Jan 31, 2018, 8:17 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Please edit or add information to this wiki as necessary.
Link to MAD Airport page on aa.com
Link to Aeropuerto Adolfo Surez Madrid-Barajas website (English or Spanish).
Link to FT-AA Welcome and Lounge Dashboard page (for MAD lounges information).
For Minimum Connect Times, please see post #1.
Madrid-Barajas Terminals 4 and 4-S
International one world flights arrive and depart Terminal 4-S (satellite). International arriving passengers will process immigration here. Queues can be lengthy; talking the rightmost non-EU citizen queues is advisable, as the EU citizen queues to the right of non-EU citizen lines often open up to non-EU citizens in that particular queue, halving the time spent in queue.
Passengers in Iberia Plus and Iberia Sapphire and Emerald equivalents members on flights over four hours long are welcome to use the Premium Traveller Lounge Arrivals lounge. Link to One Mile At a Time review.
Connecting passengers on single ticketing / PNR will not have to retrieve baggage for customs inspection, which will be accomplished at their destination - Schengen or non-Schengen.
Connecting passengers departing Terminal 4-S will also undergo security here.
Connecting passengers to Schengen and non-T-4 destinations will undergo security procedures in their departure terminal.
Schengen and domestic Spain flights generally arrive and depart Terminal 4.
The terminals are connected by subterranean train accessible from the lowest floor. (It is advisable to use the lifts / elevators over the escalators.)
Connections to other terminals are via landslide shuttle busses.
There are two metro stations: the first one is "Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3", situated at the centre of the terminal T2 floor 1; the second one is "Aeropuerto T4", situated at terminal T4 floor -1. Travel will most often require connections at Nuevos Ministerios station.
Related threads:
Heads up re: Spain (MAD, BCN etc.) - Long passport / security queues Jun 2017 onward
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Link to MAD Airport page on aa.com
Link to Aeropuerto Adolfo Surez Madrid-Barajas website (English or Spanish).
Link to FT-AA Welcome and Lounge Dashboard page (for MAD lounges information).
For Minimum Connect Times, please see post #1.
Madrid-Barajas Terminals 4 and 4-S
International one world flights arrive and depart Terminal 4-S (satellite). International arriving passengers will process immigration here. Queues can be lengthy; talking the rightmost non-EU citizen queues is advisable, as the EU citizen queues to the right of non-EU citizen lines often open up to non-EU citizens in that particular queue, halving the time spent in queue.
Passengers in Iberia Plus and Iberia Sapphire and Emerald equivalents members on flights over four hours long are welcome to use the Premium Traveller Lounge Arrivals lounge. Link to One Mile At a Time review.
Connecting passengers on single ticketing / PNR will not have to retrieve baggage for customs inspection, which will be accomplished at their destination - Schengen or non-Schengen.
Connecting passengers departing Terminal 4-S will also undergo security here.
Connecting passengers to Schengen and non-T-4 destinations will undergo security procedures in their departure terminal.
Schengen and domestic Spain flights generally arrive and depart Terminal 4.
The terminals are connected by subterranean train accessible from the lowest floor. (It is advisable to use the lifts / elevators over the escalators.)
Connections to other terminals are via landslide shuttle busses.
There are two metro stations: the first one is "Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3", situated at the centre of the terminal T2 floor 1; the second one is "Aeropuerto T4", situated at terminal T4 floor -1. Travel will most often require connections at Nuevos Ministerios station.
Related threads:
Heads up re: Spain (MAD, BCN etc.) - Long passport / security queues Jun 2017 onward
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Guide: Madrid-Barajas Intl. Airport (MAD) - Arrival, Depart, Connect, etc.
Nov 6, 2019, 11:16 am
#107
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
Have done this - while the two terminals are very long, it is doable since you don't have to go thru immigration/customs.
Nov 6, 2019, 11:18 am
#108
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
If you are delayed departing BOS, or navigation is less than direct, this is a stretch. My wife and I were on a delayed JFK MAD flight a few years ago due to crew rest requirements, a thunderstorm that needed to be navigated around, and a change in landing direction at MAD. We missed our connection by this much (think Maxwell Smart), and our flight to Naples was many many hours later. The upside is we took RENFE into the city and spent the day in art museums and tapas joints.
Nov 7, 2019, 8:34 am
#109
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,113
Still doable, though.
I mean, I try to get to the airport 90 minutes before long haul flights and still have a good bit of time in the lounge.
Nov 7, 2019, 8:39 am
#110
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
If you are delayed departing BOS, or navigation is less than direct, this is a stretch. My wife and I were on a delayed JFK MAD flight a few years ago due to crew rest requirements, a thunderstorm that needed to be navigated around, and a change in landing direction at MAD. We missed our connection by this much (think Maxwell Smart), and our flight to Naples was many many hours later. The upside is we took RENFE into the city and spent the day in art museums and tapas joints.
Dec 2, 2019, 1:39 pm
#111
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 615
Hello: Wife, toddler and I have a J class redemption coming up Jul 2020 with IAD-MAD-LIS as the routing (via IB). Scheduled to arrive MAD at 10:15AM local time and flight to LIS leaves at 3:40PM. I'm sure the time allotted is plenty; however, in looking at other options, what is the recommended shortest connection for the MAD-LIS flight via IB?
