Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport
About MAD
Overview
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport lies about 12 kilometers northeast of central Madrid, in the Barajas district of the Spanish capital. It serves as the primary international gateway to Spain and one of the busiest airports in Europe. The airport opened in 1931 and has been progressively expanded, most notably with the inauguration of Terminal 4 in 2006, designed by Richard Rogers and Antonio Lamela.
Terminals & runways
The airport operates four passenger terminals. Terminals 1, 2, and 3 form an older interconnected complex handling a mix of Schengen and non-Schengen traffic, while Terminal 4 and its satellite T4S host long-haul and Oneworld operations. Four parallel runways are arranged in two pairs, oriented roughly north-south and northeast-southwest, allowing simultaneous operations. The airport functions 24 hours a day, with ongoing modernization projects.
Airlines
Madrid-Barajas is the principal hub of Iberia and its regional subsidiary Iberia Express, and a major base for Air Europa and Ryanair. Vueling maintains a significant presence as well. Most major European, Latin American, North American, Middle Eastern, and Asian carriers operate scheduled services, reflecting Madrid's role as a key transatlantic link between Europe and the Americas.