The Spain city of Bilbao is served by the Bilbao airport. The airport is located twelve or nine kilometers or miles respectively from the Biscay capital. The airport has the capacity to serve close to 4 million passengers on an annual basis. The airport operates flights to various European countries and Ireland. The airport is linked to the surrounding areas by a number of well networked highways. The AP 68 and A8 highways particularly link up to provide fast and relatively easy access to various areas of the Spaniard country. Bilbao city is located at an estimated twenty minutes away from the airport.
The Bilbao airport was built in 1934. Initially the airport was mainly used to serve military purposes but converted to serve civilians in the 1940′s. From the 60, going into the 1990′s the airport underwent expansions and extensions of its runways and other facilities. In the 1980′s cargo planes increased in number plying to and from the airport and eventually a cargo terminus was included in the airport. The 1990′s saw the airport undergo major transformation mainly aimed at making it a more modern airport and upgrading the service facilities availed by the airport.
A number of information desks are available at the airport to serve tourists and solve any airport related queries. The airport houses eight Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which make it easy for the travelers to access their money. Forex exchange services are offered at the airport’s currency exchange booth. Located beside the check in terminal of the airport are a number of retail store outlets including Boutiques selling clothes, Aeroshops among many other shops. There are a number of restaurants and cafes found within the airport. The eating establishments are mostly located around the Zona Pública area of the airport. Some of the eating establishments found within the airport are Restaurate Gernika and Cafeteria Derio.
The airport has a VIP lounge that caterers for business related requirements and provides highly efficient telecommunication services. The airport has a luggage claims hall, run by tourist operators, which makes it easy to locate lost luggage. There are several counters within the airport catered for car hire services. The airport’s General Lot and Express lots provide parking spaces for cars with a capacity capable of holding three thousand cars whether on short or long term.
To access Bilbao from the airport, public buses can be found at the airport and they go to the Termibús at the south West side of Bilbao. Commercial shuttles, rent-a-car services and taxis are also other ways to access the rest of Spain from the airport.