Germany is such a compact country that, unless you're going from Munich to Hamburg, taking the train will in most cases be the more convenient and (in my opinion) enjoyable mode of transport. However, the increase in low-cost carriers over the past couple of decades has increased domestic air travel, and, of course, many people arrive in Germany by air. Below you will find a guide to what you need to know to navigate Germany's airports.

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On this page:

• Airports
  • Arriving
  • Departing
  • Ground transportation
• Frankfurt International Airport
  • Orientation and navigation
  • Passenger services
  • Arriving
  • Ground transportation options
  • Departing
  • Connecting flights
• Airlines
• Other sites of interest

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Airports

There are 38 or so airports (Flughafen) with scheduled passenger service in Germany, with Frankfurt and Munich being by far the two biggest. Altogether, about 207 million passengers were facilitated by German airports in 2025, with about 107 million of those in Frankfurt and Munich alone. Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, and Köln/Bonn also each had over 10 million passengers, with Stuttgart just under the 10 million threshold.

Frankfurt, as the main hub for Lufthansa, is Germany's busiest airport and one of the largest European hubs. In 2025, it served over 63 million passengers and has the most non-stop destinations in the world.

Munich, which is Lufthansa's second hub, is Germany's second busiest airport, serving over 43 million passengers in 2025. The airport opened a new concourse in Terminal 1 in April 2026 which will facilitate continued growth.

Berlin's new, walnut-paneled Willy Brandt Airport opened in late 2020 and is now Germany's third busiest airport, serving 26 million passengers in 2025. Built to consolidate the city's two remaining outdated Cold War-era airports Tegel and Schönefeld, it was originally scheduled to open in 2011, but a series of construction problems, mismanagement, and corruption delayed the opening repeatedly. The project was sadly nothing short of a national embarrassment for a country known for its efficiency, engineering, and Ordnung. Reviews of the airport after a year of operation were mixed, but reports since then seem to indicate that it has worked out its initial teething issues.

Most airports in Germany are operated by government-franchised private companies. The company that operates Frankfurt airport also operates several other airports around the world.

German airports are generally clean and efficient — albeit somewhat stark — and feature the typical duty-free shops, restaurants, bars, car rental agencies, banks, and other services one would expect to find in modern western airports. Frankfurt and Munich airports even boast such services as supermarkets, medical clinics, dentists, and casinos.

If you arrive on an international flight and are not transiting to another international flight, you will be directed from the arrival gate first to passport control (Passkontrolle). As of April 2026, the new automated European Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational. This system replaces the manual passport check and stamp; instead, in most cases, you will use a self-service kiosk to register your arrival.

First, you will scan your passport. If it's your first visit since EES was implemented, the system will prompt to take a photo of your face and scan your fingerprints; these will then be stored in the EES database for three years. Then, on any subsequent return visits within the three years, you should only be prompted to scan your passport, then verify your face or fingerprints.

After the passport and biometric scans, you will be prompted to complete a short questionnaire where you will be asked the purpose of your visit, confirmation of accommodation, return ticket, means of support (e.g. cash, credit card, etc.) and travel insurance, and your exit date.

Assuming everything checks-out, you will then be directed to a manual checkpoint where the border control officer will check that you completed the registration and may scan your fingerprints again. If there are no issues, you will be quickly send you on your way.

If you do not have a biometric passport, or if you're traveling with small children, you should skip the self-service kiosk and proceed directly to the passport control booths.

Note that as of April 2026, if you're coming from a country where a visa to visit Europe is not required, you do not yet need to pre-register to travel to Europe. That system — the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) — is currently not scheduled to launch until late 2026.

After clearing passport control, you will then proceed to baggage claim if you are at your destination airport. Once you collect your bags, you proceed through the customs area (Zoll). The process in Germany is similar to most international airports and is generally a non-event: If you have something to declare, or if you aren't sure, use the lane with the red "something to declare" sign (see the German customs website for information on permitted imports); otherwise, proceed through the green "nothing to declare" lane. Be aware that customs officers do occasionally conduct random inspections of people in the green lane.

After passing through customs, you will then alight in the landside area of the terminal. If you are meeting someone, this is likely where they will be waiting for you.

If you are the one meeting someone who is flying in, check the arrivals board (marked Ankunft) when you get to the airport to determine which arrivals exit your party will be using, then wait near there. Alternatively, you can plan to have your party meet you at an officially designated meeting point (Treffpunkt) found in most airports; these usually have signage throughout the airport, making them easy to find from anywhere.

While arriving is pretty easy, flying out of a German airport is much more elaborate, although altogether not much different than most other places.

