Berlin's Low Cost Schönefeld Airport Has One Amazing Passenger Feature

HYD has this for HBO pax on certain airlines who have a printed or mobile BP

This is hands-down my favorite airport globally. It's 30 seconds from check-in to gate. No duty-free nonsense. And no walking.

Pretty much the only reason I credit star alliance flights to LH is to use the FCT at FRA and avoid the walking.

@ Paolo - I had to delete your comment because of the language you used. It may not have been your intention, but your choice of words was highly inappropriate when discussing Berlins history.

Is there any self check-in machine in this 'terminal'? If not, would you think installing check-in machines on this 'terminal' be a good idea?

@James
Nonsense. The reference was entirely appropriate , but it's your right to censor as you see fit.

Actually, it's different buildings in SXF for the different Terminals. Terminal C was used as the General Aviation Terminal until round about 2 years ago, then the security lanes were always so full that they had to change something. Now Terminal C is exclusively used for Security of HLO pax 🙂 Usually, it's the fastest way to get through security.

Lots of smallish airports let you skip the check in area. They usually have a single long and narrow terminal with several sets of doors down the length of the terminal.

SLC handled over 24 million last year...

Madrid Terminal 3. This is referred to by airlines as Terminal 2, as Terminal 3 does not have any check-in facilities. You can use this entrance if you have your boarding pass and no bags, you'll go straight to security and can be in the gate area within 2 minutes of stepping out of a taxi.

While AF/KL/AZ almost exclusively depart from Terminal 3 (the "E" gates of Terminals 1-2-3), you can use this entrance for any flight departing from T1-2-3, you'll just need to walk quite a bit airside. The three terminals are connected.

Actually there are two hidden security lines at MUC at each end of T2, there are no signs leading to it, you have to know it. At peak times those are much less freqented and they are open to anybody ;-).

James you said “Similarly, Virgin Australia also has a premium entrance at several Australian airports, for those passengers who are travelling hand luggage only, and have already checked in. While this skips the check in area completely (and deposits you straight into the lounge after security), it is only available domestically, and only available for business class and elite status passengers“

Well that’s actually not true as it is for passenger travelling HLO there is a desk where they can check you in and can print your boarding pass and you can still use it if you are travelling with checked luggage as while it defeats the purpose you can check your luggage in the termaink and then walk back the the “premium entry”

The main point is that it is for HLO though they check you in at the premium entry and print your boarding pass there you don’t have to check in online

https://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-australia-opens-new-brisbane-lounge-premium-entry

Flights to Israel still have a 2nd security zone at the gate.

SXF is a great airport compared to the mess of TXL but SXF has been and will remain at over capacity for many years to come.

Wish more airports had this. I hate the "which airline?" question in a taxi when I have carry on only, as I really just want to be dropped off infront of the pre-check line! Often times I might have to walk 50% or more of the terminal to get from my airline checkin to security with carry on only.

Nice article, James. I used this feature last year at Schönefeld ... hadn't been back there in over ten years and it looked as though they hadn't cleaned it since. That airport is a pit. Screw the hand luggage only entrance if the airport is a trash heap. And I was at Tegel again six weeks ago... such a sad little airport that has barely changed since I was a kid. Yes you can get to your gate quickly. Yes it's just depressing. Icing on the cake were the charming veiled young Turkish ladies asking me to fill out an iPad survey on how I liked the airport and transportation options etc. Honestly what a joke. Though the ladies were charming.

PS this was a day after they began construction at the massive Hauptbahnhof and according to the Tagesspiegel apparently the taxi drivers weren't told where the new taxi stand would be ... sigh ... poor Berlin

I still think of SXF as the airport for the DDR / East Germany. Because of that, I favor, for some reason, the West Berlin airport of Tegel. Old fears die hard. Take him awaaaayyyyy.....No no no nonoooooooooooooooooo

I've flown once out of Schoenefeld. It's even more cramped than TXL, I had to walk up and down a lot of stairs with hand luggage. And there's a lingering atmosphere of the GDR. Tegel is so much better ... will miss it if/when they ever open up BBI.

Where did you go? You can visit several European countries on the same day in Tenerife.

@Steven M

Was there any point in mentioning that the women were veiled?

DTW has such an entrance in the DL terminal. On the level below the check in desks there is an entrance from the parking garage which goes right to security without any check in desks, this was usually a much shorter security line. Haven't been there in a while though, so dunno if there's PreCheck at that security.

I vaguely recall MSP having this also, somewhere along the middle of their terminal.

I though HLO was a recent thing for you? Certainly seems to be based on your frequent use of the acronym.
It's a fine article and good content but pretty long. I feel like most major airlines with a good F have something similar so your inexperience is showing re Tha.

I'm pretty hard on you though so I guess this is a compliment.

@ Mattt - I've been writing about travelling HLO since I joined the team - onemileatatime.com/travelling-hand-luggage-only-tips/

MSP has it.

Good article James. You are right. It reminds me of Virgin Valet at BNE

@ Morgan

Just reiterating that yes, your main point is correct (and the article is incorrect) - you do not have to be checked in to use the VA premium entries (Sydney and Brisbane).

I used this facility in Brisbane recently before I had checked in. Check in facility is also plainly defined on the VA website meaning this information can be validated in a few seconds of search.

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/experience/at-the-airport/sydney-lounge-premium-entry-and-premium-valet/

(As a side note, Singapore Airlines has a dedicated first class reception / check in area at SIN with its own entrances: you are then directed (through the terminal) to a nearby immigration officer who is dedicated to for passengers departing the first class facility thence to exit near the escalators to the lounge complex (security in SIN is at the gate)).

Not quite true. Checkin A was designed for TLV flights. C was added specifically to reduce queue times. The best part is that even if you have checked luggage you can use any check point once you’ve dealt with your bags so can always save time.

@ Mattt - and I said multiple times in the article that lots of airlines have features like this for their premium passengers, but this is the first time I had seen it for non status pax flying economy.

This worked really when when they first converted it from the General Aviation use a few years ago.
However, in early morning, Terminal C is now far too well known, and so the queues there still horrendously long.

The last couple of times taxiing out of SXF I have noticed ongoing construction of apron and building about 1km to the South West of Terminal C.
Is this going to be:
- terminal E of SXF while we still wait for BER
- a government/VIP terminal for when they switch from TXL to BBI/SXF (at one stage I think this was the intended use of Terminal C)
- for dedicated cargo 'planes
- other ?

I haven't really noticed it, but good to know. Thanks mate!

p.s. I live in Berlin, and very much prefer Tegel Airport as I can't stand Schönefeld Airport. It's just the pits and too far out of town into Brandenburg. Yeah, it's officially a part of Brandenburg.
I hope they never open Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI), not that we, as locals, ever wanted it...!