Barcelona's Main Airport: All You Need To Know

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Barcelona is served by three airports: Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (also known as El Prat Airport, Barcelona-El Prat Airport, El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto, and El Prat Airport), Girona Airport, and Reus Airport. However, only one of these airports, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, is actually in Barcelona. The other two airports are approximately 100-120km outside of the city.

Characteristics Values
Name Barcelona El Prat Airport
Airport Code BCN
Location El Prat de Llobregat, 10 km southwest of Barcelona city centre
Number of Runways 2
Length of Runways 3,752 metres and 2,661 metres
Elevation 11 feet
Area 5.4 square miles
Annual Passenger Traffic ~53 million passengers (pre-pandemic)
Ranking in Europe 11th busiest airport in Europe (2019)
Terminals 2 (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2)
Airlines Serves as a hub for Vueling and bases for Ryanair and EasyJet
Connectivity Well connected to the city by highway, metro, bus, and taxi services
Awards Awarded Best Airport in Southern Europe in 2019 by Skytrax
Website Barcelona El Prat Airport

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Barcelona's main airport is called El Prat Airport (BCN)

There are two other airports nearby Barcelona, namely Girona Airport and Reus Airport, which are approximately 100-120km outside of the city centre. These airports may be attractive to tourists due to the cheaper flights offered by low-cost airlines. However, it is important to consider the additional cost and time required for transfers when flying into these airports.

El Prat Airport has recently expanded, with a new shuttle train being built to directly connect Terminal 1 to Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gràcia, improving transport connections between the airport and the city centre. The airport is also connected to the city by Line 9 of the Barcelona Metro, with stations located in each terminal.

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It is located 13-15km from the city centre

Barcelona's main airport is called Aeroport de Barcelona-El Prat, Aeropuerto de Barcelona, or El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto in Spanish, and Aeroport de Barcelona or Aeroport Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat in Catalan. The airport's code is BCN, and it is located 13-15km from the city centre.

El Prat Airport is considered the second busiest airport in Spain and one of the largest on the Mediterranean coast. It is the busiest airport in Catalonia and one of the most occupied aviation hubs in Europe. In 2023, the airport welcomed nearly 50 million passengers, and in 2019, it handled a record 52,686,314 passengers. El Prat Airport is a hub for Iberia, Vueling, Level, and Air Nostrum, and a focus city for easyJet and Ryanair.

The airport is located in the municipality of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain. It is easily accessible from Barcelona's city centre by public transportation, buses, taxis, private transfers, and car rentals. Since 2016, the airport has been connected to the city by Line 9 of the Barcelona Metro, with stations in each terminal. A new shuttle train is also being built to directly connect Terminal 1 to Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gràcia, expected to be operational in 2026.

In addition to El Prat Airport, there are two other airports nearby Barcelona: Girona Airport and Reus Airport. These airports are located approximately 100-120km outside of Barcelona but offer access to the city via transfer services. They are attractive to tourists due to the cheaper flight options offered by low-cost airlines. However, it is important to consider the additional time and cost involved in travelling to and from these airports when booking flights.

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It is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain

The main airport in Barcelona is called Aeroport de Barcelona-El Prat, Aeropuerto de Barcelona (in Spanish), or Aeroport de Barcelona (in Catalan). It is also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto, El Prat Airport, and BCN Airport. The airport is located 13-15 km (9.3 miles) southwest of the centre of Barcelona, in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans, and Sant Boi, in Catalonia, Spain.

Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain, after Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas. It is the busiest airport in Catalonia, surpassing Girona, Reus, and Lleida. In 2019, the airport handled a record 52,686,314 passengers, up 5.0% from 2018. It is a hub for Level, Vueling, Iberia, and Air Nostrum, and a focus city for EasyJet, Ryanair, Air Europa, and Iberia. The airport has three runways, with two parallel to the coastline and one crossover. The parallel runways are the busiest, while the third runway is used at night or during severe weather. Barcelona Airport has two terminals, which are not adjacent to each other, and passengers can travel between them via free airport shuttles. Terminal 1 (T1) is the main terminal, primarily handling Schengen and international flights.

