Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) Flights & Information

If you’ve flown recently through Germany’s busiest airport, Frankfurt Airport (FRA), you’ve probably noticed the decades-old facility is showing its age. Boarding areas can be crowded, navigation is often confusing, and there’s a good chance you’ll be on a bus to board or deplane.

However, a massive renovation already underway will vastly improve the passenger experience. It spans a new Terminal 3, which is one of Europe’s largest construction projects and scheduled to open in 2026. Here’s how to flatten the formidable learning curve at Flughafen Frankfurt to make your experience as smooth as possible.

Key terminal and security info

As soon as you book a flight into or out of FRA, I highly recommend downloading its official app (in addition to downloading your airline app). This is one of the best ways to stay updated about key info, such as strikes by airlines and their partners that can occasionally affect operations at FRA.

T1: Lufthansa and its subsidiaries

Until T3 opens, FRA spans two terminals. The larger is T1, which includes gate areas A, B, C, and Z and serves Lufthansa and its subsidiaries, including Discover Airlines. Also here: Condor, Star Alliance airlines such as United and Air Canada, SunExpress, and El Al.

T2: Slow security lines

T2, meanwhile, is split into Schengen (lower level) and non-Schengen (top level) flights. The T2 Schengen security check is probably the most inefficient at FRA. It’s slowly improving, but prepare for waiting times regardless (fortunately, you can book an appointment; more info below on how).

It’s worth noting that the non-Schengen area in T2 is rather unique. You’ll pass through passport control first before reaching dining, shopping, and lounges. Security checks are located right in front of gate areas, so don’t buy any items (like water bottles) that you’ll have to ditch before boarding. Finally, if your gate is from C13 to C20 or D13 to D20, prepare for a slightly longer walk before reaching security.

Book a free security slot through FRA SmartWay

If you’re traveling out of FRA, I advise booking a free fast-track security slot via FRA SmartWay on the airport website. Slots are available starting 72 hours prior to departure (and valid for 20 minutes), and you can make a group booking for up to six people. When you sign up, be sure to spell your name exactly as it appears on your flight booking, or else you may not be able to use the service.

The service isn’t available in all security checkpoints, however. Currently, only T1A, T1B, and T2 Schengen areas have it (which fortunately covers most Schengen flights).

General tips for navigating FRA

There’s no sugarcoating it: FRA can be a navigational nightmare, even for seasoned travelers. Compared to other similar-sized airports, its infrastructure and layout is outdated and complicated. Ongoing renovation projects will ease some of the challenges, but a couple of helpful hacks can help passengers manage the current environment.

First off: Always pay strict attention to signs, looking up and often. For example, just because you have an A gate and are already in the A area doesn’t mean you’re headed in the right direction. That’s because A has more than one pier. So if you’re flying, let’s say, from A50, don’t look to A40 as a navigational guide – because the gates are in opposite directions.

If you do get lost at FRA (it’s happened to everyone), look for employees in red jackets. It’s their job to assist travelers flummoxed by FRA. So don’t be afraid to ask if you need help locating your gate or figuring out how to transfer between terminals. These employees also speak multiple languages (including German and English at the very least).

How to manage connections at FRA

FRA can be tricky for connecting flights. While transfers between T1 and T2 are rare, transferring between different parts of T1 is common. Keep in mind that each combination of terminal areas has a different transfer process. For example, going from Gate A to B non-Schengen is completely different than going from Gate B non-Schengen to A.

The official minimum connecting time is 45 minutes. However, I recommend one hour for Schengen flights and at least 90 minutes for non-Schengen flights (possibly more if you’re traveling with young kids).

An insider tip if you’re headed through passport control at B non-Schengen: If the checkpoint is very busy (which happens often), take the passage to the right of passport control. This will bring you to the shuttle train and another alternate passport control, which is often not as busy (though but not always open).

