Berlin Tegel Airport baggage claim

[Earline]

Last time I landed at Tegel, my friend who was meeting me told me not to come through the exit gates until I had my luggage. Since I was accustomed to picking up my luggage AFTER I went through a gate, I didn't do it because I had too many things on my mind (is that a good enough excuse???).

So this time I decided I would get a map of the airport and find the baggage claim -- but it is well-hidden and I still can't see where I should pick up my suitcase.

Can somebody clue me in? It would be appreciated.

 

[Andrew]

Just so everyone knows, you're talking about Berlin. I've arrived there once, and I think a lot of it would depend on what section of the airport your flight will use: Map . I think if you arrive at the A gates in the main hexagon, there's a baggage claim adjacent to each gate. It may be different at the other gates, but maybe others with more experience can answer.

 

[Earline]

Thanks for the info, Andrew. I printed the map and still couldn't find the baggage claim. There is an icon for it, but nowhere does it show up. So I'm glad to hear that the baggage claim in adjacent to each gate. I wonder how I missed that before?!? I don't know which gate I'm arriving at -- my ticket only tells me the flight number.

 

[joe]

This might help you, and according to various comments, there's usually a long wait for the baggage (small airport, lots of people) :
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...age_Claim_at_Berlin_Tegel_Airport-Berlin.html
It seems that the baggage claim belts are so close to the gates, that some just walk right by them, expecting to find them in a more central part of the airport. By then they have passed security and have problems going back.

 

[Earline]

Thanks for the input, Joe. I read some of the comments you noted in your post and, in a way, it's good to see I'm not the only one with my head in the clouds! Last time when I had to pick up my bag I was fortunate that my friend who met me had been through the same thing, so she knew how to go directly to the building.

 

[Andrew]

You can see on the airport site which terminal or gates the airline you're flying used today: it looks like Lufthansa and partners use Terminal A, which has baggage claim next to the gates.

 

[Earline]

I'm flying United. Do they go there, too?

 

[joe]

https://www.ifly.com/berlin-airport/airlines-served

According to this, United uses A.

 

[Earline]

OK. Thanks Joe. One less thing I have to worry about!

 

[Andrew]

The difference being that on United from the U.S. you also have passport control. It would be unusual to have baggage claim before passport control, and I don't know how it is there, but try to see that you aren't going past baggage claim.

 

[joe]

From what I read, you go through passport control first, and directly after is the baggage claim.