Bilbao Airport Terminal

Bilbao Airport has a single passenger terminal designed by the recognized Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava

Terminal Out2 Bilbao Airport — Out of Bilbao Airport Terminal

Bilbao Airport has a single passenger terminal, which serves both domestic and international flights, and provides a variety of essential and complementary services for passengers, companions, and general visitors.

The airport operates from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. every day of the year, as long as flights maintain their scheduled times. However, overnight stays are allowed in a designated area within the Rent a Car zone, located on floor 0 of the general parking lot (P1). This area also closes at 12:00 a.m., with no airport staff present, but passengers can make use of benches, restrooms, and a vending machine.

The terminal is popularly known as "La Paloma" (The Dove) due to its unique design resembling a bird in flight. It was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava and opened in late 2000. It is considered one of the ten most beautiful airport terminals in the world.

FLIGHT CLASSIFICATION: SCHENGEN AND OTHERS

Flights are categorized into three groups based on their origin or destination: Schengen, EU Non-Schengen, and Third Countries.

Schengen Countries:
Flights from or to countries that are signatories of the Schengen Agreement, allowing free movement within their internal borders. Domestic flights fall under this category. Schengen countries include: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland.
EU Non-Schengen Countries:
Flights from or to countries within the European Union that are not part of the Schengen Area, such as Ireland and Cyprus, where free movement of persons does not apply.
Third Countries:
Flights from or to countries outside the European Union and not part of the Schengen Agreement.

Passenger Terminal - Terminal Building

The terminal building consists of four floors: Floor 0, Floor 1, Floor 2, and Floor 3. The services are distributed as follows:

Departures

Flights - Departures:
Departures for both domestic and international flights take place at the Departures Hall on Floor 3. Here, you’ll find information desks and ticket sales for the airlines operating at the airport.
Check-in:
The Departures Hall also houses 36 check-in counters.
Boarding Area and Boarding Gates:
After completing check-in, passengers must go through security control, located on the same floor. The boarding area offers a wide range of services to make waiting more comfortable, such as shops, cafés, restaurants, Duty Free, a VIP lounge, restrooms, and internet access. Only passengers with a boarding pass are allowed to enter the boarding area.

The boarding area gives access to 14 gates, spread across floors 1, 2, and 3. The gates on Floor 3 are connected by 6 telescopic boarding bridges, while those on Floor 1 lead directly to the aircraft parking platform. There are also elevators for passengers with reduced mobility (PMR).

Depending on the destination, some passengers may also need to pass through document control (passport or other documents) before boarding.

Boarding Gates:

Floor 3: Gate 1R and Gate 6R
Floor 2: Gates A11, A12, A13 and Gates B14, B15, B16
Floor 1: Gates C21, C22, C23, C24 and Gates D31, D32, D33, D34

Arrivals

Flights - Arrivals:
The Arrivals Hall is located on Floor 1, where passengers arriving from both domestic and international flights can pick up their luggage.
Baggage Claim Area:
On this floor, there are 7 baggage claim belts. Passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries will need to pass through passport control before collecting their baggage. Additionally, passengers can declare any goods at the Customs Office, located on Floor 0.