HiFlying back to Blighty on Tue Ber-Lhr-Edi.

Reading on Twitter and German social media that Ber has has some big wait times security wise. One post mentioned getting to airport 4 hrs before flight..wondered what peoples experiences were at Berlin recently? Thxs

I flew BER-LCY at the end of March. Fast track security was empty on a Monday afternoon and very conveniently located at the centre of the checkin hall straight up an escalator from where you arrive at the station.

The lounge BA use even has its own immigration booth at the rear of the lounge, leading straight out into the Schengen gates, which is one of the best features I’ve seen at a new build airport recently!

If you are flying Club (business class), you can use the fast track security lane ("Checkpoint 3"), if it is open. The same would apply if you had a gold card (I see you are a silver card holder from your profile). Don't be perturbed if there is a queue there. In my experience (I went through BER twice last month, using fast track both times), 80% of the people queueing there are not entitled to use fast track and are sent away. I was through security in less than 5 minutes each time (early Saturday mornings). Even when I last used a "normal" security lane at BER, it didn't take more than 30 minutes to get through (that wasn't during school holidays, though). Check the monitors in the departure area (or on the airport website) to see which checkpoints have the shortest queues. Most people without fast track entitlement seem to head to "checkpoint 2", so it's worth checking whether checkpoints 1 and 5 are open and have shorter wait times- unless you can use fast track, which is obviously the best bet.

If you have to check bags, you may have to wait around 5-10 minutes to check in (there is a priority line, which you can use as a silver card holder). I don't know when exactly check-in opens but I have never arrived at BER more than 2 hours before my flight. The last time I checked in 75 minutes ahead of departure to drop a bag, which was fine and gave me plenty of time to visit the lounge.

Based on my few times flying through BER, I wouldn't get there 4 hours ahead but if you are travelling with hand baggage only and you wished to spend some time in the lounge before your flight (the lounge never seems to be full in my experience) then you could arrive that early if you wished. It pretty much also depends on your risk tolerance. I doubt Tuesday will be as busy as it has been these last 3 days but you never know at BER. Safe travels.

I do think Fast Track is painfully slow. They only have a small area and use the old style machines so everything has to come out, requiring 2-3 bins per person. They can only hold about 6-8 bins on the belt so can process only a couple of people at a time.
The X-Ray machine is the open type where you put your hands up and feet on cut-outs so is pretty slow in comparison to a metal detector of the old arch type.

I'm going to Berlin next week. Can silvers use the fast track too? Thanks!

wait BA now pays for fast track at BER?... Well what took to so long!

My last visit in Nov 2021 was particularly dreadful, 40 minute queue for security then 15 more minutes at the Schengen queue.

Sorry, I don't honestly know. What I do know is that if you use the BA app to check-in, or if you request a boarding card in the app once you have checked-in, your digital boarding card in the app will have the "fast track" QR code on it, if you are entitled to use it. Otherwise, if you are checking a bag, they will tell you at the check-in desk without you having to ask them (that has been my experience, anyway).