Barcelona Airport offers a range of services and facilities and is well-connected to the city centre. There are four ways to get from the airport to the city centre, including public transportation, buses, taxis, and private transfers. A new shuttle train is also being built to connect Terminal 1 directly to Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gràcia, providing quicker and more frequent journeys. Since 2016, the airport has been linked to Barcelona by Line 9 of the Barcelona Metro, with stations in each terminal. The C-32B highway connects the airport to a major traffic interchange between Barcelona's Ronda de Dalt beltway and other major motorways.

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Girona and Reus airports are also nearby, but further out

While Barcelona's main airport is El Prat Airport (also known as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Aeroport de Barcelona-El Prat, Aeropuerto de Barcelona, Aeropuerto de Barcelona El Prat de Llobregat, BCN Airport, El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto, or simply El Prat), there are two other airports nearby: Girona and Reus.

Girona Airport is located approximately 100 kilometres north of Barcelona city centre. It is not within walking distance of the city centre of Girona, so to get to Barcelona, you would first need to take a bus into the city centre and then catch another bus or a train to Barcelona. However, there are also coaches that run directly from the airport to Barcelona city centre, scheduled to coincide with Ryanair flights.

Reus Airport is the furthest airport from Barcelona, situated around 120 kilometres south of the city. It is closer to the coast than Girona Airport and is a popular choice for those heading to beach resorts in Cambrils and Salou. Unlike Girona Airport, there is no direct coach service from Reus Airport to Barcelona city centre. Instead, you must first travel by bus to Reus city centre and then take a coach to Barcelona. If you arrive late in the evening, it is important to check whether the bus is still running to avoid having to take a taxi or stay the night in Reus.

Both Girona and Reus airports are attractive options for tourists due to the cheap flights offered by low-cost airlines. However, it is worth calculating the overall cost of your journey, as you may find that any savings are cancelled out by the price of transfers to Barcelona.

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The main airport has two terminals and three runways

The main airport in Barcelona is called the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport. It is located 13 to 15 kilometres outside of the city centre and is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Spain. It is also the busiest airport in Catalonia and the sixth busiest in Europe, serving 52,686,314 passengers in 2019. The airport has two terminals and three runways.

The two terminals of the airport are not adjacent to each other. Terminal 1 (T1) is the main terminal and primarily handles international and Schengen flights. It underwent a massive renovation in 2009 and features a car park with 9,000 spots, an express parking lot, and VIP and first-class services. Terminal 2 (T2) has a main car park with 8,000 parking spaces and an express parking facility, and it also provides valet services. A long-term parking area is located within 2 kilometres of the terminal buildings.

To travel between the two terminals, passengers can take advantage of the free airport shuttles. Additionally, since 2016, the airport has been connected to Barcelona's city centre by Line 9 of the Barcelona Metro, with a station at each terminal. The Aeroport T1 station is situated directly underneath Terminal 1, while the Aeroport T2 station is close to the Aeroport rail station at Terminal 2. The line connects with several Barcelona Metro lines serving the city centre.

The three runways of the airport include two parallel runways that are the busiest, and a third runway primarily used at night or during severe weather conditions. The airport is adequately connected to Barcelona's city centre, with various transportation options available, including public transportation, buses, taxis, private transfers, and car rentals.

Frequently asked questions

The main airport in Barcelona is called El Prat Airport, or Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Its official name is Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

El Prat Airport is located 13-15km (9.3 miles) from the city centre of Barcelona.

There are four ways to get from Barcelona airport to the city centre: public transportation, buses, taxis, and private transfers. A new shuttle train is also being built to directly connect Terminal 1 to Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gràcia.

Yes, there are two other airports near Barcelona: Girona Airport and Reus Airport. Both are approximately 100-120km outside the city centre.

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