Madrid Barajas Airport

Travelled through the old Terminal (1-3) area with Spanair and Lufthansa. This airport is a joke for such a city. I know that T4 is much better but this part of the terminal is outdated dark crowded and cramped. Restrooms are dirty. Check-in area is small and dark. Furthermore taxiing at this airport may take ages since runways are sometimes very far away. On the plus side: convenient public transportation to the city and acceptable range of outlets.

Used this airport (Terminal 1) for a short city break. On arrival we were not attached to a bridge so was shuttled to the immigration area must be a huge terminal. The passport checking process didn't take too long although some of the staff seemed to care more about talking to their colleagues rather than doing their own job. After leaving the passport check it was a long walk to metro station. Departure wasn't good as arrival. The check in area wasn't in a hall rather in a corridor. Security check was chaotic (a lot of Spanish travellers didn't like the idea of queuing). The terminal was very old. Very limited information was given and it was crowded (in gate CDE area). If you are flying out of EU you will be going from gate B which is more calming but again the options of eating and drinking are limited. I flew easyjet and the ground handling was poor - all flights delayed for hours and not much information was given and boarding process was extremely slow. In short this is an airport that needs some organisational and management skills to improve passenger's experience.

I just used Terminal 4. Most reviews are absolutely correct when they say the airport is messy security checks are unbelievable (you need to carry plastic trays with your things and if you have a computer you need to carry two!). It is extremely expensive specially food. Just avoid it.

Fashion over function! I primarily use Terminal 4 which is almost always empty given that it's so large. It's like someone built the airport expecting the Olympics to come but they never did. The staff are completely useless again typical Spanish. I especially like the need to ride on about 25 escalators or take multiple elevators up and down to get anywhere. The security check also has been very poorly designed. Putting everything into the plastic trays to then be forced to carry or hold them as the tables don't extend to the actual screening point. It's also the only airport I still travel to which requires me to open my laptop (although Dublin requires me to open my umbrella so I guess that's worse). Avoid this airport if possible or better yet avoid Spain and head to Portugal!!

Terminal 2 on arrival from MUC we waited quite a long time for baggage and finally it appeared on a ZRH conveyor belt - we could have waited for ages if somebody hadn't noticed our bags mixed up with ZRH bags. Toilets rather worn out and filthy. T2 generally looks rather worn out. On departure waited 45 min at LH check-in desk just to give away our bags although we've been already checked-in at home. Not enough seats in front of gates. Some of security stuff doesn't speak English at all. Gate numbers not appearing on a display monitor - if you're lucky some of the apt staff will tell you to which gate to go.

I will never go through that airport again in my life! The staff were rude lazy and unhelpful. When I landed in MAD I had my duty free alcohol confiscated by a security staff even though that alcohol was in a sealed bag brought from another international airport. This security person spoke to me in English when I first walked through and then suddenly pretended not to understand any English when I tried to explain that the bottles of alcohol were in a proper sealed bag bought from another airport. She simply stood there smiling smugly and of course I had told her I had 20 minutes to make the next flight so there was not much I could do about that. Also I had my backpack strapped onto my wheelie bag and when I tried to unstrap it so that I could lift both items onto the conveyor belt at security a security staff came over and started shouting at me. She was not interested in my explanations. For a major airport I was quite disgusted. I had a more pleasant time going through Marrakech Airport despite its fewer facilities - at least the staff there had manners.

Avoid Transit via MAD! What a mess I could not believe it. The airport is new but if you are unlucky and have to swap terminal it is a real mess. You even have to go through customs twice again and passport control.

Flew out of and into T2 during the holiday period. Early morning departure and none of the catering outlets were open and very limited seating in the waiting areas around the gates; there's no departure lounge as such. But queues at security were minimal and on return bags were on the belt fairly quickly. Money changing facilities in the arrivals hall were closed at 8.30pm and none of the very few ATMs in the terminal were working. Fortunately the ticket machines for the metro take cards; but most Madrid taxis don't.

Its easy to transit between the terminals but terminal 4 and its satellite are functionally lackluster in my opinion. The lines and walks are long everywhere you go. Transiting from the primary terminal to the satellite is a pain. After several elevator rides and several ramps you traverse a crowded security checkpoint with the most impersonal agents I have experienced. Its then another train ride and one long walk through a long straight terminal to your gate unless you are lucky and have one of the near gates. Signage is inadequate in the satellite terminal as are seats. If its a busy time of the day many will be forced to sit on the floor or along a wall. They are also poor when it comes to announcements. I once had 2 completely unannounced gate changes in the matter of 30 minutes. The other terminals are dated looking but more functional. Its not all bad as its a decent looking airport and a good selection of restaurants and other services when you are waiting for a flight. To sum it up its a small airport design stretched out for one of the worlds largest and it simply does not work.

Used Terminal 1. This arport has lack of good management particularly for security checks. Passengers have to put their hand baggage and metal things in plastic trays and carry them to the security check. The security staff do not speak English and are rude to passengers. Without any reason passangers frisked by the security staff in front of all other passengers. The terminal looks shabby and old-fashioned. Almost no seats at gates so passengers have to stand the whole time. No announcements frequent changes of gates so need to watch carefully screens. Overpriced food and drinks in restaurants within the terminal no free Wi-Fi available.