--- iata: BEY name: Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport city: Beirut country: Lebanon lastUpdated: '2026-09-21' officialWebsite: 'https://beirutairport.gov.lb/index.php?lang=en' sources: - 'https://beirutairport.gov.lb/index.php?lang=en' - 'https://beirutairport.gov.lb/_page.php?page_id=3' - 'https://beirutairport.gov.lb/_page.php?page_id=17' - 'https://beirutairport.gov.lb/_page.php?page_id=18' - 'https://www.mea.com.lb/english/traveler-info/check-in-information' - 'https://www.mea.com.lb/english/plan-and-book/online-check-in' - >- https://www.mea.com.lb/english/traveler-info/baggage-info/travel-wholly-performed-on-mea/hand-/-carry-on-baggage - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/lebanon/beirut-rafic-hariri-international - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/lebanon/beirut-rafic-hariri-international/bey-cedar-lounge - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/lebanon/beirut-rafic-hariri-international/bey2-beirut-lounge - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/lebanon/beirut-rafic-hariri-international/bey3-ahlein-premium-lounge - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/lebanon/beirut-rafic-hariri-international/bey4-ahlein-comfy-lounge - 'https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/lebanon/entry-requirements' - 'https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/lebanon' - 'https://www.general-security.gov.lb/en/posts/38' - 'https://lebanonembassyus.org/consular-services/visa/' - >- https://blog.blominvestbank.com/number-of-airport-passengers-up-24-70-annually-ytd-by-december-2025/ - >- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beirut%E2%80%93Rafic_Hariri_International_Airport - >- https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-airport-terminal-economy-b674fd0fc9514612a92b7464807e9ee9 - >- https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1469293/le-ministere-des-travaux-regularise-les-tarifs-des-taxis-depuis-laeroport-de-beyrouth.html - >- https://www.beirut.com/en/744600/every-spot-to-eat-and-drink-at-beirut-airports-departure-terminal/ - >- https://www.beirut.com/en/776388/tired-of-beirut-airport-taxi-chaos-heres-the-official-price-list-you-should-know-about/ - 'https://www.uber.com/global/en/r/airports/bey/pickup/' - >- https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/BEY/Cedar-Lounge-Main-Terminal-zFBOiLxMcC/ - >- https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/lebanon.html quickFacts: - >- One live U-shaped passenger hall: East Wing gates 1–12 (opened 1998) and West Wing gates 13–23 (opened 2002). 23 gates, 19 jetways; gates 2 and 3 are dual-jetway. No airside walk except through the main hall. No live Terminal 2 (daa/LAT $122 million deal cancelled March 2023). No metro, no airport rail. - >- BLOMINVEST from airport figures: 7,011,129 passengers in 2025 (3,591,536 arrivals, 3,416,994 departures, 2,743 transit), +24.70% from 2024. Wikipedia leftover 6 million is 1998–2002 design capacity. Wikipedia infobox leftover 55,800 'movements' is leftover-wrong (that cell is cargo tonnes in the yearly table). - >- Hub for Middle East Airlines (MEA, SkyTeam). ICAO OLBA. Elevation ~27 m / 89 ft. About 9 km south of central Beirut. Operator: DGCA. Three runways: 03/21 3,800 × 45 m concrete, 16/34 3,395 × 45 m concrete, 17/35 3,250 × 45 m asphalt (rarely used). Civilian commercial airport, not an airbase skip. - >- Official homepage: arrive at least 3 hours before departure. MEA desks open 3 hours out and close 45 minutes to 1 hour out; gates open 45 minutes out and close 10 minutes out. Web check-in leftover-conflicts (FAQ 48–2 h vs leftover 30–2 h page) — sit the FAQ and still allow bag-drop time. - >- Four Priority Pass rooms listed 00:00–23:59, 3-hour cap: Cedar Lounge (MEA, 4.4 from 2,000+, 2nd floor after passport, no walk-in card), Beirut Lounge (same floor), AHLEIN Premium (1st floor, showers subject to availability; leftover Amex temporarily-closed leftover-conflicting with live PP), AHLEIN Comfy (1st floor). Official site also names a LAT airline room above Duty Free. - >- Official AIRPORT TAXI at arrivals (marked AIRPORT TAXI). Ministry Decision 400/1 (15 July 2025 campaign): published USD tariff, scan the QR. Beirut.com 8 June 2026 leftover list: Beirut $18 day / $22 overnight. Uber pickup page live. Bolt live. No metro. bentoTips: - label: Timing title: Arrive 3 hours early; MEA desks die 45–60 minutes out detail: >- MEA useful-information: counters normally open 3 hours prior and close 45 minutes to 1 hour prior; boarding