Berlin Tegel (Otto Lilienthal) Airport (TXL)
History, Facts and Overview

(Berlin, Germany)

Currently the busiest airport in the whole of Berlin, Tegel Airport dates back to 1930, when this site was actually used for local rocket testing and research. By the late 1940s, the airfield was serving a number of aircraft and soon boasted Europe's longest runway, which measured more than 2,400 metres / 7,875 feet.

Civil aircraft began offering passenger flights at Tegel Airport in 1960 and five years later, renovation plans were drawn up after a competition was announced to design the airport's architecture. These were completed at the beginning of the 1970s and many further extensions have been carried out since, most notably in 1998 when extensive reconstruction work was completed, costing more than one million Deutsche Marks.


Amongst the current facilities offered by Berlin Tegel Airport is a meeting point, Internet services, and three lounges, operated by Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa. There are around ten different eateries and bars in the complex, such as Burger King, ESS-Bahn, Leysieffer Airport Restaurant, and Red Baron, and Restaurant 'Take Off', which resides on the third floor.

The main shops at the airport reside in an area known as the Boulevard Tegel, which is located within the main hall. Popular shops include the BerlinBerlin Souvenirs, Bon Voyage, Boss Hugo Boss, Espirit Store and the Market Place, which comprises both a supermarket and bakery. Duty-free shops are also available in the waiting areas. There is a popular visitor viewing area, sited directly above the airport departure ring, where you can get a feel for the size of the aircraft and watch them as the land or take off.