Our Review of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

Table of contents: Our Review of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) Pros and Cons of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this Guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

PROs

Location: BER is located approximately 18 km south of Berlin’s city center, with connections includes bus, rail, and road links. With a 30-minute train ride to central Berlin, it’s a handy starting point for exploring the city and the Brandenburg area.

Modern Facilities: The airport has brand-new, contemporary amenities, including a variety of stores, eateries, and lounges. With large waiting spaces, free Wi-Fi, and VIP lounges, it serves both business and pleasure passengers.

European Connectivity: With a large number of European flights and international long haul flights., BER acts as a hub for airlines like as Condor, easyJet, Eurowings, Sundair, and Ryanair. It is an important player for regional travel because of its excellent connectivity to major European cities.

Smooth Operations: Traveling is made more efficient by the typically simplified immigration and security procedures.

Mobility Service: Offers travelers with special needs a free mobility support service. In order to get help, travelers need register at the airport on the day of departure and request this at least 48 hours in advance.

CONS

Seasonal Overcrowding: BER can become overcrowded during high travel seasons, particularly at security checks and baggage claims, resulting in lengthier wait times and a less pleasant experience.

Immigration Queues: There have been rare complaints of lengthy lines at immigration at peak periods, which can cause annoying waits for foreign tourists.

High Parking Fees: The cost of parking is rather expensive, especially for long term travelers making it problematic for travelers who drive to the airport.

Limited Seating Areas: Insufficient seating in certain terminal sections, particularly near gates, might cause discomfort during wait times.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are three terminals: There are three terminals at BER: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 5. Terminals 1 and 2 are the primary passenger terminals, while Terminal 5 is permanently closed. Terminals 1 and 2 are adjacent, thus travelers can walk between them.

Transport to/from Berlin: The airport is accessible via train, bus, and taxi. The Airport Express Train is the fastest alternative, taking roughly 30 minutes to reach Berlin Central Station. There are multiple buses available with a good frequency.

Check-in Areas:

Terminal 1: Check-in area of terminal 1 is located in level 1 along with Security check, market area and departures from Schengen area.
Terminal 2: Check-in area of terminal 2 is located in level E0 along with departures area.

Shops & Dining: The airport has a large selection of stores, restaurants, and a central marketplace. Customers get access to a variety of lounges.

Family-Friendly: BER has children’s play rooms, baby-changing facilities, and family-friendly amenities across its terminals.

Lounge Options: Travelers can enjoy several lounges, including Lufthansa Lounge and more, offering comfort, food, and drinks pre-flight.

Additional Tips:

If you need special assistance, take advantage of BER’s free mobility service. You must inform your airline or travel organizer of your requirements at least 48 hours before departure. On the day of travel, register at one of the service points to ensure you receive the best support.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation