begin in 2002 with a tentative opening in 2007. However, the project encountered significant delays due to poor planning, execution, management, and corruption issues.
After numerous delays, Berlin Brandenburg Airport finally opened for commercial traffic on 31 October 2020, nine years behind schedule. The airport has faced ongoing problems and negative publicity, leading to discussions about revoking its association with Willy Brandt to preserve his legacy. Despite these challenges, Berlin Brandenburg Airport has become the third busiest airport in Germany, surpassing Düsseldorf Airport.
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Terminals and facilities
Berlin's main airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (BER). The airport opened in 2020 after a lengthy history of construction and continuous delays. It is located just across the Berlin-Brandenburg border in Schönefeld, around 27km from Berlin city centre.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which are beside each other and connected after security. The airport has a U-shaped main terminal building, consisting of sections A and B. Level 1 is for Schengen Area passengers (gates A01–A20, B01–B20), while Level 2 (gates C01–C19, D01–D17) is for non-Schengen passengers. Eight of the gates can accommodate wide-body aircraft, and one gate has been designed to accommodate the Airbus A380. There is also a mezzanine (Level Z) at gates A21–22 and B21, which allows for additional pre-boarding security checks for high-risk flights to the United States and Israel. Lufthansa operates an airport lounge at the north end of the main pier (gate B20), and an airport-operated lounge can be found at the south end (gate A20). Each terminal has its own parking premises, with a total capacity of 10,000 parking spots across the airport. Terminal 1 has automated walkways, and assistance for the elderly or people with handicaps is available on request.
The airport has its own railway station, located directly under Terminal 1, which provides connections to the S-Bahn and regional trains. The railway network is the most common and useful transport connection for visitors to the airport. The airport is also served by several bus lines and various express buses, and there is a motorway exit serving the airport.
The airport features an extensive use of wood interior walls, creating a warm terminal environment. There are three rail platforms with multiple rail options, including a future 20-minute express train to the city centre. The airport also features beautiful architecture, including the main pier's fixed boarding bridges with extensive use of glass and gentle ramps.
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Transport connections
Berlin's main airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (BER). It is located 27 km (16.7 miles) from Berlin city centre, on the south side of the city, in the state of Brandenburg. The airport has excellent transport connections, which are outlined below.
Train
The airport has its own railway station, located directly under Terminal 1, which provides excellent connections to the city centre. The station is served by S-Bahn lines S45 and S9, as well as frequent regional trains (RE) and the dedicated Flughafen-Express (FEX). There is also an InterCity long-distance line between Dresden, Berlin, and Rostock, although tickets for S-Bahn, regional, and FEX services are not valid on InterCity trains. A ride between Terminal 1/2 and Berlin main station takes around 30 minutes using the RB, RE, and FEX regional trains or the InterCity, and 50-60 minutes by S-Bahn.
Bus
Several bus lines connect the airport to the city centre, including various express buses. The BER2 bus connects the airport to Potsdam main station (S7) and makes intermediate stops in Stahnsdorf and Teltow (S25, S26). The journey takes roughly one hour.
Car
The A113 motorway has an exit serving the airport and is connected to the "capital beltway" A10. There are 10,000 parking spots at the airport, with each terminal having its own parking premises for short-term and long-term stays. Parking space P4 is reserved for car-sharing, and a number of companies provide cars that can be picked up or left via an app.
Taxi
Taxis can be found directly in front of the Terminal 1 arrivals area and cost around €50-60 to the city centre.
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Airlines and destinations
Berlin's main airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (IATA: BER, ICAO: EDDB), located just across the Berlin-Brandenburg border in Schönefeld. It is Berlin's current sole international airport and replaced Tempelhof, Schönefeld, and Tegel airports. The airport opened in 2020 after nine years of delay and is named after the former West Berlin mayor and West German chancellor Willy Brandt. It is located 18 kilometres (11 mi) south-east of the city centre.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport has two parallel runways and a U-shaped main terminal building, named Terminal 1, consisting of sections A and B. Level 1 is intended for Schengen Area passengers (gates A01–A20, B01–B20), while Level 2 (gates C01–C19, D01–D17) is for non-Schengen passengers. The airport has a capacity of 28 million passengers per year and serves as a base for airlines such as Condor, easyJet, Eurowings, Ryanair, and Sundair.
During the winter flight schedule, airlines fly from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to more than 130 destinations. The airport mostly has flights to European metropolitan and leisure destinations, with some intercontinental services. Some of the airlines operating from the airport include Aegean, Aer Lingus, Air Alsie, Air Anka, Air Baltic, Air Cairo, Air France, Air Serbia, Air Transat, AJet, AlbaStar, Arkia, ASL Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Azerbaijan Airlines, BA City Flyer, Bluebird, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Condor, Corendon Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Danish Air Transport, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, Egypt Air, EL AL- Israel Airlines, and many more.
Some of the destinations served by these airlines include the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. For example, United Airlines offers a service to Newark, and Delta Air Lines flies to New York–Kennedy. Additionally, the airport has sought to establish 25 long-haul routes by 2025, including negotiations with Emirates to serve a fifth German city. Ibiza is another destination, offering party vibes, hippy culture, and dreamlike sunsets, along with sandy beaches, hiking trails, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Reggio Calabria, the largest city in Calabria, Italy, entices visitors with dreamy views, a picturesque coastline, and ancient relics.
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Architectural design
Berlin Brandenburg Airport, also known as Willy Brandt Airport, is Berlin's main airport. It is located just across the Berlin-Brandenburg border in Schönefeld, about 27 km from the city centre. The airport opened in 2020 after a long and troubled construction history, replacing the former airports of Schönefeld, Tegel, and Tempelhof.
The architectural design of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) stands out for its fitting and consistent design language, reflecting the character of the city of Berlin. The airport features a U-shaped main terminal building, named Terminal 1, with sections A and B. The design avoids the typical "baroque" style of many modern airports, with their glass and steel curves. Instead, BER has a distinctive central roof, resembling a high temple roof, that dominates and anchors the entire terminal complex. This roof also provides a practical canopy over the departure road, a feature achieved by only a few airports worldwide.
The interior of the terminal features extensive use of wood on its walls, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that rivals Scandinavian airports in this aspect. The main pier showcases beautiful architecture, with fixed boarding bridges, extensive use of glass, and gentle ramps. Unfortunately, these open spaces are likely to be covered in advertisements over time.
The airport provides excellent transport connections to the city centre, with its own railway station located directly under Terminal 1. This station offers access to S-Bahn and regional trains, including the Flughafen-Express (FEX) and InterCity long-distance lines. Additionally, several bus lines, including express buses, connect the airport to downtown Berlin and other parts of the city.
BER also boasts three rail platforms with multiple rail options, including a future 20-minute express train to the city centre, ensuring a world-class travel experience. The airport is designed with straightforward paths due to its geometric shape, although walking times can be lengthy, especially between the pier buildings with higher-numbered gates. Automated walkways are provided within Terminal 1, and assistance is available for those who need it.
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Frequently asked questions
Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (IATA: BER, ICAO: EDDB) is Berlin's current international airport.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport opened on 31 October 2020 after nine years of delay.
The airport has its own railway station, located directly under Terminal 1, which connects to S-Bahn and regional trains. There are also several bus lines to the city centre, as well as various express buses.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport serves a vast number of airlines, including conventional and low-cost carriers, and domestic and international airlines. Eurowings and Ryanair are based at the airport, while easyJet and Sundair have a focus city at the airport.
