Palma de Mallorca Airport is a famous airport in Spain which is located 8 Km east of Palma de Mallorca. The Son Sant Joan airport, another name of Palma Airport, is the 3rd largest airport in Spain. Many airlines such as the Spanish carrier Air Europa and German Carrier Air Berlin use it as their main base.
Palma Airport comprises 4 terminals i.e. A, B, C, and D. Among these terminals, A is for domestic flights while other terminals serve international flights. The airport can handle almost 25 million passengers annually. However, authorities have the plan to extend its capacity to 32 million passengers per year.
Arrivals at Palma Airport
Follow the steps below when you arrive at the airport:
Airport Arrivals
After disembarking the plane, follow the signs to baggage claims and passport control. The arrivals area is situated on the ground floor of the terminal.
Immigration and Passports
You will have to go through Passport Control if you don’t belong to the Schengen area. For further information about immigration and passport, you can visit the European Union and Cooperation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sites.
Baggage Reclaim
After leaving the plane, you will find different signs to the baggage reclaim hall. The airport contains nineteen baggage reclaim carousels. Look at the screens for baggage reclaim information. So directly go to the baggage reclaim carousel which has been assigned to you by following the signs.
If your luggage is damaged or lost, go to the handling agent or the desk of your airline for help.
Customs
It is very essential to declare carrying goods at customs if you are coming from a non-European Union country. For example, must-declared products are high-value electronics, food, cash over 10,000 euros, etc. If you are not sure whether to declare a product or not, you should ask at customs.
Shops and Restaurants
For refreshments, the airport offers plenty of restaurants and a cafeteria such as Deli & Cia. Restaurante Sa Cala, etc. Similarly, if you want to pick up some gifts or to some shopping, you will find many shops in the arrival lobby.
Banking Services & Hiring a Car
The airport offers a cash machine in the arrival lobby and two machines in the baggage reclaim hall. So you can take out money if you need it.
Similarly, if you want to hire a car, you can visit the car hire desks in the arrivals lobby. So you can hire a car according to your own need.
The airport is quite accessible because it is only 8 km from the city. Therefore, it reduces your hustle of getting to your hotel from the airport. Public transport is readily available in the form of taxis and buses from the airport to the main city. If you don’t want to use public transport, you can utilize the rent-a-car services available at Palma Airport.
Departures from Palma Airport
You usually pass through from following steps when departing:
Check-in Desks
The departing area is situated on the 2nd floor of the terminal. You can find different check-in desks distributed by zones and desks. The zones are from A to F and numbers are from 1 to 204.
Look at the screen on which desk has been assigned to your flight. So you can go to the desk by looking at the desk information on the screen.
It is always good to arrive at the airport before time to avoid unexpected problems. Here is the general rule for arrival:
- Domestic and Schengen Flights: Come at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Non-Schengen flights: Arrive at the airport 3 hours before the departing time.
Automatic Check-in Machines
Some airlines offer automatic check-in machines service to check-in and print boarding pass. You will find these machines besides check-in counters.
Online Check-in
Almost all airlines provide the facility to check-in online on the site before leaving for the airport. When checking-in, you will get your boarding pass. If you are only traveling with carry-on luggage, you can proceed directly to the security checkpoints with the boarding pass.
Don’t forget to bring all your travel documents such as boarding pass, e-ticket, etc. Because some airlines charge for reissuing boarding pass at the airport.
Mobile Check-in Online
You can receive boarding pass on your cellphones via SMS, mobile apps, or email. The airport security checkpoints contain code readers for reading the codes sent by the cellphone carrier.
Security Checks
All passengers need to pass through a metal detector arch when accessing boarding areas at the security checkpoints. Similarly, their luggage and other objects such as cellphones, keys, etc. also undergo X-ray inspection.
Passengers need to show their boarding pass at the security checkpoints. After the scanning process, they have to place their luggage in the special trays. The airport also provides Fast Lane services to its preferential passengers. However, you will have to purchase the fast lane ticket if you want to use that.
Passport Control
If you are leaving for a non-Schengen country, you will have to pass through document control. Passport is the basic travel document. Some other important documents include visa, vaccination certificate, and National ID card. You can ask the airline company about these documents.
Boarding
It takes place in 4 different modules from A to D on different floors. Module A is located on floor 0 and 1. You will find the B module on floor 0. However, Module C and D are on floor 1.
After passing through the security checkpoints, look at the screens for your boarding gate carefully. You can go to the boarding gate by following different signs at the airport. At the boarding gate, you will have to prove your identity by showing your documentations. You can ask about valid documentation from your airline that will be acceptable by their personnel.
Items Not Allowed in Hand Luggage
You must be familiar with the items that are not allowed at Palma de Mallorca Airport. Here are some important items you shouldn’t take along with you into the restricted area:
- Weapons and firearms. For traveling with arms, you need to have authorization.
- Objects with a cutting edge.
- Blunt object.
- Explosive and incendiary substances.
- Devices that fire projectiles.
- Chemical and other toxic substances.
You can take a limited quantity of Liquid, aerosols, and gels when passing through the security checkpoints in EU airports. You can bring electrical and electronic devices. But you need to put them into separate trays for X-ray scanning at the security checkpoints.
Final Words
Whether you are arriving or departing from the Palma de Mallorca Airport, the process is very simple. You will find all information on the screen of the airport. Plus, there are plenty of useful symbols that help you to reach your destination. Besides, you will find a lot of restaurants and cafeterias for buying drinks and food. You can purchase the perfect gift, books, accessories, and whatever you want!