Clearing Customs in MAD

[steven mains]

Flying to MAD from the US. After I clear customs, can I remain airside to get to my connecting flight to SdC or do I have to exit to groundside and go back through security in the Domestic Terminal? Obviously prefer to stay airside if possible. TiA

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Sorry, I can't answer your question but because I am thinking that you are flying to Santiago to bus to Sarria to start your camino I will go off topic. Most likely you will have to make a bus connection in Lugo to get to Sarria. You qualify for a compostela walking from Lugo also. This will avoid a couple of days of crowds on the CF until you join it at Melide. See this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lugo-to-santiago.77492/

 

[Vacajoe]

Went I flew through MAD last year, Customs dropped me into the non-secured portion of the airport, so I would have had to undergo another security check to reach my next plane. I cannot recall any international airport that keeps you airside after customs.

 

[henrythedog]

As you know you’ll have to clear customs before switching to a domestic flight as you’ll be travelling with others who obviously don't need to clear customs on arrival.

Only next step after customs is through the one-way doors to landside.

On first arrival into Schengen you’ll have to clear immigration also.

(Edit: see below. Depends on where your bag is checked through to: I wrongly assumed Madrid)

 

[steven mains]

Went I flew through MAD last year, Customs dropped me into the non-secured portion of the airport, so I would have had to undergo another security check to reach my next plane. I cannot recall any international airport that keeps you airside after customs.

Thank you. We had the same experience in Paris last month but I hoped I had just missed the airside connector. Appreciate your response.

 

[steven mains]

Sorry, I can't answer your question but because I am thinking that you are flying to Santiago to bus to Sarria to start your camino I will go off topic. Most likely you will have to make a bus connection in Lugo to get to Sarria. You qualify for a compostela walking from Lugo also. This will avoid a couple of days of crowds on the CF until you join it at Melide. See this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lugo-to-santiago.77492/

I'm walking the Ingles

 

[t2andreo]

If you are making a flight connection at Madrid to another Spanish destination, your bags will be sent directly. Unless something has changed, of which I am unaware, you do not have to reclaim and then recheck your bags at Madrid. You remain airside.

Once you clear passport control, make your way to your departure gate for the connecting flight. You reclaim your checked bag at your final destination. The signage at Barajas is very good.

I suspect the only need to claim and recheck you bag and then have to go landside and then go through security again would be if you were changing airlines and terminals. But, I do not know. Check it out.

Please check this with your airline to verify I am stil correct. But the last time I flew over from the US - 2022 - this was still the process.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Scudder]

I'm very familiar with MAD's T4, which Iberia and American use, but I haven't been to T1/2/3 in years.

At T4 you would go through passport control in T4S immediately upon landing, then take the train to T4. Rising from the train, you'd turn right off the escalators to go through 'Transit Security', which are separate lanes from those entering the airport from the curb.

Technically, you will not go through customs, which is a passive process, until you collect your luggage in SdC.

 

[Kathar1na]

At T4 you would go through passport control in T4S immediately upon landing, then take the train to T4. Rising from the train, you'd turn right off the escalators to go through 'Transit Security', which are separate lanes from those entering the airport from the curb.

Just to be sure: So that means that the OP, arriving on an international flight from the USA in Terminal T4S, has to go through a security check again for a domestic flight (in Spain) or Schengen flight departing from Terminal T4? Even when luggage had been checked through from the US airport to the final airport in Spain?

If yes, then it would correspond to what I had expected: These international passengers have to go through security at Madrid although it is in a separate security sector from the security sector for those who start their flight from Madrid - and hence the lines of passengers going through security may be shorter and faster for the OP. Correct?

 

[henrythedog]

Always worth checking the destination on the tag affixed to your bag when you check it in. That’s where you should expect to next see it and, if an international flight, take it through customs.