Plan on arriving at least two hours before your flight. When you arrive at the airport, check the flight information displays (marked Abflug) current status and the gate number (Flugsteig) for your flight. Note that gate numbers sometimes are not assigned until an hour or so before the flight; if so, the display will typically indicate when the gate number will be assigned.

In Germany, ticketing and check-in counters are numbered, so if you need to check baggage and/or obtain a boarding pass, you will need to check the displays for the the check-in counter (Schalter) number and status. You must use one of the counters noted on the flight information display for your flight, and can only do so when check-in for your flight is open. Often, several counters handle check-in for all flights for an airline, but sometimes specific flights must check-in at a specific counter. Most airports also now have self-service check-in kiosks and baggage drops.

After checking-in, proceed toward the designated concourse or entry area for your gate. You will then typically encounter the next hurdle: the security checkpoint (Sicherheitskontrolle). Security is very tight, especially for international flights, and you may have to go through several layers of security checking. Be prepared to play "20 questions" with multiple security agents. Unfortunately, the questioning can sometimes take on the rather no-nonsense tone of an interrogation, but just answer their questions accurately and politely and you'll soon be on your way. Don't worry if you don't speak German — you can ask to converse in English.

Only ticketed passengers are allowed past the security checkpoint, so you will be asked to show or scan your boarding pass. Then, go through the body scanner and baggage scanner area. Most of the major German airports now have advanced scanners that allow you to keep liquids and electronics in your luggage.

If you are on a non-Schengen flight, you will next go through passport control. (The Schengen Agreement allows for travel between most European countries without passport controls.) With the rollout of the automated EES system (discussed in "arriving" above), in most cases, you will use a kiosk similar to the one used when you arrived. However, the process should be much faster, only requiring the passport scan and face or fingerprint verification. It will then check to see if you have overstayed your allowed time; if so, you will be directed to a border control officer.

Once you've cleared passport control, you can now proceed to your boarding gate. Unlike US airports where all the gates are typically located on one level, German airports often have gates on multiple levels, so you may have to go up or down stairs, escalators, or elevators to reach your gate. This stacking of gates is done to allow for faster turnarounds, to provide space for both bus and jet bridge gates (Germany uses a lot of bus gates), and/or to separate Schengen and non-Schengen passengers.

Flights to the US sometimes have a second security screening, either at the gate or en route. Sometimes this is a full screening, sometimes just another passport check and question and answer session. Some German airports with US flights now have a section dedicated for those flights with a security checkpoint to enter it. However, in some cases, a US-bound flight may instead just have an enclosed secure gate waiting area (Warteraum). In those cases, once you are in the waiting area, it could be a hassle to leave and return, so be sure to take care of any last-minute shopping or "bio" needs (you know what I mean) before you enter the waiting area, although these gates will usually have their own restroom facilities.

From the waiting area, you will either board the plane directly via a jet bridge or board a bus that will transport you to the plane located further out on the tarmac.

Besides rental cars, there is usually a plethora of public transportation options to get from the airport to the central city or beyond. Listed below are the major German commercial passenger airports with connection information to the city center/central railway station (Hauptbahnhof, "Hbf") or other important destinations as indicated. Most airports have additional public transportation options to other local and regional locales; check the airport's website or inquire at the information desk at the airport. Some airports also have mainline rail and long-distance bus services to take you further afield; these are noted below.

Service intervals shown are typical weekday daytime schedules and may vary during the day and on weekends and holidays. Check the website of the specific transit provider or use the transit planning feature on Google Maps or Apple Maps for specific schedules.

The major international airports are highlighted. Because Frankfurt's airport is by far the busiest in Germany, I have included a special write-up on it below the other listings. Be sure to see my pages about renting a car, urban public transport, taxis, and rail transport for further details of using those transportation options.

All information was correct as of June 2024 but is subject to change without notice; be sure to check the airport's website (links at the bottom of this page) before your flight for up-to-date information.

