Bilbao Airport

On 19th November 2000 during the inauguration of La Paloma, the Bilbao International Airport, architect Santiago CALATRAVA announced that the new terminal was “a message of love to Baskland”.

White and very expressive, Bilbao International Airport is a gigantic three storey block of steel and glass with a sharp silhouette expressing the idea of flight and the leap that the metropolitan area had begun to take.

At a cost of €90 million, the complex consists of the terminal and a 3,000 vehicle car park, concealed beneath a grassy slope. The 7,000 sq. m. departure lounge handles up to 3,000 passengers at peak times and four million per year, figures which make the old terminal at Sondika look even smaller.

In a few short years, the influx of passengers to Bilbao has multiplied, requiring an enlargement of the airport to increase capacity to eight million passengers. New aircraft parking bays and a new general services building, along a new passport control area and a new electrical power station are all to be built.

With the addition of new two docks at the sides of the Terminal, the airport will gain 25,000 sq. m. of usable space, allowing for 5 new fingers, 4 remote controlled access doors, 12 check-in disks, 3 automatic check-in points and 2 more baggage conveyor belts. The shopping area, office space and security filters will also grow, while the airport waiting area will be enclosed. Furthermore, the project designed by architect Oscar CASELLES, includes a new car park with 3,500 parking spaces, effectively increasing parking capacity by well over 100%, and the installation of the modern International Landing System (ILS) which will reduce delays due to poor visibility.