 

[Scudder]

Just to be sure: So that means that the OP, arriving on an international flight from the USA in Terminal T4S, has to go through a security check again for a domestic flight (in Spain) or Schengen flight departing from Terminal T4? Even when luggage had been checked through from the US airport to the final airport in Spain?

That is correct. All passengers arriving from outside Schengen will clear transit security prior to a flight within Schengen. I have always found that screening to be less crowded and hectic, and less thorough than the process when first arriving at an airport. (I think they level let me keep a bottle of water, but no promises on that)

At the risk of muddying the matter—the *vast* majority of Schengen flights leave from T4, and MAD-SCQ should conform. Very rarely, there are Schengen flights departing from T4S—a level below ex-Schengen departures. These would also be subject to transit security. There is a control in T4S, negating the need make a round trip to T4.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I'm walking the Ingles

Oops. I keep forgetting the Ingles.

 

[Kathar1na]

At the risk of muddying the matter

Tell me about ... .

Thank you, you explained it very clearly.

Some of the confusion that often arises in these discussions is due to the fact that posters write "clearing customs" and do not realise that large international airports like Madrid or Paris are organised differently from what they are used to and that passport control ("immigration") and customs control can be quite separate processes with one taking place at their transit airport and the other taking place at their final destination airport (where customs control may be barely noticeable to them).

Also, as you mentioned, that there are often several different security control areas in such airports, with even separate rules/processes depending on their flights' departure airport and destination airport.

 

[t2andreo]

I'm very familiar with MAD's T4, which Iberia and American use, but I haven't been to T1/2/3 in years.

At T4 you would go through passport control in T4S immediately upon landing, then take the train to T4. Rising from the train, you'd turn right off the escalators to go through 'Transit Security', which are separate lanes from those entering the airport from the curb.

Technically, you will not go through customs, which is a passive process, until you collect your luggage in SdC.

T4 is easy peasy if you are on Iberia, American or another One World carrier that files into T4.

Things get more "interesting" if you fly into another terminal on a non-One World carrier, and have to make a hard connection to T4. You might check the AENA website for Madrid Barajas Airport to see how inter terminal and inter airline connections are handled.

I have never had to do this. That is why I say to check with your airline.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Vacajoe]

What’s a bit confusing is that the OP asked one question and everyone started answering a bunch of other questions! Not knowing any of the OP’s plans re: airlines, separate tickets, etc, I went with the simple answer to their simple question: can I remain airside after clearing customs? To which the answer is, “no”

 

[steven mains]

What’s a bit confusing is that the OP asked one question and everyone started answering a bunch of other questions! Not knowing any of the OP’s plans re: airlines, separate tickets, etc, I went with the simple answer to their simple question: can I remain airside after clearing customs? To which the answer is, “no”

I appreciate you reading the post. I was afraid that was the answer but hoped there was a path I missed last time. Thanks again

 

[Scudder]

I suppose that begs the question:

OP, Clearing customs at a transit airport is unusual anywhere outside of the US—do you expect to clear customs in Madrid?

 

[Kathar1na]

This video describes a typical flight from the USA to Santiago de Compostela with transit in Madrid.

(I think that the flights from Madrid to Santiago depart from corridor K in zone H,J,K in terminal T4 ).

So you land in terminal TS4, go through passport control, take the train, go through a security filter, board your flight. It is as described by @Scudder in post #8. You don't go to the baggage claim hall, hence you don't go through custom lanes. Correct?

 

[steven mains]

This video describes a typical flight from the USA to Santiago de Compostela with transit in Madrid.

(I think that the flights from Madrid to Santiago depart from corridor K in zone H,J,K in terminal T4 ).

So you land in terminal TS4, go through passport control, take the train, go through a security filter, board your flight. It is as described by @Scudder in post #8. You don't go to the baggage claim hall, hence you don't go through custom lanes. Correct?