City/Airport Location	Transportation options
Berlin (BER) Brandenburg Willy Brandt 20 km SE 1 hour	Note: Options in italics serve both Terminal 1-2 and Terminal 5 stations; others serve only Terminal 1-2 station • Airport Express (FEX) to Ostkreuz, Gesundbrunnen, and Berlin Hbf every 30 min. • Regional trains RE7 and RB14 to Berlin Hbf and the other major central Berlin stations, or RB22 to Potsdam every hour • S-Bahn S9 to Berlin Hbf, Spandau, and other central Berlin stations, or S45 to southeastern Berlin and Südkreuz every 20 min. • Mainline services from Terminal 1-2 station Bus X7, X71, or 171 to Rudow every 5 min., then U-Bahn U7 to central Berlin 24-hour service to Berlin, approx. €65
Bremen (BRE) Neuenland 3 km S 20 min.	Tram 6 to Bremen Hbf every 10 min. 24-hour service, approx. €18
Dresden (DRS) Klotsche 9 km N 20 min.	• S-Bahn S2 to Dresden Hbf and Neustadt every 30 min • Bus 77 to Infineon Nord or Bus 80 to Käthe-​Kollwitz-Platz every 20 min., then Tram 7 to Hbf 24-hour service, approx. €40
Düsseldorf (DUS) Lohausen 8 km N 20 min.	• S-Bahn S11 to Düsseldorf Hbf every 20-30 min. from station under terminal • S-Bahn S1 to Düsseldorf Hbf and to Duisburg, Essen, and Dortmund every 20 min. from airport mainline station via Sky Train • Mainline services from airport mainline station via Sky Train 24-hour service to Dusseldorf (approx. €29), Essen (approx. €72), Duisburg (approx. €60), and other area towns
Frankfurt (FRA) Rhein-Main	See special section below
Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) 100 km W of Frankfurt 90 min.	• Flibco coaches to Frankfurt and Mainz ~10x per day • Intermezzo coaches to Saarbrucken and Saarlouis 1-3x a day on Tue and Thu-Sat • Public transit to Bullay (line 750), Koblenz (line 615), and Simmern (line 660) every 2 hours Service to Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, expect to pay €100-150 to Mainz/Wiesbaden and €150-200 to Frankfurt; negotiate fare before departure
Hamburg (HAM) Fuhlsbüttel 9 km N 25 min.	S-Bahn S1 to Hamburg Hbf every 10 min.; change at Ohlsdorf for U-bahn U1 to other central Hamburg stations 24-hour service, approx. €40
Hannover (HAJ) Langenhagen 11 km N 20 min.	S-Bahn S5 to Hannover Hbf every 30 min. Bus 470 to Langenhagen every hour 24-hour service, approx. €40
Köln/Bonn (CGN) Konrad Adenauer 14 km SE of Cologne 25 min.	• S-Bahn S19 to Köln Hbf every 20 min. • Regional trains RE6 and RB 27 to Köln Hbf hourly • Mainline services • Bus SB60 to Bonn Hbf every 30 min. • Flixbus and other long-distance bus services 24-hour service to Cologne (approx. €40), Bonn (approx. €65) and other area towns
Leipzig/Halle (LEJ) 12 km NW of Leipzig 30 min.	• S-Bahn S5 or S5X to Leipzig Hbf or Halle Hbf every 30 min. • Mainline services 24-hour service to Leipzig and Halle, approx. €50
Memmingen (FMM) Allgäu Memmingen (Munich-West) 100 km WSW of Munich 90 min.	Mainline regional services hourly to Munich and Augsburg from nearby Memmingen station via Airport City Shuttle every 20 min. • Allgäu Airport Express to München Hbf every 1-2 hours • Flixbus long-distance bus services 24-hour service to Munich and Augsburg, expect to pay €200 or more; negotiate fare before departure
München (MUC) Franz Joseph Strauss 28 km NE 45 min.	• S-Bahn S1 or S8 to München Hbf every 10 min. • Mainline regional services to Regensburg, Passau, and Landshut from airport station • Other regional mainline connections from nearby Freising station via express train ÜFEX every hour or Bus 635 every 10 min. • Lufthansa Express Bus to Schwabing and München Hbf every 20 min., also to Nuremberg and Innsbruck • Flixbus and other long-distance bus services 24-hour service, approx. €50
Nürnberg (NUE) Albrecht Dürer 5 km N 15 min.	U-Bahn U2 to Nürnberg Hbf every 10 min. Bus 33 to Fürth Hbf and Bus 30 to Erlangen every 40 min. 24-hour service, approx. €30
Saarbrücken (SCN) Ensheim 16 km E 20 min.	Bus R10 to Saarbrücken Hbf hourly 24-hour service, approx. €35
Stuttgart (STR) Echterdingen 14 km S 30 min.	• S-Bahn S2 or S3 to Stuttgart Hbf every 15 min. • U-Bahn U6 to Stuttgart Hbf every 10 min. Flixbus and other long-distance bus services 24-hour service, approx. €50

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Frankfurt International (Rhein-Main) Airport

Serving over 63 million passengers in 2025, Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airport (FRA), also known as Frankfurt International Airport or just Frankfurt Airport, is Germany's busiest airport and 21st busiest worldwide. For a long time, it was Europe's second busiest, but it has slipped to sixth in Europe behind Istanbul, London Heathrow, Paris CDG, Amsterdam, and Madrid. A major expansion currently underway, though, should allow it to grow substantially in the next few years as passenger volumes continue to rebound after the pandemic. For comparison, FRA handled 70 million passengers in 2019.

