BER · 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.
LEJ · Outstanding under-terminal S-Bahn and a compact layout make LEJ easy, but thin dining, no free water, classic 100 ml security, and a leisure/cargo-skewed operation keep the score mid-7s.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
BER6.2+0.4
LEJ5.8
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
BER8.5
LEJ9.2+0.7
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
BER6.5+0.3
LEJ6.2
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
BER6.4+0.1
LEJ6.3
Refilling free water after security without buying bottles
LEJ
S-Bahn under the terminal (12 min to Leipzig Hbf on the operator’s figure)Compact walks — no mega-hub transfersPriority Pass The Lounge until 21:00Leisure nonstops to the Med / Canaries / Egypt
Non-Schengen second checks for US/Israel and long walks back from Schengen lounges
LEJ
No free water refill stations; bottle prices unpublishedStill classic 100 ml liquid rules (no published CT waiver)Limited airside food outside peak departure banksPassenger traffic leisure-heavy; cargo ops dominate overnight
napcabs sleep cabins
Kids play + family kit
Beat early-morning and late-afternoon security banks
Budget extra time for non-Schengen and US/Israel second screening; live wait boards beat folklore.
Use any security, then walk airside
You may clear security in T1 or T2—all departure gates are reachable from either checkpoint.
Eat landside or refill free water after security
The T1 Marktplatz has the real variety; free airside tap water beats buying bottles after screening.
LEJ
S5 / S5X Flughafen stationThe Lounge (GLN)Marché + Ju 52 BistroDuty Free All YoursFree Wi-FiOn-site Parkhaus
Ride S5 / S5X from under the terminal
Fastest and usually cheapest city link for Leipzig or Halle.
Pack for the classic 100 ml bag rule
No confirmed CT liquids waiver — plan the old hand-luggage ritual.
The Lounge closes at 21:00 — later than many German PP rooms
Sole airside lounge; breakfast until 11:30, hot lunch after.
