Feb 15, 2016, 2:13 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Connecting at MAD / Madrid Barajas International Airport
FEEL FREE TO EDIT OR ADD TO THIS WIKIPOST
FEEL FREE TO EDIT OR ADD TO THIS WIKIPOST
Madrid airport layout
Terminals include
Terminal 1: International. Star Alliance primarily (also the only non-Schengen area outside of T4)
Terminal 2: Domestic mostly. SkyTeam primarily
Terminal 3: Schengen and some Domestic mostly. Air France/KLM/Lufthansa usually leave from here, but really it's just a slight extension on T2
Terminals 1-2-3 are adjacent and host Star and SkyTeam alliances and are all connected airside.
Terminal 4: one world including Iberia
Domestic and Schengen mostly from Terminal 4
International from Terminal 4-S (satellite) (Except IB or I2 operated flights to UK and Ireland as well as BA CityFlyer flights to LCY that operate out of T4 Main, though note that usually one IB flight to LHR daily is operated by an A330 or A340, these flights go from T4-S).
Both connected by an underground train, though going from T4-S to T4 requires going landside and re-clearing security in order to access T4.
Terminals are connected by a landside shuttle bus service.
Connecting from non-Schengen to Schengen (or departing the airport) one must process immigration in T-4S. Queues can be lengthy at times; if you are an EU citizen, you wil lfind the kiosk to your right in the queues. If you are not, keep to the right of the general queues anyway, as the EU queues can empty and they begin waving non-EU passengers into the EU lines.
The train connecting the T4-S satellite to T4 must be accessed via lifts or stairs; the lifts are faster. A non-Schengen to Schengen connection can take an hour or longer - A 1.5 hours is recommended as minimum connect times, and possibly more for Schengen to non-Schengen if during busy hours due to security procedures, particularly for US flights. Status passengers on Iberia flights to the US have access to a separate priority queue to clear the extra US screening.
Connections to other terminals are by a landside shuttle bus located, and can take rather longer than one might think as T4 is quite far away from T1/2/3. There is a metro link between the two, however you will have to pay full fare and even for a single rider a taxi is pretty competitive on price when the airport supplement is included.
Resources:
Link to Madrid Barajas Airport (World Airport Guides)
Link to AENA official MAD Madrid Barajas website by airport operator AENA
Wikipedia decent article on Madrid Barajas (with listings of airline gates and terminals - BUT caveat - it fails to differentiate between Terminal 4 and Terminal 4-S!)
Schengen Agreements nations information (with maps, etc.)
Connections through Madrid Airport
Jun 3, 2013, 10:34 am
#61
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: El Segundo, CA
Programs: AA ExPlat, National Executive Elite, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 108
So in August, I (US passport) am flying LAX->LHR->MAD->SVQ
The LAX to LHR segment is on BA, while the LHR->MAD->SVQ segments are ticketed by BA but operated by IB (This is all on one ticket) So what procedure will I follow for connecting in Madrid from a non-schengen (LHR) airport to a domestic Spain (Schengen) airport (SVQ) My itinerary only indicates that I will arrive and depart from T4. Can any of you provide clarification? I will do this all in reverse a few weeks later...
The LAX to LHR segment is on BA, while the LHR->MAD->SVQ segments are ticketed by BA but operated by IB (This is all on one ticket) So what procedure will I follow for connecting in Madrid from a non-schengen (LHR) airport to a domestic Spain (Schengen) airport (SVQ) My itinerary only indicates that I will arrive and depart from T4. Can any of you provide clarification? I will do this all in reverse a few weeks later...
Jun 3, 2013, 10:47 am
#62
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,108
The LAX to LHR segment is on BA, while the LHR->MAD->SVQ segments are ticketed by BA but operated by IB (This is all on one ticket) So what procedure will I follow for connecting in Madrid from a non-schengen (LHR) airport to a domestic Spain (Schengen) airport (SVQ) My itinerary only indicates that I will arrive and depart from T4. Can any of you provide clarification? I will do this all in reverse a few weeks later...