In addition to being the primary world hub for Lufthansa, FRA is served by 98 other airlines with about 800 daily departures to more than 300 destinations in nearly 100 countries, making Frankfurt the world's most connected airport. Transfers account for over half of the passenger count, making FRA one of the world's most important international air hubs.

Given these superlatives, it should be no surprise that the gargantuan facility is frequently operating near capacity. A new runway that opened in 2011 and an expansion of concourse A completed in 2012 helped alleviate congestion and provided room for the airport's continued growth. However, the biggest capacity expansion has been in the form of a new terminal — Terminal 3 — which is located on the southern side of the airport across the airfield from the other terminals on a former US Air Force base. The first concourse in Terminal 3 was expected to open in 2021; however, due to the pandemic, the plans were changed and the entire terminal opened in April 2026. All of the airlines serving Terminal 2 are being moved to Terminal 3 so that Terminal 2 can be completely renovated.

FRA was the first commercial airport in the world to be certified for the monster Airbus A380 superjumbo jet, with the aforementioned concourse A expansion, an upgraded concourse D, and the J concourse in Terminal 3, all having gates designed to handle the A380.

Beware that there is a second "Frankfurt" airport, the much smaller Frankfurt-Hahn, which is used exclusively by discount airlines. Calling it Frankfurt-Hahn is a cruel trick, however, as it is laughably located 105 km (65 miles) west of Frankfurt and is actually closer to Luxembourg and Bonn than to downtown Frankfurt.

Located just 9 km (6 miles) southwest of downtown Frankfurt (about 15 minutes by rail, a little longer by car), FRA is a behemoth comprised of three terminals and a small city of support facilities employing around 80,000 people.

Each terminal has multiple concourses (Flugsteig or Pier). The terminals are numbered (1, 2, and 3), while the concourses are lettered (A-H, J, and Z). On signage, the concourse letter is paramount; the terminal numbers are mostly incidental. For example, if you're headed to gate D15, which is in Terminal 2, look for and follow the signs for "D" regardless of where you are in the airport.

Terminal 1, which opened in 1972 and got much-needed expansions in the late 1990s, 2008, and again around 2012, as well as nearly-constant modernizations (meaning you'll likely come across construction somewhere in the terminal), is the larger of the three terminals, with 103 gates crammed into three multi-level concourses labeled A, B, C, and Z. There are five levels with these general uses:

• Level 0 is the underground regional rail station and shopping arcade
• Level 1 is the arrivals/baggage claim level
• Level 2 is the check-in and main departures level
• Level 3 is the arrivals immigration area in concourse B and an additional international departures gate level on top of concourse A that is designated as concourse "Z"
• Level 4 is the level for the inter-terminal SkyLine train stations

Terminal 2, which opened in 1994, has 42 gates in two concourses labeled D and E on three levels, labeled to correspond to the levels in Terminal 1:

• Level 2 is the arrivals, check-in, and Schengen departures level
• Level 3 is the international departures gate level
• Level 4 is the SkyLine train station

All airlines serving Terminal 2 will be relocated to Terminal 3 in phases by June 2026, and Terminal 2 will then be closed for a full renovation. It is expected to re-open in 2029.

Terminal 3 opened in April 2026 after a decade of construction and will serve 57 airlines at 62 gates in three concourses labeled G, H, and J. Schengen flights arrive and depart from concourses G and H, with non-Schengen flights using concourse J. The terminal has three main levels:

• Level 0 is arrivals and baggage claim
• Level 1 is the departures level for concourse G and an intermediate level for the main portion of the terminal
• Level 2 is the main check-in hall and marketplace

There are two levels for gates in concourses G and H, and three levels of gates in concourse J.

It is important to note that Terminal 3 is located on the south side of the airport across the airfield from Terminals 1 and 2. It has its own road access, parking garage, and bus station, and is connected to Terminals 1 and 2 and the airport rail stations via the SkyLine, which makes the trip between Terminals 1 and 3 in eight minutes.

Gates and arrival areas carry the concourse letter followed by the number (i.e. Gate B15, Arrival area A2, etc). When looking for your gate, follow the signs for the concourse letter first, then look for signs for the gate number once you reach that concourse. For example, if you're departing from gate D15, follow the signs for "D", then as you get to that concourse, look for signs for "D15". You may still come across some older signs where the concourse letters for Terminal 1 are in orange while those in Terminal 2 are in light blue, but these should now be fairly rare. Some signage also does include the terminal numbers in addition to the concourse letters.

The non-European international gates on the upper level of concourse A were relabeled as "Z" in late 2011. This was done ostensibly to create logical numbering capacity for the concourse A addition that opened in 2012, as well as leaving room in the numbering system for future additional concourses.

