--- iata: BER name: Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt city: Berlin country: Germany lastUpdated: '2026-08-31' officialWebsite: 'https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en.html' sources: - 'https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en.html' - 'https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/lounges-vip/lounges.html' - >- https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/orientation/getting-here/public-transport.html - 'https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/flying/controls/security-control.html' - >- https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/cafes-shops-service/sgs-poi/569-wasserspender-t1.html - 'https://www.vbb.de/en/driving-information/ber-airport/' - >- https://sbahn.berlin/en/plan-a-journey/information-for-berlin-visitors/berlins-berlin-brandenburg-ber-airport/ - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/germany/berlin-brandenburg/ber7-ber-lounge-tegel - >- https://corporate.berlin-airport.de/en/company-media/history/berlin-brandenburg-airport.html quickFacts: - >- Two connected terminals (T1 main, T2 peak/low-cost); former Schönefeld T5 is permanently closed - ~26 million passengers in 2025; Germany’s third-largest airport location - >- Station Flughafen BER sits under T1 on level U2—FEX to Hauptbahnhof ~23 minutes on a €5 ABC ticket - >- Lounges sit airside on the main pier: Tempelhof (A20), Tegel (B17), Lufthansa (B20) - >- Security is mixed: CT scanners on T1 areas 1 & 5 plus T2; conventional 100 ml rules still apply on T1 areas 2 & 4 - >- Major carriers include easyJet, Ryanair, Lufthansa/Eurowings, and a growing long-haul mix bentoTips: - label: Timing title: 'Beat the 06:00–08:00 security wave' detail: >- Early-morning bank departures stack queues; check live T1/T2 wait times in the BER app or on terminal monitors before you join a line. summary: >- Arrive ~2 hours before Schengen and 2–2.5 hours before non-Schengen; lean toward 2.5 hours for US/Israel gates. category: timing - label: Terminal title: 'Use any security, then walk airside' detail: >- T2 is only a few minutes’ walk via T1 arrivals (E0); when T1 security shows ~20 minutes, a short walk to T2 security and back airside often beats a long T1 queue. summary: >- You may clear security in T1 or T2—all departure gates are reachable from either checkpoint. category: terminal - label: Food title: Eat landside before you clear security detail: >- Stock cheap drinks and snacks at REWE on station level U1, then empty liquids before security and refill free at gate-area dispensers. summary: >- The T1 Marktplatz/food court has the real variety; airside options thin out fast after the checkpoint. category: food - label: Status title: Pick the lounge that matches your gate zone detail: >- Lufthansa Business/Senator at B20 are solid for Star Alliance elites but fill hard in morning/afternoon peaks—food is thinner than Frankfurt. summary: >- Tegel (B17) is the Priority Pass / pay-at-door workhorse; Tempelhof (A20) is the better paid upgrade with apron views and a private passport desk. category: status lounges: - name: BER Lounge Tegel zone: Schengen hours: '05:00-21:00 daily' access: - Priority Pass - Day pass €36 - Partner airline/status programs bestFor: - Priority Pass holders - Short Schengen waits - Showers before red-eyes summary: >- Food and beer are solid when stocked, but it packs out like a café at peaks—fine with free Priority Pass access; skip the €36 walk-up if you need quiet. verdict: depends terminal: Terminal 1 amenities: - Hot/cold buffet - Showers (€15 kit with towel/slippers) - Workstations - Quiet/rest area - Alcoholic drinks - name: BER Lounge Tempelhof zone: Schengen hours: '05:00-21:30 daily' access: - Day pass €48 - Partner bonus programs bestFor: - Non-Schengen connections after lounge exit - Longer paid stays - Views and space summary: >- The more spacious paid option with panoramic glass and a dedicated passport lane right outside—worth the €12 premium over Tegel if you are self-paying and flying non-Schengen soon after. verdict: worth-it terminal: Terminal 1 amenities: - Hot/cold buffet - Showers - Workstations - Quiet/relaxation zone - Apron/runway