100+ Airport Words and Conversations in Spanish
El aeropuerto—the airport in Spanish—is a hotspot for travelers. It provides aircrafts a place to take off, land, and maintain, at the same time it gives passengers a place to stay before boarding and after landing. Read this article to learn the key airport vocabulary you’ll need while traveling in Latin America or Spain. This knowledge empowers you to move around the airport like a native in any Spanish-speaking country.
Let’s take off!
Airport Vocabulary in Spanish
Imagine you are about to fly to an amazing destination in a Spanish-speaking country. You are so excited to get there that you pack your bags, take a taxi to the airport and you are ready to begin your adventure. Use this vocabulary guide to navigate the airport!
La infraestructura (Infrastructure)
It’s important to learn about the infrastructure of the airport so you can have an idea of where you are and where you have to go. Let’s learn the words that are related to the layout of an airport in Spanish:
| Spanish | English |
| El aeropuerto | Airport |
| El aeropuerto nacional | National airport |
| El aeropuerto internacional | International airport |
| El aeropuerto militar | Military airport |
| La pista de despegue | Runway |
| La pista de aterrizaje | Landing track |
| El área de maniobras | Maneuver area |
| La plataforma de estacionamiento de aeronaves | Airport apron |
| La terminal del aeropuerto | Airport terminal |
| La torre de control | Control tower |
| Los servicios de salvamento | Rescue services |
| Los servicios contra incendios | Fire services |
| El hangar | Hangar |
| El rodaje/el carreteo | Taxiing |
Desde la terminal, puedes ver la pista de aterrizaje.
From the terminal, you can see the landing track.
Hay muchos hangares en el aeropuerto nacional.
There are many hangars at the national airport.
Los servicios de salvamento son importantes en caso de una emergencia.
Rescue services are important in the event of an emergency.
Some airports around the world have a massive infrastructure, with malls, hotels, and even movie theaters! But the most important thing an airport has are the aircrafts.
Los aeronaves (Aircrafts)
The two most common aircrafts at a commercial airport are commercial planes and private jets. Want to learn some common aircrafts names in Spanish? Check out the list below!
| Spanish | English |
| Las aeronaves | Aircraft |
| El avión comercial | Commercial flight |
| El Boeing 737 | Boeing 737 |
| El Airbus A380 | Airbus A380 |
| El avión de carga | Cargo plane |
| El avión militar | Military plane |
| El jet privado | Private jet |
| El avión de hélice | Propeller plane |
| El helicóptero | Helicopter |
Nuestro avión hoy es un Boeing 737.
Our plane today is a Boeing 737.
Mi papá viajó una vez en un jet privado.
My dad once traveled in a private jet.
El dueño lo mantenía guardado en el hangar del aeropuerto.
The owner kept it in storage in the airport’s hangar.
Next stop: The check-in area!
El Registro (Check-in)
While the first steps of the check-in take place at a counter, the process takes you to several places in the airport, so it is important you know some airport vocabulary related to the check-in process:
| Spanish | English |
| El mostrador de facturación | Check-in desk |
| La aerolinea | Airline |
| El mostrador de la aerolínea | Airline counter |
| El registro automático | Auto check-in |
| El tiempo de abordaje | Boarding time |
| La hora de llegada | Arrival time |
| La hora de salida | Departure time |
| El boleto de avión/El pasaje de avión | Airplane ticket |
| El boleto electrónico | e-Ticket |
| Los documentos personales | Personal documents |
| El pasaporte | Passport |
| La visa | Visa |
| La migración | Immigration |
| El oficial de migración | Immigration official |
| La seguridad del aeropuerto | Airport security |
¿Hizo un registro automático? Por favor, diríjase a la siguiente ventanilla.
Did you do an online check-in? Please go to the next window.
¡Tenga su pasaporte, su visa y sus documentos a la mano!
Have your passport, visa, and documents in hand!
El boleto electrónico le ahorra varios minutos de fila.
The e-ticket saves you several minutes in line.
El oficial de migración fue amable conmigo.
The immigration officer was kind to me.
It’s time to begin the boarding process!