A recent wayfinding update is a change from using check-in counters to check-in zones. A single zone now encompasses all of the check-in and bag-drop counters and self-service kiosks in a given area, allowing for more flexible use of the check-in facilities. Zones 10-19 are in Terminal 1, 20-29 are in Terminal 2, and 30-49 are in Terminal 3.

Signage is extensive and is in both German and English along with spiffy international pictograms; blue signs for the concourses, gates, ground transportation, and other destinations, and gray signs for services. Some signs are dynamic and are changed to help manage passenger levels throughout the terminals.

Because there are so many possible destinations and routes to get there, you have to keep a sharp eye out, look left and right, and know what you're looking for or you may miss that sign. And don't overthink things. Here's what someone said on a travel forum that captures the sentiment of navigating the airport:

"Just follow the signs. Don't think. Don't apply logic. Just follow the signs. You will get to your destination. You might have to go through security 2-3 times, customs, passport control, tunnels, escalators, elevators, stairs and you feel that you have just walked to your final destination. But under no circumstances try to make sense of it. You will only get lost."

Like most airports, the terminals are divided into the public landside area (pre-security) and the secure airside area (post-security). To enter the secure area, you must have a valid boarding card and pass through the security screening. The airside area of the airport is further divided into two immigration control zones: the "Schengen zone" for domestic German and most European flights, and the "transit zone" for international flights. (The Schengen Agreement allows for travel between most European countries without passport controls.) To move between these zones, you must go through a passport checkpoint.

Unfortunately, having these different zones does confuse things a bit. Most of level 2 of concourse A, the front half of concourse B, the far end of concourse C, level 2 of Terminal 2, and concourse H in Terminal 3, are in the Schengen zone; most of the remainder of the airside in Terminals 1 and 2, and concourse J in Terminal 3 is in the international transit zone.

For the most part, the airport is arranged so that you only have to pass through passport control if you are leaving or entering the transit zone; if you are connecting from one non-Schengen international flight to another, you should not have to pass through any passport checkpoints. However, be aware that if you are connecting from a non-Schengen international flight to a Schengen flight, you will have to go through both passport control and a security screening. Flights to some countries (including the US) may require an additional security screening even if you are connecting from a Schengen flight, and some gates have a separate security screening, so the upshot is to be prepared and allow time to go through an unexpected security check.

Being such a large and complex airport, distances can be long — really long in some cases — especially if you have to change terminals or concourses. If your gate is at the end of the A or Z concourses, is one of the high-numbered C gates, or if you're using the long-distance rail station (or some combination of the above), get ready for a long hike, even with the moving walkways. A walk from the far end of concourse A to the far end of concourse E is a distance of 2.6 km or 1.6 miles! Fortunately, although possible, you don't actually have to walk that entire way as there is a people-mover system known as the SkyLine train that connects all the concourses. Transit time between terminals 1 and 2 is less than 5 minutes, with stations located in concourses A/Z, B, C, and Terminal 2. A second SkyLine line will take you to Terminal 3 in eight minutes. The shuttle bus that used to be available between terminals 1 and 2 has been discontinued, with the SkyLine now being the only way to transfer other than walking. To that end, there are several walkways and maze-like passages that will get you between the concourses, including a tunnel between the Schengen zones of concourses A and B (use the elevators near gates A15 and B19) and a long, mostly deserted corridor connecting concourse C to Terminal 2. (The signage photo above was taken in this corridor.)

One of the quirks about this airport is that there are passageways, gates, and service facilities tucked into obscure nooks and crannies everywhere, so much so that it really can feel like a disorganized labyrinth. This is especially true in Terminal 1, which has been expanded and reorganized many times over the years. As a result, several gates require you to go up or down a dedicated escalator, staircase, and/or elevator, or might be located down an inconspicuous hallway. Again, carefully watch our for and follow the relevant signs.

Because of terminal capacity issues, many short and medium haul flights use remote parking spots away from the terminal, so passengers are bused between the plane and terminal. In fact, about half of the airport's gates are these so-called "stand" gates. The holding areas for these gates are frequently hiding in out-of-the-way places, often on the ground level.

There are several information counters around the terminals with employees dressed in red uniforms to help you. As in most places, the competence and disposition of the staff can vary widely, but most of the time you'll find helpful and informative workers who speak English and sometimes other languages. Keep in mind that German service workers inherently dispense with pleasantries — Germans typically regard overt cheerfulness as fake or feigned — so don't be surprised or offended if your interaction is more matter-of-fact and not as warm-and-fuzzy as you may be used to. That said, if you encounter someone unusually surly or obviously lacking the information you need, just go find someone else. The biggest complaints about rudeness and curtness seem to be about the security personnel, so just be cooperative and impassive, and you'll be on your way.

