Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) Flights & Flight Status

Frankfurt Airport is Germany’s busiest by passenger numbers. It’s an unattractive, sprawling and confusing airport that can be made easier to navigate with proper preparation. The main hub for Lufthansa, Germany’s flagship airline, it’s renowned for long queues. With just shy of 60 million passengers passing through its gates in 2023, it’s easy to understand why.

Frankfurt is a crossroads between Europe and the world and its airport a vital connecting point for travel. It is incredibly well served. Its 79 airlines fly direct to around 330 destinations across five continents, giving it more direct connections than any other airport in the world.

Flying into Frankfurt Airport

If you’re flying Lufthansa, the airport’s biggest operator, or any Star Alliance airline you’ll arrive at Terminal 1. Terminal 2 is the domain of the oneworld alliance – American Airways, British Airways, Delta, etc. It's smaller and quicker to navigate than Terminal 1.

If you’re arriving from within the Schengen area you won’t need to pass through immigration and customs to enter Germany. Nor will you need to for transfers between Non-Schengen areas. If you’re arriving into Germany from a Non-Schengen area, like the US, expect lengthy queues at immigration and passport control. Give yourself at least 90 minutes to make onward connections.

It’s not uncommon to be greeted off the air bridge by unsmiling policemen, complete with sniffer dogs, for a passport spot check. From my experience this is most common with flights from Asia, so it’s wise to have your passport to hand from the moment you deboard. Even if you’re subject to such a check, you’ll still need to go through passport control.

Baggage collection is a sore point. One quirk is that from certain gates you’ll need to cross through the departure hall to get to baggage claim. Poorly signposted, this has more than once left me wondering where to go, although it does make it easy to pick up a quick snack or drink. Luckily, being late won’t matter, as Frankfurt is famed for its lengthy baggage wait.

In the many times I’ve passed through, I’ve never got my bags sooner than 40 minutes after arriving at the belt. Usually, it’s longer. More than once my bags have been delivered to the wrong belt entirely. The last time they took several hours to track down, resulting in a missed train and expensive new ticket. If you’re taking onward public transport, it’s worth booking flexible tickets where available, in case you do get delayed.

Traveling to and from Frankfurt and beyond

One reason many travelers are willing to overlook Frankfurt Airport’s problems is because it’s so easy to get to and from. And not just by air. It’s well served by rail, road and bus, and many hotels in the area offer guests free shuttle buses.

It has two train stations, both at Terminal 1. The Airport Regional Railway Station (Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbahnhof) connects to the metro and regional S-Bahn trains. The S8 and S9 trains go directly into Frankfurt city center or central train station in around 15 minutes. The Airport Long Distance Railway Station (Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof) connects to the national network and intercity express ICE trains.

You can buy tickets from machines at the station and on the platforms. All have an English language option. Although the train is my preferred way in and out of the airport, a word of warning. The Deutsche Bahn is in a pretty terrible state at the moment and delays and cancellations are commonplace. It’s wise to have a contingency plan, should the worst happen.

If you’re flying with Lufthansa, its excellent Express Rail service combines rail and plane tickets. This not only means your journey is insured against delays, but you can also drop your bags mere steps from the station. This saves you dragging them around and fighting lengthy check-in queues in departures. Check in advance as at time of writing the bag drop is closed for refurbishment.

The Airport Bus runs regular services between the airport and Frankfurt, Schwanheim and Darmstadt. You can also take long distance buses across Europe with services like Flixbus. Most services leave from Terminal 1. Driving in and out is easy with the well connected A3 and A5 freeways close by and the usual car rental options available at both terminals.

Navigating check in, bag drop and security

It’s a poor first impression. While the analog departure boards are mesmerizing, they’re not intuitive. General signposting to check in and security is inconsistent – especially from train to terminals. Terminal 1 serves concourses A, B, C and Z, while Terminal 2 serves concourses D and E. Each concourse sign is color coded – identifying the one you want will make it easier to find as you navigate through the airport.

