Barcelona Airport Arrivals

The BCN Terminals

Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is the second busiest airport in Spain, after the leading Madrid Barajas Airport. It spreads over two terminals, interconnected via a complimentary airport shuttle bus. Terminal 1, the newer terminal that opened its doors in 2009, handles the majority of flights to and from BCN Airport, while terminal 2 is primarily dedicated to domestic and low-cost flights. That being said, it also serves some non-Schengen destinations. Terminal 2 is the oldest building of the BCN complex and is divided into three sections: T2A, T2B, and T2C. T2B is the original terminal, while the other two sections were added shortly before the 1992 Olympic Games. Non-Schengen flights are handled by T2A. T2B serves Schengen destinations (mainly domestic), and T2C accommodates easyJet.

T1 houses Arrivals on its Ground floor. Arrivals are on the Ground floor of terminal 2 as well. In fact, arriving passengers at terminal 2 complete the Arrivals procedures on T2’s Ground level, regardless of their landing section — T2A, T2B, or T2C.

Airlines Operating at BCN Airport

The Barcelona Airport Arrival Process

The Arrival procedures vary depending on the country of departure and the passenger’s nationality. Are you an EU national or hold a Liechtenstein, Norwegian, Icelandic, or Swiss passport and are flying from a Schengen destination? In that case, you’ll go through a rather straightforward and speedy process. Once you disembark the aircraft, you’ll follow the signs toward the baggage claim area. There are numerous information screens at the baggage reclaim zone, displaying which baggage belt is assigned to each flight. After collecting your luggage, you’ll exit the Arrivals area and head to your chosen mode of transport: the taxi rank, bus stop, metro station, or railway station. Are you traveling without hold luggage? Simply follow the signs to the nearest terminal exit.

The airport’s taxi ranks (for both reserved and taxis without reservation) are located on the Ground floor of both terminals (T1, T2A, T2B, and T2C), as well as on the Barcelona-Madrid Corridor. The bus stops can also be found on the Ground level, along with the railway station, lying about 200m from T2’s Floor 0. Thus, if you’re flying to terminal 1 and plan to catch the train to Barcelona, you’ll need to use the free airport shuttle linking the two terminals. On the other hand, the airport features two metro stations: Aeroport T1 is next to T1’s bus stop, on the terminal’s Ground level, while Aeroport T2 is located next to the railway station, outside terminal 2.

Arrival procedures differ and are more time-consuming for EU nationals or citizens of Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland arriving at BCN Airport from a non-Schengen country. If that’s your case, you’ll need to go through passport control before reaching the baggage claim zone. Officers of the Policía Nacional operate the passport control process. Please keep in mind that your passport must be valid for at least three months from the expected departure time from Spain. Immigration (passport control) at Barcelona Airport may add a significant amount of time to your arrival procedures. While you may pass through passport control in as little as 20 minutes, if several flights arrive simultaneously, you could wait in line for even more than 1 hour. As soon as you complete passport control and retrieve your luggage, you’ll need to clear customs. The service is handled by the Guardia Civil, responsible for regulating the amount and type of goods imported into Spain. Customs can be found at the baggage claim areas of T1 and all three sections of T2, along with the non-Schengen T1’s transit area for connecting passengers. If you have something to declare (for example, expensive electronics, or more than 10.000€/11.685$ in cash), you must use the red line. Otherwise, stand in the green line, which is for passengers with nothing to declare. Once you clear customs, you can exit the terminal and start your journey to Barcelona.

All other passengers (with passports issued by non-EU countries, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland arriving from a non-Schengen destination) must pass through the same procedures – passport control, baggage claim, customs- to exit the airside part of El Prat Airport. However, immigration has changed, starting from 10/12/2025 (although the procedure is expected to be fully operational across the EU by April 2026). Passport stamps are no longer used, as the new system (Entry-Exit System, EES) collects biometric data from non-EU passengers arriving in EU countries for short stays (up to 90 days within 180 days). Facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and passport information are required. That being said, travelers who already have a visa don’t need to provide fingerprints again, as this is part of the visa issuance process. Self-service points for these procedures are available at BCN Airport’s immigration areas. The data is checked by officers, who may ask some further questions before approving or denying entry. Detailed records are kept to monitor entries and exits across the EU. Although the EES may take longer for first-time users due to the data collection process, it will significantly reduce immigration times in the future.

Baggage Claim at Barcelona Airport

The baggage claim zone of terminal 1 can be found on its first level. Carousels 1–15 are located at the Sky Center, with several information screens showing which baggage belt handles each flight. On the other hand, Baggage Carousel 00, for Barcelona–Madrid Air Corridor flights, is located near Gate A04. The baggage claim areas of T2 lie on the Ground level. Passengers arriving from non-Schengen destinations use the carousels in T2A, while those flying from Schengen countries land at T2B and collect their luggage in that section’s baggage claim area. Finally, passengers on easyJet flights land at T2C, where the baggage belts are also on the Ground floor.

Our Tip: If you’re traveling with lots of luggage, you should use a baggage trolley to move your bags around the airport. Luggage carts are available throughout the terminals. You’ll find them at all the baggage claim areas as well. Many of them are also equipped with child seats.

Express Car Parks for Pickups

If you want to pick up passengers from Barcelona Airport, you’ll need to use one of the two Express Car Parks. These parking facilities are ideal for pick-ups and drop-offs, as they offer 10 minutes of free parking. However, if you exceed that time, you’ll need to pay parking fees for the duration your vehicle remains parked there. The T1 Express Car Park features 95 parking spots and is located on T1’s Departures level, while the T2 Express Car Park is near the terminal exit on the Ground level. Alternatively, you can use the General Car Parks, the multi-story facilities within walking distance from the terminals’ doors. In that case, you’ll be charged from the very first minute, as there is no free parking period here.

Track the Flight Status

If you are picking up passengers from BCN Airport, the last thing you want is to be unaware of flight delays, arrive early at the airport, and end up waiting while paying parking fees. Our flight status table keeps you updated on every change in the BCN flight timetable, allowing you to plan your journey to the airport accordingly. Alternatively, you can check flight status on the airport’s official website or call customer service at (+34) 913 211 000.

Our Tip: Don’t know the flight number you’re looking for? Our flight schedule lets you search by departure time, departure airport, or even the airline operating the flight.

FAQs

Which terminal is Arrivals at Barcelona Airport?

Both BCN terminals handle arrivals. Terminal 1 serves the majority of flights, handling arrivals from both Schengen and non-Schengen destinations, while T2 is primarily dedicated to domestic flights and low-cost airlines. Specifically, T2A handles flights from non-Schengen countries, T2B serves Schengen destinations, and T2C accommodates easyJet arrivals.

How long do Arrivals take at Barcelona Airport?

That depends. If you’re an EU citizen arriving from a Schengen country, you’ll typically need around 20–30 minutes to collect your luggage and exit the terminal. However, if you’re arriving from a non-Schengen destination, you must also go through passport control (immigration) and clear customs. During busy periods, it may take up to 1 to 2 hours to complete the arrival procedures.

Do you go through customs when arriving in Barcelona?

If you’re flying from a non-Schengen destination, you must clear customs before exiting the BCN terminal. Thus, once you collect your luggage, you must proceed to the customs area. If you have something to declare, you must wait at the red line, whereas the green line is dedicated to passengers who have nothing to declare.