In addition to the staffed information desks, there are several digital "InfoGate" kiosks scattered throughout the terminals. These connect you virtually to an airport employee who can answer questions and give directions. There is also an airport app that provides flight status information, terminal maps and navigation, and information on shops, restaurants, and services.

Finally, if you're still nervous about navigating the airport, the airport offers a personal guide service for €89. Book it at least four days before your arrival on the airport's website.

If Tom Hanks' character in the movie The Terminal could choose an airport to be stuck at, this would be a good choice. This self-contained city has large shopping and eating areas and plenty of additional services. Indeed, FRA is arguably one of the best airports anywhere in this regards — it's practically a shopping mall that happens to have an airport attached. There are hundreds of stores carrying books, perfume, jewelry, clothes, leather goods, electronics, toys, souvenirs, liquor, candy, and convenience items. In December, you'll also find a traditional-style German Christmas market on the mezzanine in Terminal 1. Even more good news for shoppers — the law requires businesses to maintain typical street prices in their airport outlets.

If you're hungry or thirsty before or after that long flight, you'll find dozens of restaurants, cafes, and bars catering to every taste: fast-food (including the ubiquitous McDonald's and Starbucks), traditional German food (including a small beer garden in concourse Z), pizza and pasta, sandwiches and burgers, Asian cuisines and sushi, vegan, kosher, health food, and ice cream. There are also multiple bakeries and even a supermarket for the do-it-yourself types.

If you have medical needs, there are several pharmacies, a medical clinic, opticians, and even a dentist.

Services include banks and currency exchanges, ATMs, tax refund offices, post offices, a tailor and dry cleaner, a travel agency, and, of course, car rental agencies.

Tired of lugging all that luggage around? There are lots of baggage carts which can be rented for €1, but note that the fee must be paid with a credit or debit card. Unfortunately, in most cases, they can no longer be taken on the escalators or moving walkways nor on the SkyLine. For longer layovers where you may wish to leave the airport, there are luggage storage offices in each terminal.

If you need to get work done, there are work areas at most gates with a table and power outlet, and there is free Wi-fi throughout the terminals. There is also a large conference and business center on the airport grounds outside the terminals.

If your electronic device needs a charge, there are three power bank rental stations in concourse B, and USB charging ports in seating areas throughout the airport.

Looking for a place to nap between flights? There are several "Leisure Zones" scattered around equipped with reclining chairs. Of course, if you have a bag with you, be sure you secure it in some way before you doze-off.

For a more private nap experience, there are sleeping cabins called "NapCabs" (€17) in the transit zone of concourse A near gate A56, and concourse B near gate B9. There is also a small hotel located inside the transit zone of concourse Z near gate Z25. The hotel has 59 small rooms (about 9 square meters or 100 sq. ft. each) that can be booked for a stay of 3 to 24 hours. As it is in the transit zone, guests must be traveling from or to a non-Schengen destination to access it. Otherwise, a couple of other hotels are elsewhere on the airport grounds outside of the terminals.

If you just want to relax before or between flights, there are several options. One is the so-called "Silent Chairs" — these are semi-enclosed sitting pods with integrated speakers, music and USB ports, power sockets, and a small table. There is a location in most concourses.

If yoga is your preferred form of relaxation, there are two yoga rooms as well, one in concourse C and the other in concourse D. There multiple airline and pay-per-use lounges as well as a couple of spas in the airport offering massages and relaxation treatments. Scattered around the airport are multiple prayer/devotional rooms for different faiths, and an airport chaplaincy service.

Other ways to pass the time include three "Movie World" areas in Terminal 1 where you can watch free movies and documentaries, and three "Gaming Worlds" where you can play free video games. There are also several art exhibits. There even was a casino for many years, but it closed in 2014.

For smaller travelers, there are no fewer than a dozen playgrounds scattered through the terminals. There is also an observation deck overlooking the airfield on the roof of Terminal 2 near gate B42, and a visitor center near gate C1 that offers interactive displays and activities about the airport (admission fee required). If you have a longer layover, they even offer tours.

One service that may be particularly useful to passengers after a long flight are the shower facilities located in each terminal. For €6 or $8, you get a clean, private shower stall with soap and towels. There are five of these facilities: four in Terminal 1 including two in concourse B (one inside the transit area on level 3, and one in the landside shopping area near the security checkpoint) and two in the transit areas of concourse A (near gate A50) and Z (near gate Z50); and one in the transit area Terminal 2, concourse D (near gate D4).

Finally, if you need emergency traveler assistance, such as problems with your ticket, passport, or visa, or you're in need of financial or emotional assistance, the Church Social Service can help. You'll find them in Terminal 1 in the check-in hall for concourse C.

All that said, the airport does have some pitfalls. A common complaint is about small and sometimes not-so-clean WCs, although in my experiences I've never actually witnessed this. Also, there are virtually no services in the stark and barren concourse C.

