Question 1

Which terminal do I use at Bilbao Airport?

Accepted Answer

There is only one. Aena’s official airline list tags the carriers serving Bilbao with the same letter, “T” (four show only a dash, none names a second terminal) — so the terminal on your boarding pass is never a choice to make.

Question 2

How early should I get to Bilbao Airport?

Accepted Answer

Aena recommends an hour and a half before a Schengen flight and three hours before a non-Schengen one. The terminal opens its doors at 4:45 and closes at midnight, every day — check-in desks are on the upper floor, split into desks 1–9 and counters 10–18.

Question 3

How do I get from Bilbao Airport into the city without a car?

Accepted Answer

Bizkaibus line A3247 runs every 15 minutes between the airport and Bilbao’s Termibus station, with stops at Gran Vía 79, Plaza Moyua and Alameda Recalde; there is a ticket desk in Arrivals where the BARIK transit card can also be topped up. There is no train or tram option — Aena’s own “Getting there” menu only lists car, bus, taxi and ride-hailing apps.

Question 4

Can I take a bus from Bilbao Airport to San Sebastián or Vitoria-Gasteiz?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on separate lines. Lurraldebus DO04 runs hourly to Donostia/San Sebastián via Zarautz, folded into the MUGI transit card since March; Autobuses La Unión’s A3720 is a newer route straight to Vitoria-Gasteiz, though Aena has not yet published its timetable online.

Question 5

Where do Uber and Cabify pick up at Bilbao Airport?

Accepted Answer

Both apps send you to the same spot: the P1 general car park. Request the ride after you land, then walk over to meet the driver — there is no separate rank for either service.

Question 6

Do I need to book Bilbao’s VIP lounges in advance?

Accepted Answer

You buy access online, always through Aena’s official channels, and the pass stays valid for up to three months from purchase — but the stay itself is capped at three hours immediately before your flight. Nervión (floor 2) and Urdaibai (floor 3) run the same hours, 05:30 to 22:30, and the same terms.

Bilbao, Basque Country

BIO questions travelers actually ask