The new Bilbao Airport, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, was inaugurated in 1999 in Loiu, 12 km far from Bizkaia's capital. It has three floors built on iron and glass and resembles a dove beginning its flight. Passengers enter a bright 7,000 square metre-hall hosting the 36 check-in desks. The mezzanine floor holds departing and arriving travellers and the ground floor holds the arrival hall with seven baggage belts.
The airport owns a car park for 3,000 vehicles disguised under a hill. The passenger terminal is 32,000 square kilometres wide and its capacity is four million passengers a year and 3,000 passengers at rush hour. Moreover, the airport has two runways, two parking platforms for 24 planes, maintenance and repairing works hangar for small planes and helicopters, general aviation area, one aeroclub and private hangars.
The airport has its propria tourist office.
Information of interest
Carretera Asua-Erletxe
- 48180
Loiu
12 km. from Bilbao, 103 km. from Donostia-San Sebastián, 74 km. from Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Additional information