While most of the terminal areas have now been designated as non-smoking, the smoke from the smoking lounges (and there are a lot of them) can sometimes waft considerably further afield.

Given the age and extent of the facilities, there are always renovations going on somewhere in the terminals. It seems like they just keep rotating the construction work through each of the concourses every few years. Even with the constant work, a few areas of the airport are still rather dated and depressingly dingy, although that's gotten better in recent years. And more than once I've been in areas where the heating system has been working too well.

When you arrive, you will be discharged into the appropriate control zone (transit or Schengen). If you're connecting to another flight, see the "Connecting flights" section below. Otherwise, for those arriving in the Schengen zone, you can simply claim your bags (if any) and leave the airport. Passengers arriving in the transit zone will first have to pass through a passport control checkpoint. Depending on when you arrive, there might be a considerable wait to get through passport control — occasionally up to 45 minutes — so be sure to account for this if you will be taking a scheduled train or bus from the airport. Many of the checkpoints have signs showing the current estimated wait time, and they're also available on the airport's website.

With the rollout of the European Entry-Exit System (EES), passport control is now mostly automated. See the "arrival" section near the top of this page for further information on how the EES system works.

After clearing passport control, you will proceed to baggage claim.

From the baggage claim area, you then must pass through the customs checkpoint, which is far less of an impediment than passport control if you have nothing to declare (see the German customs website for information on permitted imports). In that case, just proceed through the green "nothing to declare" line to the exit. If you do have something to declare, use the red "something to declare" lane, where you will then speak with a customs officer. Note that random checks are conducted of people passing through the green lane, and fines can be steep for people caught with contraband, so if you're not sure that you need to declare something, use the red lane and ask a customs officer.

After clearing customs, you will alight rather unceremoniously in the main landside zone of the terminal. If you are meeting someone, they may be waiting here, or you can arrange to meet at the meeting point (Treffpunkt) located in the Arrivals B area in Terminal 1 or the Arrivals E area in Terminal 2. Otherwise, follow the signs to head to public transport, taxis, or the car rental desks (see below).

There are numerous local, regional, domestic, and international rail connections to and from the airport's two (yes, two) railway stations.

From the regional rail station (Regionalbahnhof) beneath Terminal 1, S-Bahn S8 or S9 whisks you to downtown Frankfurt about 15 minutes, and also heads to Mainz (S8 only) and Wiesbaden. A few regional trains (RB and RE) also call here heading to Frankfurt, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Rüsselsheim, Hanau, and other regional destinations.

The glass-shrouded long-distance rail station (Fernbahnhof), connected to Terminal 1 by a somewhat long skybridge over the intervening Autobahn, serves mainline GermanRail trains to many regional, domestic, and international destinations.

If you arrive at Terminal 1, follow the signs to the appropriate station. If you arrive at Terminal 2, take the direct shuttle bus to the stations or take the SkyLine train to Terminal 1 and follow the signs from there.

GermanRail has two ticketing and information centers (Reisezentrum), one just above the regional station in the underground shopping area (Level 0) near the center of concourse B, and the other at the long-distance station.

In additional to rail service, there is also regional bus service to several area towns including Darmstadt and Rüsselsheim. There is also direct bus service to Strasbourg, Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Talheim. Most buses leave from the bus station at Terminal 1. From Terminal 2, take the SkyLine train to Terminal 1 and go down to the arrivals level. From Terminal 1, the long-distance bus station is located about 250 meters from the curbside exit at concourse C, and local buses leave from one of the many bus stops located across from the curbside exit at concourse B. There is also a bus station at Terminal 3.

All of the major rental car agencies have counters in both terminals. The rental car center for Terminal 1 is located in the underground shopping center (Level 0) near at the concourse A end. In Terminal 2, the rental car counters are located just outside baggage claim.

Taxis can be hired from the front of either terminal. There is 24-hour taxi service to Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Mainz. A taxi ride to downtown Frankfurt will take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic and should cost about €50, and slightly more for a trip to Wiesbaden or Mainz.

If you are passing through Frankfurt to and from non-Schengen countries, your transfer will take place entirely within the transit zone, which in most cases means you will not need to pass through a passport checkpoint (although not always). You may or may not also have to pass through a security screening depending on your origin and/or destination, and there are occasionally random security checkpoints in the terminals.

If your connecting flight leaves from a different terminal than the one you arrive in, the SkyLine train will allow you to make the transfer while remaining in the transit zone.

Transfers between non-Schengen and Schengen countries (including Germany) will require you to go through passport control. Unlike many international airports with a single immigration area, you will find passport checkpoints in each of the concourses. However, you shouldn't need to seek one out — just follow the signs to the gate for your connecting flight and you will pass through a checkpoint somewhere along the way.

