Cold War-era Berlin Tegel airport closes its doors after 60 years
Sunday is a sad day for many Berliners.
The city's historic Cold War-era airport, Tegel (TXL), shuts its doors for good with a final Air France departure at 3 p.m. local time. Long-delayed Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which opened on Oct. 31, will handle all flights to and from the German capital.
The closure of Tegel is bittersweet to many locals. Despite a terminal that often felt like a 1970s time capsule, a majority of Berliners voted to keep the airport open in a non-binding referendum in 2017. Many loved the proximity of the airfield less than six miles from the Reichstag whereas Brandenburg, despite its modernity, lies nearly 19 miles distant.
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"I've flown from Tegel many times since the Wall came down, and it feels like an era is coming to an end," East Berliner Rolf Schneider told NPR of the closure on Nov. 6.
Tegel was built as a military airfield during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. More than a decade later in 1960, Air France operated the airport's first commercial passenger flight -- hence the French carrier operating the last flight out -- at what would become West Berlin's main airport during the Cold War.
The airport's iconic hexagonal terminal designed by Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg opened in 1974. With West German carrier Lufthansa barred from serving Berlin, Tegel became the main base of Pan Am's Internal German Service as well as British Airways' German services.
Related: Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport finally opens after a decade of delays
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Lufthansa began flights to Berlin in 1990 after post-World War II restrictions were lifted. It acquired aircraft and gates from Pan Am to rapidly expand service at Tegel.
Since 1974, Tegel's hexagonal terminal has remained the beating heart of the airport. The shape was very much of its era: designed to shorten the distance from aircraft to curbside, according to the magazine Bauen + Wohnen in 1976. The feel was both brutalist and modern, with hexagonal space-frame structure in the landside corridors of the building.
But the design did not take into account either the security needs or aircraft size of the 21st century. Air Berlin, which shut its doors in 2017, cited the delays opening Brandenburg -- and by extension the need to continue operating from antiquated Tegel -- among reasons for its losses during its final years.
Related: The secret life of 7 former airports
After Tegel closes, the airport will be converted to a new research and industrial park named "Berlin TXL." The plan includes new housing and an urban park. The iconic terminal will be preserved and converted into a new campus for Beuth University.
Tegel will make two former Berlin airports adaptively reused. The Nazi-era Tempelhof Airport on the city's south side was adapted as a large urban park in 2010.
But for those who enjoyed flying in and out of Tegel, Sunday is auf wiedersehen to the historic field.
Related: Germany’s second largest airline Air Berlin ceases operations after 39 years
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.