When it comes to airport architecture, concourses and terminals are terms that we often hear. These terms are sometimes used almost interchangeably, but is this strictly correct? Let's examine the differences between these two structures.
Terminal boundaries
An airport terminal is typically more of an all-encompassing facility than a concourse. Indeed, these structures generally consist of the buildings where passengers and crew pass through the necessary checkpoints that allow them to make their way from an airport's ground transportation to its boarding gates.
The boundary for this is fairly clear-cut in terms of road transport, although the line can become a little more blurred when arriving by rail. Germany's Frankfurt Airport (FRA), for example, has two different railway stations.
While the long-distance Fernbahnhof is situated adjacent to Terminal 1 at FRA, the local Regionalbahnhof is located almost directly underneath its arrivals area. As such, we can see that the boundary between ground transport and terminals can be both vertical and horizontal. Furthermore, many airports have multiple terminals.
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All-in-one, or more than one?
Larger airports often have multiple terminals to sufficiently accommodate a given day's aircraft and their passengers. The aforementioned Frankfurt Airport has two, with New York JFK boasting as many as six! London Heathrow had five, although the site of Terminal 1 is now being used to extend the new Terminal 2.
On the other hand, smaller airports can have just one terminal building. These facilities are particularly all-encompassing, as they must offer all of an airport's services under one roof. In extreme cases, this can mean checking in and passing through security just minutes away from your boarding gate.
Speaking as someone who once went from plane to train in 10 minutes at London Southend, this condensed layout can also be beneficial when arriving at a small airport! That being said, large airports can be one-terminal affairs too.
Indeed, the new Istanbul Airport is currently operating just one terminal. However, this is none other than the world's largest terminal building under a single roof! This particular terminal features five concourses, but what are these?
Diving deeper
Terminals are all-encompassing facilities, while concourses are more specific structures. The term refers to the area of a terminal with its boarding gates. At larger terminals, these often protrude from the main building, as seen below.
Multiple concourses can be particularly useful in EU airports. Having a concourse for non-Schengen passengers saves having passport control at every concourse. This would otherwise be a waste of resources, given that many European countries are part of the Schengen zone, in which passports are not necessary for international travel between member states for citizens of these countries.
While some terminals have their concourses attached, others are situated further away from the building. Known as satellite concourses, these are accessed by walkways or light-rail systems. Examples can be found at airports such as London Heathrow, whose satellite concourses are designated as Terminals 5B and 5C. Madrid Barajas Airport has a similar setup, and designates its satellite as 4S.
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Plan ahead
Altogether, there is plenty to consider when transferring between airport facilities. Always give yourself extra time - as you could be in for a big surprise, as the following video points out!
Plenty of work has gone into renovating and expanding terminals and concourses in this post-pandemic era. There has even been some out-of-the-box thinking. For instance, Seattle-Tacoma International sought a creative artist to decorate its Concourse C. On the other side of the US, New York JFK recently broke ground on a new Terminal 6.
With millions of dollars going into these programs, we can expect plenty of new-look buildings in this next chapter. Thanks to this guide, you may be able to tell the difference between the terminals and concourses!
What's the most impressive airport terminal that you've ever passed through? Do you prefer larger or smaller structures? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!