Barajas District Hall

Barajas is Madrid's easternmost district, best known as the home of Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, which covers a huge share of its land. For most travelers it's simply the place you land before heading into the city, but the district itself has a quieter identity and a history that goes back to its days as an independent municipality.

Where is Barajas and how big is it?

Barajas is officially district number 21 of Madrid and spans more than 4,200 hectares, making it one of the largest districts in the city by area. Despite that size, it's home to the fewest residents of any Madrid district — roughly 50,000 people — because most of that land is taken up by airport facilities rather than housing. To the east, the district stretches all the way to the Jarama River, which marks the city boundary here.

How did Barajas become part of Madrid?

Barajas was once its own municipality, formally annexed to Madrid by decree on November 18, 1949. Even after that annexation, though, the area remained administratively grouped under the district of Hortaleza until Madrid's district restructuring in 1987. It wasn't until 1988 that Barajas became a standalone district — the 21st — with its own administrative identity.

What neighborhoods make up the district?

Barajas is divided into five barrios, each with a distinct feel:

• Casco Histórico de Barajas — the historic core, sitting east of Avenida de Logroño, with traces of the area's older, village-like layout.
• Timón — a mostly residential neighborhood just west of Casco Histórico.
• Corralejos — located west of Alameda de Osuna.
• Alameda de Osuna — one of the better-known neighborhoods, appreciated for its green spaces and calmer pace.
• Aeropuerto — the largest neighborhood by area but the least populated in the whole district, since it's where the airport's runways and terminals actually sit.

Is it worth stopping in Barajas if you're not catching a flight?

Locals sometimes call it Madrid's "forgotten district," since almost all visitor traffic stays close to the airport and rarely pushes into the residential neighborhoods. Casco Histórico de Barajas, though, has a low-key charm of its own — smaller-scale streets and a slower rhythm that feels far removed from central Madrid. It suits travelers looking for an unpolished, everyday slice of the city more than anyone chasing headline attractions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Barajas just the airport? No — the airport takes its name from the district, but it physically sits within just one of its five neighborhoods, Aeropuerto. The other four are ordinary, if modest, residential areas with their own local life.

How close are the residential areas to the airport terminals? Neighborhoods like Casco Histórico and Alameda de Osuna sit a short distance from the terminals and are reachable by public transport, including the metro.

Why does Barajas have so few residents compared to other Madrid districts? Because a large portion of the district's land — essentially most of the Aeropuerto neighborhood — is occupied by airport infrastructure rather than homes.

Since when has Barajas been part of Madrid? Formally since 1949, but it only became its own 21st district in 1988; before that it was administered as part of the Hortaleza district.