gates open 45 minutes prior and close 10 minutes prior. Web check-in leftover-conflicts (FAQ 48–2 hours vs leftover online-check-in page 30–2 hours). Hold bags still go to a desk. Do not invent leftover 30-minute gate close. summary: >- Official homepage: be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure. MEA desks close 45 minutes to 1 hour out; gates close 10 minutes out. category: timing - label: Terminals title: 'One U-shaped hall — East 1–12, West 13–23' detail: >- Wikipedia / official layout: ground arrivals, level 2 departures and Duty Free, level 3 lounges. Gates 2 and 3 are dual-jetway. Leftover live Terminal 2 is leftover-wrong (AP: $122 million daa International / LAT contract cancelled 30 March 2023 after three days). Leftover 6 million is design capacity, not 2025 traffic. summary: >- East Wing gates 1–12 (1998) and West Wing 13–23 (2002). The only walk between wings is through the main hall after passport. No live Terminal 2. category: terminal - label: Food title: 'PAUL, Zaatar w Zeit and Dunkin'' after passport' detail: >- Bartartine sits next to the lounge with a runway view. Arrivals Duty Free is between passport and customs. Do not invent leftover 24-hour hours from a reseller. Cedar Lounge is the sit if you hold Priority Pass. summary: >- Beirut.com 19 February 2025 lists PAUL, Zaatar w Zeit, Dunkin', Bartartine by the lounge with a runway view, plus Burger King and Agha on the departure side. category: food - label: Visa title: Free one-month stamp — no Israeli ink detail: >- FCDO still current 31 August 2026: British citizens can normally apply for a free single-entry tourist visa on arrival; valid one month, extend at General Security. Overstay fines in Lebanese pounds at departures before security. Leftover US State Department 'apply before you travel' is leftover-conflicting with the Lebanese Embassy in Washington (VOA under one month). Airport is open; FCDO advises against all travel to the southern suburbs except Route 51 to the airport. summary: >- UK/EU/US ordinary get a free one-month visa on arrival (General Security), extendable to three months. FCDO: passport valid 3 months; Israeli stamps can refuse entry. category: status lounges: - name: Cedar Lounge zone: 'Airside 2nd floor after passport control, turn right, lift or stairs' hours: >- 00:00–23:59 daily; Priority Pass stay capped at 3 hours; children under 2 free; no payment-card walk-in access: - >- Priority Pass (max 3 hours; children under 2 free; digital card; international only; payment cards not accepted for entry) - MEA Cedar Class / Cedar Miles as sold - 'SkyTeam first, business and Elite Plus as sold' - DragonPass / Diners Club as sold bestFor: - Priority Pass after passport control - MEA Cedar Class and SkyTeam J summary: >- MEA's flagship room, opened 1 August 2005: Priority Pass 24/7, ~4.4 from 2,000+ reviews, 3-hour cap, no walk-in card. After passport control turn right and take the lift or stairs to the 2nd floor. No showers listed. Same mezzanine the official site gives to the LAT airline room. verdict: worth-it terminal: Main terminal amenities: - 'Alcohol (standard, complimentary on Priority Pass)' - Soft drinks - Wi-Fi - Family / children's play room - Meeting room for conference calls only - Disabled access - Flight information - Air conditioning - name: Beirut Lounge zone: 'Airside 2nd floor after passport control, turn right after the lift' hours: >- 00:00–23:59 daily; Priority Pass stay capped at 3 hours; children under 2 free access: - >- Priority Pass (max 3 hours; children under 2 free; digital card; international only) bestFor: - When Cedar is full - A quieter 2nd-floor fallback summary: >- Priority Pass 24/7, ~3.7 from 54 reviews, 3-hour cap, same 2nd floor as Cedar after you turn right. Adjacent smoking lounge. Smaller than Cedar; use it as the overflow, not the default. verdict: depends terminal: Main terminal amenities: - 'Alcohol (standard, complimentary on Priority Pass)' - Soft drinks - Wi-Fi - Disabled access - Flight information - Adjacent smoking lounge - Air conditioning - name: AHLEIN Premium Lounge zone: >- Airside 1st floor after passport control, follow signs / opposite the atrium hours: >- Priority Pass lists 00:00–23:59 daily, max 3 hours; leftover Amex still says temporarily closed — verify at the door access: - >- Priority Pass (max 3 hours; children under 2 free, max two; digital card; international and transit) - LoungeKey / DragonPass / Diners Club as sold bestFor: - A shower if the stall is open - A 1st-floor sit near Gate 2 summary: >- Priority Pass 24/7, ~4.4 from 800+ reviews, 3-hour cap, showers and massage chairs subject to availability. 