Jun 4, 2013, 7:50 am
#63
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Not sure what you want to know exactly. But you will arrive at and leave from T4 (main building), since your flight from LHR is operated by Iberia. On arrival you'll have to go through immigration (entering the Schengen zone) and then you can go straight to your departure gate. (In most European airports you have to clear security again when arriving from outside Schengen, but I don't remember having to do this on my LHR-MAD-Spain flights last year.)
Jun 4, 2013, 3:13 pm
#65
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
... at London Heathrow.
Which is fine, except we are talking about connections through Madrid!
At Madrid, IB metal flights to LHR operate to/from T4(main) which is a schengen cleared area. BA metal flights operate out of T4(S) the satellite, and the upstairs non-schegen cleared level.
Which is fine, except we are talking about connections through Madrid!
At Madrid, IB metal flights to LHR operate to/from T4(main) which is a schengen cleared area. BA metal flights operate out of T4(S) the satellite, and the upstairs non-schegen cleared level.
Jun 16, 2013, 2:50 pm
#66
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: AZ
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 200
Hi David-A,
I would appreciate your expert advice. Our flights were just adjusted shortening the connection time significantly. Currently, we are flying MIA to MAD on AA 68 arriving 9:05 AM. We (US citizens) are connecting to IB 3300 MAD to CMN at 10:20 AM. According to Flightstats, both flights use terminal 4S. I "assume" they are both non-Schengen but can't tell from the gate info.
Will we have to go thru passport control (or some other form of check/security) or can we just walk over to the other gate? Is 75 minutes realistic or should we try to move to a later connection to CMN, which adds 3 hours to the trip.
Thanks
I would appreciate your expert advice. Our flights were just adjusted shortening the connection time significantly. Currently, we are flying MIA to MAD on AA 68 arriving 9:05 AM. We (US citizens) are connecting to IB 3300 MAD to CMN at 10:20 AM. According to Flightstats, both flights use terminal 4S. I "assume" they are both non-Schengen but can't tell from the gate info.
Will we have to go thru passport control (or some other form of check/security) or can we just walk over to the other gate? Is 75 minutes realistic or should we try to move to a later connection to CMN, which adds 3 hours to the trip.
Thanks
Jun 17, 2013, 7:44 pm
#67
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1
Need Help!
Hi all!
I'll be flying from LHR to MAD with BA on the 31/07, and I would like to take a flight to Porto (OPO) with Ryanair on the same day. My flight from LHR- MAD arrives at 17:20 and the flight MAD-OPO departs at 18:30.
I've got an EU passport and will only be carrying hand luggage.
Is this doable at all? Or will it be too risky?
I would appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance
I'll be flying from LHR to MAD with BA on the 31/07, and I would like to take a flight to Porto (OPO) with Ryanair on the same day. My flight from LHR- MAD arrives at 17:20 and the flight MAD-OPO departs at 18:30.
I've got an EU passport and will only be carrying hand luggage.
Is this doable at all? Or will it be too risky?
I would appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance
Jun 18, 2013, 11:11 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,954
Impossibly risky. You're flying into T4 and out of T1. Ryanair gates officially close 30 mins prior to departure, so the gate will close at 18:00.
Assuming you land at 17:20, it'll take 15 mins to taxi to the gate and open the door, and another 25 to get to T1. That's it. No time to go through security.
Assuming you land at 17:20, it'll take 15 mins to taxi to the gate and open the door, and another 25 to get to T1. That's it. No time to go through security.
Jun 20, 2013, 4:21 pm
#69
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Sep 4, 2013, 2:52 pm
#70
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: san diego, ca
Programs: AA 2MM
Posts: 913
Question, pls, re Madrid T4-S
My daughter will be travelling JFK-MAD-LHR with no stopovers on that segment.
I note from reading this thread that she will have a security check only (as a nonSchengen to non-Schengen connection, and will not enter Europe).
All segments are on AA, but the MAD-LHR is operated by BA. No gate information is available, but all arrival/departures seem to be in T4S, and BA will likely depart from the T4S upstairs non-Schengen gates?
Question: How much estimated time for the transfer from AA arrival (flight 94) to a BA gate (BA457), all w/in T4s?