views - Exclusive passport-control desk - name: Lufthansa Business Lounge zone: Schengen hours: '05:15-21:00 (Sat 05:15-20:30)' access: - Lufthansa/Star Alliance Business Class - Miles & More Frequent Traveller - Star Alliance Gold (per LH rules) - Pay-at-door when offered (~from €39) bestFor: - LH Group short-haul Business - Status without Senator summary: >- Decent drinks and workable seating next to B20, but many travelers find it busier and less stocked than Frankfurt—use it if included, do not force a paid walk-in. verdict: depends terminal: Terminal 1 amenities: - All-day buffet - Showers - Quiet room - Work seating - Wi-Fi - name: Lufthansa Senator Lounge zone: Schengen hours: '05:15-21:00 (Sat 05:15-20:30)' access: - Lufthansa First - HON Circle - Senator - Eligible Star Alliance Gold bestFor: - Star Alliance Gold morning banks - Status travelers needing calm summary: >- Status holders often rate it a clear step up, though it still crowds during BER peak banks. verdict: worth-it terminal: Terminal 1 amenities: - Buffet - Showers - Quiet room - TV club area - Local design details waterOptions: - kind: free name: BER drinking water dispensers (gate restrooms) zone: airside summary: >- Official free cold tap water at six gate-cluster restroom niches—bring an empty bottle through security and fill here instead of buying airside. location: >- Airside level E1 restroom vestibules opposite Gates A04/A05, A08/A09, A18/A19, B04/B05, B08/B09 and B18/B19 terminal: Terminal 1 isBestValue: true isBestQuality: true - kind: purchase name: REWE supermarket zone: landside price: ~€1.00–1.50 for 500ml (near supermarket pricing; far below airside markup) summary: >- Cheapest reliable bottle purchase at BER—stock water and snacks here before check-in, then finish sealed bottles before security. location: >- Landside train-station level U1, Willy-Brandt-Platz / station mezzanine under T1 terminal: Terminal 1 - kind: purchase name: Airside duty-free / convenience kiosks zone: airside price: ~€6.50 for 1L reported at peak markup summary: >- The classic BER tourist trap—only buy here if you forgot a bottle and skipped the free restroom dispensers. location: >- Market Place immediately after T1 security and along the A/B pier near Heinemann duty-free terminal: Terminal 1 - kind: refill name: Empty bottle + post-security dispenser refill zone: airside summary: >- Best routine for any gate: landside REWE empty bottle + free airside refill beats every paid option once you are through screening. location: >- Carry empty bottle through security, then refill at the E1 restroom dispenser opposite Gates B18/B19 (or nearest A/B pair to your gate) terminal: Terminal 1 airportistScore: 6.9 slug: ber region: Europe --- > Markdown for [/airports/ber](/airports/ber). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/ber) - [Lounge directory](/airports/ber/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) Berlin, Germany · Europe BER is a clean, single-campus airport with excellent rail access, undercut by mixed security technology, thin airside food, and lounges that crowd at peak banks. ## Airportist Score **6.9 / 10** - Comfort: 6.5 - Navigation: 6.8 - Food: 6.2 - Transport: 8.5 - Disruption resilience: 6.5 ## At a glance - Passengers: 26M - Terminals: 2 active terminals (T1, T2) - Typical security: 18 min - On-time: 67% - Disruption: moderate ## Best for - Fast, cheap rail into the city on one ABC ticket - Schengen short-haul with hand luggage only - Status flyers who can use LH Senator or paid Tempelhof - Refilling free water after security without buying bottles ## Watch out for - Unpredictable CT vs 100 ml security lanes - Morning security banks and T1 queue collapses - Airside food that shuts early overnight - Non-Schengen second checks for US/Israel and long walks back from Schengen lounges ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/ber/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/ber/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/ber/amenities.md) - [Traveler tips](/airports/ber/tips.md) - [Water](/airports/ber/water.md) - [Full guide](/airports/ber/guide.md) - [Disruptions](/airports/ber/disruptions.md) - [Reviews](/airports/ber/reviews.md)