Thank you

 

[peregrina2000]

Flying to MAD from the US. After I clear customs, can I remain airside to get to my connecting flight to SdC or do I have to exit to groundside and go back through security in the Domestic Terminal? Obviously prefer to stay airside if possible. TiA

There is a separate security checkpoint for those who have arrived in T4S. You will take the train to the regular T4. Before you enter the secure part of T4, you will go through security. This is not the same huge general security at departures, but a special one just for those making connections.

What I have just described applies to those who arrive in Madrid on Iberia or an Iberia partner. Those are the airlines that use the new T4. Other airlines will arrive in T1, T2, or T3. If you are arriving in one of those terminals and transferring to a flight that leaves from T4, you will have to take the intra-airport bus and then go through security at the main T4 check- in.

 

[Kathar1na]

What’s a bit confusing is that the OP asked one question and everyone started answering a bunch of other questions! Not knowing any of the OP’s plans re: airlines, separate tickets, etc, I went with the simple answer to their simple question: can I remain airside after clearing customs? To which the answer is, “no”

You are right of course. I, as well as others, had interpreted the question and replied accordingly.

The reason is this: I have noticed that travellers from the USA write "clearing customs" but what they mean is "getting off my plane and boarding my connecting plane and what happens in between". Just in case that there are objections to my wording: This is not national stereotyping, it is an observation, and I assume that it has to do with the fact that international airports in the USA are organised differently to those in the EU in this context, i.e. it has to do with what one is accustomed to when living in a specific geographical region.

I re-read a similar description just now from a traveller on a recent flight from the US to Pamplona with a change of planes in Madrid: I cleared customs about 15-20 minutes after getting off the plane. Very fast. Found the airport tram downstairs. Took tram from T4s to T4 for domestic flight on Iberia. [...] then went to K gates [...for the flight to Pamplona]. It is obvious from this description that this traveller did not go through custom lanes. She went through passport control.

If @steven mains would not mind sharing the names of the airlines for the flight from the US to Santiago, it would be clearer to us what he meant. From the way the question had been formulated I had also assumed that it will be a flight landing in Terminal 4 (i.e. T4/T4S).

I agree: When you have passed through the customs lane / customs corridor / customs area you are "outside".

 

[steven mains]

As you know you’ll have to clear customs before switching to a domestic flight as you’ll be travelling with others who obviously don't need to clear customs on arrival.

Only next step after customs is through the one-way doors to landside.

On first arrival into Schengen you’ll have to clear immigration also.

(Edit: see below. Depends on where your bag is checked through to: I wrongly assumed Madrid)

I'm all carry-on, so no bags checked.

 

[steven mains]

You are right of course. I, as well as others, had interpreted the question and replied accordingly.

The reason is this: I have noticed that travellers from the USA write "clearing customs" but what they mean is "getting off my plane and boarding my connecting plane and what happens in between". Just in case that there are objections to my wording: This is not national stereotyping, it is an observation, and I assume that it has to do with the fact that international airports in the USA are organised differently to those in the EU in this context, i.e. it has to do with what one is accustomed to when living in a specific geographical region.

I re-read a similar description just now from a traveller on a recent flight from the US to Pamplona with a change of planes in Madrid: I cleared customs about 15-20 minutes after getting off the plane. Very fast. Found the airport tram downstairs. Took tram from T4s to T4 for domestic flight on Iberia. [...] then went to K gates [...for the flight to Pamplona]. It is obvious from this description that this traveller did not go through custom lanes. She went through passport control.

If @steven mains would not mind sharing the names of the airlines for the flight from the US to Santiago, it would be clearer to us what he meant. From the way the question had been formulated I had also assumed that it will be a flight landing in Terminal 4 (i.e. T4/T4S).

I agree: When you have passed through the customs lane / customs corridor / customs area you are "outside".

I am arriving on American Airlines, no checked bags, and flying to SdC on Air Europa.

 

[Kathar1na]

I am arriving on American Airlines, no checked bags, and flying to SdC on Air Europa.

Thank you. As nobody has reacted to this post, I will volunteer. I have just wiped some egg off my face. @Vacajoe was right, we ought to have waited for this information before replying.

