After operating for 72 as the Berlin’s main airport, Tegel closed its doors in November 2020. Although it was quickly reachable from the city, very quick boarding - with gates almost in front of the entry and very little to walk compared to newer airports, it was time for a change. The airport was extremely outdated and couldn’t handle the ever increasing number of tourists coming to Berlin every year.

Built in 1948, the airport like the rest of the city and its other airports, has an amazing history. It was built as a response of the Soviet blockade and thousands of volunteers helped building the airport, managing to open it after only 90 days. Located in the former French sector, it served as one of the airports in the Berlin airlift and later became a civilian airport, with the first commercial flight from operated by Air France flying in 1960. It then became West Berlins main airport.

The architecture of the new building opened in 1974 was very innovative for its time. Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal"‘s hexagonal shape without a central transit zone, would allow passengers to access their boarding gate in a matter of minutes. The ‘drive through’ airport was very innovative for its time, and the lay-out later copied and improved for many more modern airports.

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, air traffic to Berlin and Tegel increased massively, and a new, larger airport was necessary. Supposed to close when the new BER would open in 2012, the airport remained in activity since the latest faced several delays.