Madrid Barajas Airport

I transited through Madrid (using terminals 4 and 4S) twice this last month on Iberia flights to and from London/Buenos Aires. Since I was a transit passenger I can't comment on the landside experience but I found airside to be modern efficient comfortable and easy to use. There are plentiful food and shopping options and clean toilet facilities. Outbound to Buenos Aires those of us travelling to the Western Hemisphere left through the back of the plane and were driven to 4S in a bus so there was no need to go through security again. With just over 1.5 hrs between flights everything was quick and efficient. I had to go through security on the way back to London - no queues at either immigration or security at that time in the morning!

Processed quickly and got bags quickly on arriving at the airport. However an entirely different story when trying to depart arrived at airport well in advance of 2hrs before flight. Took 50 minutes to check-in a further 25 minutes to clear security and 15-20 minutes to clear departures 'police control' immigration. The understaffed check-in facilities and departures queues are the one major let down of this airport.

Arrived and departed from terminal T4. Modern and convenient airport with excellent train connections to downtown Madrid - either with Metro line 8 or with the less crowded Renfe regional trains. Both are quite clean and safe. Upon departure check-in was hassle-free - using self-service machines. Short queue at security but barely polite staff with poor command of English. Limited seating areas at the boarding gates. Lavatories reasonably clean. Major downside are the endless walkways and escalators - both upon arrival and departure.

Airport staff unfriendly and unhelpful. Iberia's London-Madrid flight was delayed there was no assistance at all in transferring us to the correct gates which resulted in missing my Johannesburg flight. The signs in the airport are very confusing and just about useless. Once I reached the gate the staff there shouted at me. It took me nearly 5 hours to obtain a voucher to check into a hotel retrieve my baggage and get out of the airport. Inbound we were delayed again and I had to spend another 4 hours in Madrid Airport once again with extremely unhelpful and really rude people. I will never fly with Iberia again.

Flew into and out of both T1 and T4 in recent weeks. Barajas seems to be getting better and better - at least in these two terminals. Good that the route through arrivals in T4 has been simplified.

Getting from terminal to terminal to catch our coach was a nightmare. The signage was poor and very confusing. The escalators were steep and quite frightening. While waiting outside in the heat for our coach there was nowhere to sit. The return journey was worse with the transit buses crowded and the airport heaving. Information for our booked wheelchair was confusing and the chairs themselves uncomfortable and impossible to push. The public toilets on both sides of security were filthy.

Poor limited seating if you have to wait for a flight seats limited and awful with a very poor choice of food. Screens are from the 70's and toilets are very dirty. Cant believe Madrid are so far behind.

Connecting at Barajas from Terminal 4 to 4S to depart Spain becomes overly stressful with the huge unpredictable delays at immigration Passport control. Chaotic "lines" swarm at each operating booth and line-jumpers push ahead. Timid and weak travelers miss their flights. An express line for 30min connections has no enforcement and took about 45 mins for us to clear. Iberia does not assist customers connecting to U.S. flights - even those in Premier Business Class. Iberia Business Class is otherwise fine but what's the point if you miss your connection as we almost did? We got to Boarding gate 74 (the furthest away) a few mins past departure time but the flight was being held for us because our baggage would have to be unloaded.

Madrid Barajas T4 and T4S are one of the most unfriendly terminals in the world. The staff are rude queues are never ending and there is a lack of accurate information provided. No express connection facilities (although they existed once upon a time but not anymore). Heating in the airport is always very high and when arriving from another European country in winter it can feel extremely hot and humid.

What a superb modern example of a busy airport this is. Arrived and departed at the newer terminal 4. Don't worry that after you arrive you seem to walk for ever and go out of various gates until you might think you have missed your luggage. Keep going until you board the fast train that travels under the airport to where you collect your bags and then if you need to take the incredibly cheap and fast bus into the city. Be careful when departing that you know exactly where you are departing from as the distance from 1-2-3 and the satellite 4 is quiet a long bus ride away. Really good duty free shops once through customs when flying out. One of the most impressive airports I have ever used.