El Abordaje (Boarding)
Whether you have to wait for hours, or just a matter of minutes before boarding your plane, the following list contains all the airport words you need:
| Spanish | English |
| La puerta | Gate |
| El abordaje | Boarding |
| Abordar | To board |
| El pasaje aéreo | Airfare |
| El pase de abordaje | Boarding pass |
| La balanza | Scales |
| Pesar | To weight |
| El equipaje | Baggage |
| El equipaje de mano | Hand baggage/Carry-on |
| El maletín | Briefcase |
| La bolsa de mano | Handbag |
| La mochila | Backpack |
| La recepción de equipaje | Baggage reception |
| El límite de equipaje | Baggage allowance |
| El exceso de equipaje | Excess baggage |
| El cargo por exceso de equipaje | Excess baggage charge |
| El salón de espera | Departure lounge |
| El horario | Timetable |
It took a while but you are finally ready to take flight! Have your pasaporte, pase de abordaje, and equipaje de mano ready!
El vuelo (Flight)
While you wait for the plane to take off, you can practice these airport vocabulary words in Spanish:
| Spanish | English |
| El vuelo | Flight |
| A tiempo | On-time |
| Atrasado/Demorado | Delay |
| Sobrevendido | Overbooked |
| El vuelo doméstico | Domestic flight |
| El vuelo internacional | International flight |
| El vuelo comercial | Commercial flight |
| El vuelo privado | Private flight |
| El vuelo directo | Direct flight |
| La escala | Layover |
| El despegue | Take-off |
| La turbulencia | Turbulence |
| El control de tráfico aéreo | Air traffic control |
| El vuelo de conexión | Connecting flight |
| La transferencia de aeropuerto | Airport transfer |
| El número de vuelo | Flight number |
| El vuelo de ida | One way trip |
| El vuelo de ida y vuelta | Round trip |
The most common asked question when you get to your destination is, “How was your flight?” Here are some phrases you can use to describe it:
¡Fue un vuelo muy turbulento!
It was a really bumpy flight!
La aerolínea sobrevendió el vuelo, ¡así que venía muy lleno!
The airline overbooked the flight, so it was packed!
Fue un vuelo rápido y tranquilo.
It was a quick and calm flight.
El Avión (Plane)
It’s helpful to learn basic words about the plane because you never know where those words might be useful!
| Spanish | English |
| El avión | Airplane/Plane |
| La cabina | Cabin |
| La cabina del piloto | Cockpit |
| La clase ejecutiva | Business class |
| La primera clase | First class |
| La clase económica | Economy class |
| El pasillo | Aisle |
| La fila | Row |
| El asiento de pasillo | Aisle seat |
| El asiento de ventanilla | Windows seat |
| El compartimiento de arriba | Overhead compartment |
| El cinturón de seguridad | Seatbelt |
| Las salidas de emergencia | Emergency exits |
| Los chalecos salvavidas | Life vest |
| La máscara de oxígeno | Oxygen mask |
| El pasajero/la pasajera | Passenger |
| Los animales vivos en bodega | Animals in hold |
| El compartimiento de equipaje | Baggage compartment |
La Tripulación (Crew)
The airplane crew are the people responsible for your flight who do their best to keep you safe and comfortable.
| Spanish | English |
| La tripulación | Crew |
| El capitán/La capitana | Captain |
| El/La piloto | Pilot |
| El/La co-piloto | Co-pilot |
| El/La auxiliar de vuelo | Flight attendant |
La Llegada (Arrival)
Finally, at the end of the trip, a flight attendant announces:
Hemos llegado a nuestro destino.
We have reached our destination.
It’s time to prepare for arrival.
| Spanish | English |
| La llegada | Arrival |
| El aterrizaje | Touch-down |
| El destino final | Final destination |
| La recogida de equipaje | Baggage claim |
| El carrusel de equipaje | Baggage carousel |
| La aduana del aeropuerto | Airport customs |
| El funcionario de aduana | Customs officer |
| Libre de impuestos | Duty free |
| El aterrizaje de emergencia | Emergency landing |
| El transporte del aeropuerto | Airport shuttle |
¿Dónde puedo recoger mi equipaje?
Where can I pick up my baggage?
El funcionario de aduana me dijo que lo que traje está libre de impuestos.
The customs officer told me what I brought was duty free.
Puedes recoger tu equipaje en el carrusel de equipaje.
You can claim your baggage in the baggage carousel.
Well done! You reached your destination! You not only learned about the airport in Spanish—and a lot of new airport vocabulary!
Make your Spanish Take-off!
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