Check in and bag drop is all about preparation and patience. Queues for different airlines regularly grow so long they actually intersect each other. Expect stressed families, fevered time checking and general travel distress. Give yourself at least an hour and if you’re traveling in peak seasons, two hours to be safe.

As you can also expect to queue at immigration and security, it’s wise to come prepared. Bring snacks and drinks, as cafés are expensive. If you’re traveling with kids, have plenty of things ready to entertain them. Download movies and games and bring books to pass the time. I find headphones really help block out much of the hustle and bustle.

Immigration and security tell a similar story, although I’ve been lucky and have never waited more than 45 minutes. This area in particular is a primary factor in the airport’s abysmal 1.2 rating on Trustpilot. Security checks are slow and passport booths often closed. Ground staff have a reputation for being surly. The airport’s status as a primary connecting point to the world means there’s often a heavy police presence, which can feel intimidating.

My advice is to take only carry-on bags if you can, and check in online to avoid the queues before security and immigration. Be ready for security – know the regulations and have the things you’ll need to unpack (electronics and liquids) easily accessible. Always double check you’re in the right queue and despite their reputation, don’t be afraid to ask staff if you’re unsure. They all speak English.

Terminals and SkyLine

Alongside its two main terminals, Frankfurt has a small First Class Terminal for exclusive Lufthansa use. There’s a third main terminal under construction, slated to open in 2025. T1 and T2 are connected by a dedicated SkyLine shuttle, a regular free train that takes around four minutes between terminals. It will be extended to connect to T3 once opened, connecting them all seamlessly.

If you’re planning to eat, shop or stay at the airport, consider instead heading to The Squaire, easily accessible landside just outside T1. A huge, extraordinary glass box (its name a pseudo portmanteau of ‘square’ and ‘air’), it’s home to luxury hotels, shopping malls and excellent restaurants.

Traveling through Terminal 1 airside

The original terminal is split into three levels – departures, arrivals and baggage claim, and transport connections top to bottom. Schengen flights use gates A and B1 to B19. Non-Schengen flights use gates Z, C and B20 to B63. Access to different concourses and gates can be confusing. If you’re confronted with a long line, check you’re in the right place rather than finding out you’re not after an hour queueing.

There’s plenty of high-end shopping, duty free and all the usual fast food outlets. There’s also quite a strong German flavor running through things. The excellent Haussman’s restaurant and bar; the Goethe cafe complete with larger-than-life statue of the Frankfurt-born writer lounging around, almost like he’s waiting for his flight.

This theme continues in the shops, from the Porsche Design store to the discover GERMANY store selling everything from bratwurst to lederhosen. If you have time to burn, there’s a cheap two-hour behind-the-scenes Airport Experience Tour.

To find solace from the crowds, I love the rooftop deck above gate B42 with its airfield views. It even has a telescope – great for a bit of plane spotting. Expect a multitude of smokers grabbing a last nicotine hit before their flights.

Traveling through Terminal 2 airside

Newer and smaller than T1, Terminal 2 has fewer facilities. There are bakeries but the only real restaurants are hearty German food at Ludwigs or Japanese noodles at MoschMosch. Both are fine. The scattering of shops covers the usual from duty free to luxury brands.

If you’re flying out of T2, aim for a daytime flight. I’ve found that from 7pm, places start to close. By 9pm or 10pm, the terminal becomes something of a ghost town populated only by listless passengers.

Airport lounges

There’s no shortage of airline and public lounges across both terminals. The best, understandably, are Lufthansa’s First and Business Class lounges, also available to Star Alliance members. The Business Class lounges were remodeled in 2023 and are bright and comfy with great food and drinks.

If you’re not an alliance member, you can buy passes to several public lounges. In Terminal 1, I’d choose the LUXX Lounge. In Terminal 2, the Primeclass Lounge is very well done and a good value alternative to those otherwise stark dining options.