As a general rule, American Airlines flights will arrive at Terminal TS4, and Air Europa flights will depart from Terminal T1 and T2. There’s a free shuttle bus that operates 24 hours a day. This is according to https://www.aireuropa.com/en-es/flight-deals-from-madrid. There is no mention of an option for a special transit channel between terminals for transit passengers at Madrid airport.

In this case, the process is likely to be like this: Arrival, passport control, leaving the terminal, taking the shuttle bus, entering the other terminal, passing through the security filter for domestic flights for all the passengers who start their journey in Madrid, departure.

The Iberia video (link above) is still useful to watch, though. All 4 figures arrive at TS4 and one of them leaves the terminal TS4/T4 eventually while the other 3 figures walk to their boarding area.

 

[Kathar1na]

Technically, you will not go through customs, which is a passive process, until you collect your luggage in SdC.

I suppose that begs the question: OP, Clearing customs at a transit airport is unusual anywhere outside of the US—do you expect to clear customs in Madrid?

I remember an epic discussion about this in the past, triggered by the question of hold luggage that is checked through to the final destination airport .

"Clearing Customs in Madrid" can mean different things to the readers of forum threads. Numerous posters understand it as the whole process it takes them from leaving their plane to getting to their connecting plane or to catching a train or bus from the airport to their next destination. Others refer specifically to hold luggage and if and where it can or must be picked up.

Strictly speaking, clearing customs is the process of declaring goods to Customs authorities when entering or leaving a country. Camino pilgrims rarely carry such goods. Such goods can be in their checked luggage or in their carry-on backpack.

European international airports often have a green lane and a red lane - the green lane is the "I have nothing to declare" lane. Simply by walking through this lane, you are making such a declaration. Customs officers are often stationed in a separate area on the side of these lanes or at the end of them. Customs controls are random and not routinely done for all international arrivals. If you have checked luggage with you and your first airport of departure was an EU airport, your luggage label has a green edge. It signals to Customs officers that this is not subject to Customs control. Passport control and Customs control are done separately.

Whether you have checked luggage or only a carry-on backpack and when you are on a flight from the USA to Santiago where you change terminals in Madrid, you are making a declaration that you have nothing to declare twice: Once during your way of walking out of the terminal in Madrid to go to another terminal for your departing flight and the second time during your way of walking out of the terminal in Santiago.

Small international EU airports may not have such lanes - just a Customs office/desk somewhere in the airport. The UK has a similar system. Interesting note (from Wikipedia): All airports in the United Kingdom operate a channel system; however, some airports do not have a red channel, instead having a red point phone which serves the same purpose.

Travelling by air

How controls operate in practice, list of international Union airports, models of labels

taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu

Zona de llegadas | Aeropuerto de Santiago | Aena

Infórmate sobre la zona de llegadas del Aeropuerto de Santiago-Rosalía de Castro. ¡Entra en la web de Aena para cualquier aclaración!

www.aena.es

 

[steven mains]

Thank you. As nobody has reacted to this post, I will volunteer. I have just wiped some egg off my face. @Vacajoe was right, we ought to have waited for this information before replying.

As a general rule, American Airlines flights will arrive at Terminal TS4, and Air Europa flights will depart from Terminal T1 and T2. There’s a free shuttle bus that operates 24 hours a day. This is according to https://www.aireuropa.com/en-es/flight-deals-from-madrid. There is no mention of an option for a special transit channel between terminals for transit passengers at Madrid airport.

In this case, the process is likely to be like this: Arrival, passport control, leaving the terminal, taking the shuttle bus, entering the other terminal, passing through the security filter for domestic flights for all the passengers who start their journey in Madrid, departure.

The Iberia video (link above) is still useful to watch, though. All 4 figures arrive at TS4 and one of them leaves the terminal TS4/T4 eventually while the other 3 figures walk to their boarding area.

Thank you