May Waits Stable, But Peaks Reached 90 Minutes
Security queues at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) remained stable in May 2026, with the overall average wait time holding steady at 6 minutes, showing no change from April. While this figure suggests a smooth experience for most, our data reveals that averages don’t tell the full story. The reality for travellers during peak periods was quite different, with typical daily peak waits reaching 22 minutes. On at least one occasion, a passenger experienced an exceptionally long wait of 90 minutes to get through security screening.
Despite these significant peaks, the vast majority of travellers moved through quickly. An impressive 99% of passengers navigated security in under 15 minutes, indicating that long queues were the exception rather than the rule. The busiest single day of the month was Monday, 18 May, which saw an average wait time of 7 minutes.
Terminal 2 Proves the Quicker Option
When comparing the airport’s two terminals, a clear difference emerged in May. Terminal 2 consistently offered a faster journey through security. Travellers departing from Terminal 2 experienced shorter queues on average and faced lower peak times.
- Terminal 1: The average wait was 7 minutes, with a peak wait recorded at 31 minutes.
- Terminal 2: The average wait was just 5 minutes, and the maximum wait was lower at 27 minutes.
Navigating the Busiest Days and Hours
Analysis of weekly patterns shows that the start of the week was the most congested time to travel. Mondays were the busiest, with an average wait of 7 minutes, while Tuesdays were the quietest day of the week, with waits averaging 6 minutes.
On an hourly basis, the busiest period occurred during an early morning rush at 2 am, when the average wait climbed to 8 minutes. Queues were shortest during the early evening, dropping to a 5-minute average between 7 pm and 9 pm. Another quiet slot appeared at 6 am, which also saw an average wait of just 5 minutes.
Traveller Tip
For the quickest journey through Berlin Brandenburg security, our May data suggests booking a flight on a Tuesday. To further minimise your time in the queue, aim to pass through security either early in the morning around 6 am or during the evening window between 7 pm and 9 pm.