If you are connecting to another flight with a short connection time (typically less than 45 minutes), you should be able to use the "Fast Lane" service at the passport control checkpoints; eligible flights are shown on a display above the "Fast Lane" counter.

After clearing passport control, you will likely have to pass through a security screening. From there, you can then proceed to the gate for your connecting flight. Be sure to check the flight information displays for the latest gate number as flights are sometimes moved to other gates due to late or early arrivals.

If your connecting flight is in another terminal, use the SkyLine train. A tunnel also allows you to transfer within the Schengen zones of concourses A and B so that you do not need to leave the secure area; use the elevators near gates A15 and B19. There is also a passageway inside the transit zone from concourse B to concourse C on level 3. This walkway also connects to concourses D and E, but it's quite a hike.

If you need a boarding pass or additional assistance, check-in at your airline's transfer counter first thing after arriving.

Lufthansa advertises a guaranteed connection time of 45 minutes at FRA. However, based on experience, an hour is probably more realistic if you're staying within the transit or within the Schengen zone, and 90 minutes minimum if you have to cross between them and/or go to or from Terminal 3. Flights from North America to FRA often arrive early, but don't count on it as any time savings gained from that strong tailwind are sometimes lost due to congestion in Frankfurt's approach and landing slots.

If you have an extra long layover, there are also plenty of places to shop, eat, or relax between flights; see the "Passenger Services" section above for more details. Extended layovers (at least four hours) are also conducive to taking a quick sightseeing trip into Frankfurt — check your bags at one of the baggage storage offices, then take the S-Bahn train which will whisk you downtown in less than 15 minutes (see information under "Arriving" above).

You should plan on arriving at least two hours before your scheduled departure.

If you arrive by car, follow the signs for the correct terminal as Terminal 3 is separate from Terminals 1/2 and has a separate road entrance. Once you've entered the airport, follow the signs for departing flights. If you must return your rental car, follow the signs for rental car returns.

If you arrive by train at the long-distance station, check to see if your airline has a counter there. If so, you can check-in and/or check your bags there, and then proceed directly to security and on to your departure gate. Otherwise, proceed to the terminal.

If you arrive by train (either long-distance or regional), check the flight display boards for information about your flight. Then follow the signs for the appropriate concourse. If your flight is leaving from Terminals 2 or 3 (concourses D-H or J), you will be directed to the new SkyLine station in front of Terminal 1 which will whisk you directly to Terminal 2 or 3. Otherwise, you will be directed to the main Terminal 1 departures hall near concourse B.

Once at your terminal, if you need to get a boarding pass or check bags, proceed to a self-service kiosk or check-in counter in the designated check-in zone for your flight. Then, follow the signs to the appropriate departure hall where you will encounter the security and passport checkpoints. Then follow the signs to your gate. More information about what to expect at the checkpoints is in the "departing" section near the top of this page.

Be aware that passengers headed for the US, UK, and Middle East face more intense screening nowadays, so be prepared to put-up with a bit more hassle than you may otherwise be expecting, including a secondary security screening at or near the gate.

For even more information about Frankfurt Airport, see their official website:

http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/

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Airlines

The major domestic airline in Germany is Lufthansa. Its main hub is at Frankfurt, with Munich serving as its secondary hub.

Germany, and Europe in general, have seen the rise of a number of discount carriers in the past couple of decades. In Germany, those include Condor, LTU, Hapag-Lloyd, Aero-Lloyd, Eurowings, and Deutsche BA, a subsidiary of British Air. German airlines transport 50 million passengers a year.

About 90 other international airlines have regularly scheduled flights to Germany, including all of the major US carriers. From Germany, connections are available to over 300 destinations in about 90 countries worldwide.

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Other sites of interest

	Berlin airport https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en.html
	Bremen airport https://www.bremen-airport.com/en/
	Cologne/Bonn airport https://www.cologne-bonn-airport.com/en/index.html
	Dresden airport https://www.mdf-ag.com/en/passengers-and-visitors/dresden-airport/
	Dusseldorf airport https://www.dus.com/
	Frankfurt (Rhein-Main) airport https://www.frankfurt-airport.com
	Hamburg airport https://www.hamburg-airport.de/en/
	Hannover airport https://www.hannover-airport.de/en/information-for-passengers-visitors
	Leipzig/Halle airport https://www.mdf-ag.com/en/passengers-and-visitors/leipzig-halle-airport/
	Munich airport https://www.munich-airport.de
	Nuremberg airport https://www.airport-nuernberg.de/english
	Saarbrucken airport https://www.flughafen-saarbruecken.de/en/
	Stuttgart airport https://www.stuttgart-airport.com/