If you opt to take the tunnel that connects areas A and B, don’t take the stairs if you get impatient waiting for elevators on either end of the tunnel. Many travelers make this move and regret it, as the stairs are much longer than they seem.

How to tell if you have a bus gate at FRA

One of the biggest complaints about FRA: being bussed to or from your flight. This can be an annoyance for many passengers (except avgeeks who love plane spotting), but it doesn’t have to come as a surprise. Fortunately, there’s an easy hack to know whether there’s a bus in your future upon arriving (figuring it out for departing flights is quite challenging).

The secret is in the combination of letters in your arrival gate. If your airline app (or whatever tool you use for flight status) shows “ASW”, “ASO”, “BSW”, “BSO” or “CS” as a gate (all of which are Schengen-only), you’re headed to the centralized bus arrival area. The same applies to “ANS”, “DNS”, and “ENS” if you are arriving from a non-Schengen destination.

Getting to and from FRA

Like most airports in Germany, FRA is well connected to a robust public transportation network. If you have the choice, I recommend the train – it’s almost always the fastest and cheapest option.

However, if you opt for a taxi or a ride service to FRA, be sure to tell your driver in advance which terminal you’re departing from. That way, you can be dropped off in front and avoid having to take a shuttle to the correct terminal.

Taking the train from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2

It’s a very short walk from T1 arrivals to the underground train station; just follow the signs for regional and local trains. However, make sure you know which area your train departs from. Tracks 1 to 3 serve local and regional routes, while tracks 4 to 7 make up the long-distance station. If you’re Frankfurt-bound, head to platform 1, where S8 or S9 trains run every 15 minutes to the main station (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof) or the city center in about 15 minutes.

If you arrive at T2, you’ll need to make your way to T1 to reach the trains. You can take a shuttle bus that departs directly in front of T2 (on the arrivals level) and will drop you off at Terminal 1, one level above the station.

The SkyLine automated train also runs between the two terminals. It’s more comfortable than the bus (if it’s not too crowded) and offers some nice airport views. However, the SkyLine is more complicated and takes longer to reach. If you’re in a hurry, I recommend taking the shuttle bus.

One important caveat: Buy your ticket before heading down one level to the train platforms, since there are no machines there. And be forewarned that train ticketing machines in Germany can be a confounding affair, even for experienced travelers. If you need help, there’s a Deutsche Bahn (DB) ticket office on the same level as the machines.

The new terminal 3 at FRA

When it opens in 2026 with the capacity for 19 million annual passengers (and the ability to handle more eventually), T3 will bring a much-needed boost to the overall experience at FRA. The modern, well-designed facility is brimming with structural upgrades across its three piers.

One of the most notable is passenger bridges that will significantly reduce the use of buses for boarding and deplaning. The shuttle train between T1 and T3 will also stop near the long-distance train station at FRA, making transit between the station and T3 much easier.

Terminal 1 and Terminal 2: What’s on the horizon

Additional projects are underway (with different timelines) both at T1 and T2. At T1, a project will improve security efficiency and connectivity between A and B areas by repositioning security checkpoints and integrating both areas. There’s also a project to integrate T2 into T1.

In addition, the shopping area in the public departure hall will for the most part move behind security, significantly expanding shopping options in A and B Schengen. The new changes also mean passengers can transfer between A and B more easily, without having to use the tunnel or leave security – a huge plus.

Heads up for aviation enthusiasts

If there’s an avgeek in your group, FRA has a few extras to consider. First, there’s the Fraport Visitors’ Center, located post-security in T1, which offers tech-forward interactive exhibits about FRA. (However, why you need to buy tickets ahead of time, let alone buy them at all, is a mystery.)

At T2, a free visitor’s platform offers excellent plane-viewing, as do multiple other locations around the airport. And if you’re flying from B non-Schengen, an open-air deck one level above gate areas is a nice spot to watch the action. To reach it, take the escalator between B41 and B42 – but be forewarned that there will be smokers (this is Germany, after all).