Frankfurt Airport

[Princess Calee]

My husband and I are trying to find a Fast Track way of getting through security faster at the Frankfurt Airport.  Any information would be of great benefit!  Last time we were in this airport we missed our flight due to a two hour line.  Thanks for your help!

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, Princess Calee said:

My husband and I are trying to find a Fast Track way of getting through security faster at the Frankfurt Airport.  Any information would be of great benefit!  Last time we were in this airport we missed our flight due to a two hour line.  Thanks for your help!

 

 

I used to travel through FRA frequently on business, and it was always very quick - so very different from your experience. 

 

But this appears to be a free option: https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/check-in-and-luggage/fra-smartway.html

[Princess Calee]

Thanks fruitmachine.  I will check this information out.  I appreciate you replying so quickly!

[CDNPolar]

We have always found that Frankfurt and Munich are unpredictable and can have very long lines if this is your first Schengen landing point.  We always ensure that we have at least a 2.5 hour connection time in Frankfurt, and that is hoping that our flight arrives on time and we actually have 2.5 hours to connect.  We have been in 2 hour lines before.

[CDNPolar]

The other thing we have learned, is no matter how tempting it is to shop or stop and get a snack, proceed directly to your gate, get through passport control first, because you never know.

[CruiserBruce]

Busy periods at FRA focus around the heavy international arrival period between about 7am and 11am. Not as busy the rest of the day. We have made 45 minute connections at FRA (due to 60 minute late arrival, due to the Asiana crash at SFO), but have also seen the hour plus Passport check lines.

 

My experience with MUC is that it is one of the best designed and easy to use airports in Europe. Have never stood in line more than about 20 minutes there.

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

The other thing we have learned, is no matter how tempting it is to shop or stop and get a snack, proceed directly to your gate, get through passport control first, because you never know.

 

That pretty much applies to any time and any airport where you are facing immigration and/or security lines.

 

 

[CDNPolar]

17 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

That pretty much applies to any time and any airport where you are facing immigration and/or security lines.

 

 

 

Especially if you are not familiar with the airport.

 

I fly frequently through Heathrow, and sometimes on the way home (and opposite on the way there)  land in Terminal 3 but connecting out of Terminal 5.  First of all, most of the time my inbound to Heathrow is disembark to the tarmac and bussed to T3.  Then you have to transit by train to T5.   Then you have security to enter the T5 terminal.

 

Now it is tempting to go to BA's North Lounge immediately and hope that your flight will go from A or B which is easily accessible from the North Lounge, BUT, if they fool you - which they do often - and have you departing from "C", then you need 30 minutes just to get there...

 

The moral of the story is always anticipate the time to transit, especially if you don't know the airport.

 

I am also always surprised at every checkpoint - Immigration, Passport Control, Security, or at the boarding gate - the number of people that are surprised and digging in their bag for either a Passport or Boarding Pass.  YES, they want to see your passport again.  Have it ready.

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

I am also always surprised at every checkpoint - Immigration, Passport Control, Security, or at the boarding gate - the number of people that are surprised and digging in their bag for either a Passport or Boarding Pass.  YES, they want to see your passport again.  Have it ready.

 

And folks forget to have your BP available at the aircraft door.  Many airlines do another check before you step onboard.

 

The PP and BP go into the bag -- AFTER I am at my seat.

 

 

[Globaliser]

On 9/30/2023 at 8:30 AM, CDNPolar said:

Now it is tempting to go to BA's North Lounge immediately and hope that your flight will go from A or B which is easily accessible from the North Lounge, BUT, if they fool you - which they do often - and have you departing from "C", then you need 30 minutes just to get there...

 

But once you're in the north lounge, it takes almost exactly as long to get to B gates as it does to C gates. Almost everyone will take the transit from the main building (where the A gates are). Once you're on the transit, it's about 90 seconds extra to get from the B gates station to the C gates station. (You also don't need 30 minutes to get to a C gate, but those who don't know a particular terminal well may want to give themselves a bit of margin.)

 

If you're "fooled" by an announced gate allocation, it's almost always only because you've been guessing without information. Gate allocations can change until quite close to departure time, which is why the policy is not to announce them until they're confirmed.

 

Anyway, all of this is a long way from FRA.