1st floor after passport. Leftover Amex Platinum 'Temporarily Closed' is leftover-conflicting with the live PP listing — do not treat either as a guarantee; check the door. verdict: depends terminal: Main terminal amenities: - 'Alcohol (standard, complimentary on Priority Pass)' - Cold buffet (complimentary on Priority Pass) - Showers subject to availability - Massage chairs subject to availability - Lockers - Children's play area - Smoking area - Wi-Fi - name: AHLEIN Comfy Lounge zone: >- Airside 1st floor after passport control, follow signs to AHLEIN - Comfy Lounge hours: >- 00:00–23:59 daily; Priority Pass stay capped at 3 hours; children under 2 free (max two) access: - >- Priority Pass (max 3 hours; children under 2 free, max two; digital card; international and transit) - DragonPass as sold bestFor: - A 1st-floor PP overflow - Ahlein membership as sold summary: >- Priority Pass 24/7, 3-hour cap, 1st floor after passport — follow signs. Aggregator leftover 'level 2' is leftover-conflicting with the live PP 1st-floor listing. No showers listed. verdict: depends terminal: Main terminal amenities: - 'Alcohol (standard, complimentary on Priority Pass)' - Soft drinks - Wi-Fi - Disabled access - Flight information - Smoking area - Air conditioning waterOptions: - kind: purchase name: Duty Free bottle after immigration zone: airside price: Unpublished at the till summary: >- You walk through Duty Free between passport control and the lounge stairs. Buy here so a landside bottle does not die at the airside X-ray. Leftover traveler fountains are leftover-unconfirmed on the official pages this pass. location: >- Duty Free island on the main hall after passport control, before the Cedar Lounge stairs and the East/West wings terminal: Main terminal isBestValue: true - kind: purchase name: PAUL bakery bottle zone: airside price: Unpublished at the till summary: >- Named departure-hall bakery. Sit here if you want the bottle with a pastry. Do not invent leftover 24-hour hours. location: >- PAUL in the departure terminal after passport control, on the Beirut.com 19 February 2025 kitchen list with Zaatar w Zeit and Dunkin' terminal: Main terminal isBestQuality: true airportistScore: 6.7 slug: bey region: Middle East --- > Markdown for [/airports/bey](/airports/bey). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/bey) - [Lounge directory](/airports/bey/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) Beirut, Lebanon · Middle East Lebanon's only commercial airport is a single U-shaped hall running above its leftover 6-million design: East and West wings, a 24/7 Cedar Lounge after passport, and an official USD taxi tariff — paid for with no metro, extra UK aviation screening, and a second terminal that was cancelled. ## Airportist Score **6.7 / 10** Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge). - Ease of use (25%): 7.0 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout. - Comfort & amenities (20%): 6.6 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet. - Food & retail (15%): 6.8 — Food and retail quality and variety. - Ground access (15%): 7.2 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city. - Reliability (15%): 5.4 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience. - Lounges (10%): 7.4 — Worth-it density and access quality. ## At a glance - Passengers: 7,011,129 (2025) - Terminals: 1 live U-shaped hall: East Wing gates 1–12 + West Wing gates 13–23. No airside walk except through the main hall. No live T2. - Typical security: 25 min - On-time: 0% - Disruption: moderate ## Best for - MEA / SkyTeam connections that can sit Cedar Lounge after passport control - Priority Pass holders who want a 24/7 4.4-rated room - Official AIRPORT TAXI on the published USD tariff ~9 km to central Beirut ## Watch out for - Israeli stamps, visas or seals can refuse entry even with a Lebanese visa - No live Terminal 2; leftover 6 million is design capacity, not 2025 traffic - FCDO still advises against all travel to the southern suburbs except Route 51 to the airport ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/bey/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/bey/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/bey/amenities.md) (free) - [Traveler tips](/airports/bey/tips.md) (free) - [Water](/airports/bey/water.md) (free) - [Full guide](/airports/bey/guide.md) (free) - [Disruptions](/airports/bey/disruptions.md) (free) - [Reviews](/airports/bey/reviews.md) (free)