Thanks much for the information.
MDSD
I note from reading this thread that she will have a security check only (as a nonSchengen to non-Schengen connection, and will not enter Europe).
All segments are on AA, but the MAD-LHR is operated by BA. No gate information is available, but all arrival/departures seem to be in T4S, and BA will likely depart from the T4S upstairs non-Schengen gates?
Question: How much estimated time for the transfer from AA arrival (flight 94) to a BA gate (BA457), all w/in T4s?
Thanks much for the information.
MDSD
Sep 4, 2013, 3:04 pm
#71
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
My daughter will be travelling JFK-MAD-LHR with no stopovers on that segment.
I note from reading this thread that she will have a security check only (as a nonSchengen to non-Schengen connection, and will not enter Europe).
All segments are on AA, but the MAD-LHR is operated by BA. No gate information is available, but all arrival/departures seem to be in T4S, and BA will likely depart from the T4S upstairs non-Schengen gates?
Question: How much estimated time for the transfer from AA arrival (flight 94) to a BA gate (BA457), all w/in T4s?
Thanks much for the information.
MDSD
I note from reading this thread that she will have a security check only (as a nonSchengen to non-Schengen connection, and will not enter Europe).
All segments are on AA, but the MAD-LHR is operated by BA. No gate information is available, but all arrival/departures seem to be in T4S, and BA will likely depart from the T4S upstairs non-Schengen gates?
Question: How much estimated time for the transfer from AA arrival (flight 94) to a BA gate (BA457), all w/in T4s?
Thanks much for the information.
MDSD
Sep 6, 2013, 3:45 pm
#72
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS-TLV
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Posts: 1,318
I just did intra-T4S transfers in MAD a couple weeks ago. Without considering deplaning time or advance boarding time, the actual feet on the ground time from one gate to another (and ours were rather distant in the terminal) of 30 minutes should work without a bit of worry, and I'd even say it could easily be done in less time if one really HAD to and moved quickly. Add to that the deplaning and boarding time.
You enter T4S on the second floor when arriving, and you go through security on that floor, at which point you go down one floor to the departure level.
You enter T4S on the second floor when arriving, and you go through security on that floor, at which point you go down one floor to the departure level.
Sep 7, 2013, 2:32 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
Europe is a continent - a geographic land mass cluster.
She will not (in an immigration sense) enter any countries of the Schengen Area, because she will not imigrationally enter Spain.
She will imigrationally enter the United Kingdom.
The UK is part of European Union.
The UK is situated on the British Isles, which are considered part of the European Continent.
So, the the statement that she will not enter 'Europe' is utterly wrong. It is Schengen she won't enter.
</pedant>
All segments are on AA, but the MAD-LHR is operated by BA. No gate information is available, but all arrival/departures seem to be in T4S, and BA will likely depart from the T4S upstairs non-Schengen gates?
(If it was IB operated, it would go from T4(main).
Sep 7, 2013, 1:19 pm
#74
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: san diego, ca
Programs: AA 2MM
Posts: 913
Thanks for the replies on gate information T4S, it appears it will be fairly simple; I appreciate your help.
And thanks David-A for the terminology correction. I must have been caught up in that ancient joke-headline from possibly the Daily Mirror: Fog in Channel; Continent Cut Off...some also claim this was a regular weather forecast in 1930s Britain.
Just putting it out there!
Thanks, again, for the assistance.
MDSD
And thanks David-A for the terminology correction. I must have been caught up in that ancient joke-headline from possibly the Daily Mirror: Fog in Channel; Continent Cut Off...some also claim this was a regular weather forecast in 1930s Britain.
Just putting it out there!
Thanks, again, for the assistance.
MDSD
Sep 24, 2013, 7:25 pm
#75
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Upper Midwest
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 1,677
I'm looking to make a connection from Swiss in T2 (from ZRH) to Delta in T1 on a 90 min conx. Are the terminals connected airside to where you can transfer, or do you have to exit to the lobby?
I don't recall the last time I was at MAD whether or not they force you to exit.
Thanks
I don't recall the last time I was at MAD whether or not they force you to exit.
Thanks