Secondly, besides lounge access, does business class get me any added help in navigating customs?
TIA.
Secondly, besides lounge access, does business class get me any added help in navigating customs?
TIA.
Dec 2, 2019, 2:36 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,564
Hello: Wife, toddler and I have a J class redemption coming up Jul 2020 with IAD-MAD-LIS as the routing (via IB). Scheduled to arrive MAD at 10:15AM local time and flight to LIS leaves at 3:40PM. I'm sure the time allotted is plenty; however, in looking at other options, what is the recommended shortest connection for the MAD-LIS flight via IB?
Secondly, besides lounge access, does business class get me any added help in navigating customs?
TIA.
Secondly, besides lounge access, does business class get me any added help in navigating customs?
TIA.
And business class doesn't get you any help with immigration or customs, although there may be a priority security lane at the T4 security check, I don't remember. In any event the last time I was through there wasn't much of a line there so it didn't matter anyways.
And "customs" in the EU isn't really a process like it is in other parts of the world, you will actually clear "customs" at LIS, which is basically just exiting the baggage hall via a green lane (nothing to declare) or red lane (something to declare), or some iteration of that.
Jan 6, 2020, 5:04 am
#114
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,113
Jan 6, 2020, 8:03 am
#115
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,207
With a wife and toddler in tow, I would give yourself at least 1.5-2 hrs. MAD is relatively easy, however you still need to clear passport control, go downstairs and take the train from T4S to T4, then re-clear security at T4 before proceeding to the lounge/gate.
And "customs" in the EU isn't really a process like it is in other parts of the world, you will actually clear "customs" at LIS, which is basically just exiting the baggage hall via a green lane (nothing to declare) or red lane (something to declare), or some iteration of that.
And "customs" in the EU isn't really a process like it is in other parts of the world, you will actually clear "customs" at LIS, which is basically just exiting the baggage hall via a green lane (nothing to declare) or red lane (something to declare), or some iteration of that.
Jul 7, 2022, 10:33 am
#118
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,113
With fast track security, 2 hours should be the target. Fast track security is a big help. If flying AA metal, know that the business check-in is all the way to the right end of the hall so make sure you get your taxi/carshare to drop you at the first door. If coming by train, it's about as far away from AA business as possible.
Tips that can save a few minutes. Use the lift down to the train after security rather than the escalators, can easily be the difference between catching a train or waiting on the next one. If you have time to choose, you want to be at the first set of doors of the second car. It loads from the left and unloads to the right. Book it up the escalator as soon as you get off the train and get into the passport control line right away. That alone can be 10 minutes difference from being in front of versus behind everyone in the train. If you have an EU passport and can use the ABC gates, you'll barely have to wait at all.
Tips that can save a few minutes. Use the lift down to the train after security rather than the escalators, can easily be the difference between catching a train or waiting on the next one. If you have time to choose, you want to be at the first set of doors of the second car. It loads from the left and unloads to the right. Book it up the escalator as soon as you get off the train and get into the passport control line right away. That alone can be 10 minutes difference from being in front of versus behind everyone in the train. If you have an EU passport and can use the ABC gates, you'll barely have to wait at all.
Aug 1, 2022, 8:38 pm
#119
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA lifetime plat 2.5 million
Posts: 298
connect AA to IB (and vice versa) in MAD. Any hints?
At the end of August, I am taking a trip PHL/MAD on AA connecting to MAD/ZAG on IB in terminal 4-4s. In early September, I am going BRU/MAD on IB connecting to MAD/PHL on AA.
Any hints on connecting--easy or tough, things to avoid? Hand baggage only. How about lounge access? I am OW/SAPPHIRE (AA PLATINUM) with Admirals Club membership.
Thanks in advance.
Any hints on connecting--easy or tough, things to avoid? Hand baggage only. How about lounge access? I am OW/SAPPHIRE (AA PLATINUM) with Admirals Club membership.
Thanks in advance.
Aug 2, 2022, 5:21 am
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,564
At the end of August, I am taking a trip PHL/MAD on AA connecting to MAD/ZAG on IB in terminal 4-4s. In early September, I am going BRU/MAD on IB connecting to MAD/PHL on AA.
Any hints on connecting--easy or tough, things to avoid? Hand baggage only. How about lounge access? I am OW/SAPPHIRE (AA PLATINUM) with Admirals Club membership.
Thanks in advance.
Any hints on connecting--easy or tough, things to avoid? Hand baggage only. How about lounge access? I am OW/SAPPHIRE (AA PLATINUM) with Admirals Club membership.
Thanks in advance.
Coming from the US, you'll arrive at T4S, clear immigration, then take the elevators downstairs to the train to T4, it runs every couple mins. Once at T4 you'll reclear security then can head to the lounge or gate.
On the return it's basically the opposite, you'll arrive at T4 from BRU, head downstairs and take the train to T4S where you'll clear immigration and security and then can head to the lounge or gate.
For lounges, on the outbound you can use the IB 'Dali' lounge at T4 before the flight to ZAG, and on the return the IB 'Velazquez' lounge at T4S before the flight to PHL.