Domestic Terminal hosts 4 airlines across 8 gates. It's Avianca's home turf at BAQ. You'll find 1 lounge here.
Gates 6–13 hold most domestic traffic
The Domestic Terminal at Ernesto Cortissoz is the busier side of BAQ, handling Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Viva Air Colombia, and Wingo flights through roughly eight gates, commonly referenced as 6–13. It sits in the same building as the International section, so you stay in one structure for all flights. Layout is simple: check-in and security upstairs, baggage claim and exits on the ground floor. The building feels modernized but basic, and frequent users on Flightradar24 focus more on function than looks.
Small building, short walks, but limited services
Because the domestic gates cluster in a compact hall, even a last‑minute gate change is just a short walk of a few dozen meters. Regulars mention arriving 1.5–2 hours before departure, using online check‑in, then going straight to security instead of hanging around landside. That works here because processing is usually quick outside the early‑morning rush banks. The downside: the same reviewers call out the low number of food and retail outlets, so plan on basics only once you pass screening.
Avianca VIP Lounge is the only real upgrade
The domestic Avianca VIP Lounge is the one place people talk about by name, and lounge guides flag it as the only spot with consistently decent seating and usable outlets on this side. Access typically runs through Avianca status, Star Alliance programs, or products like Priority Pass and Amex Platinum, and it sits airside after security serving domestic departures. Regular Avianca flyers head straight there to work and charge devices rather than wait in the public gate areas where plugs are scarce.
Gate areas get crowded before boarding
Reviews on Flightradar24 and other sites mention that, even after renovations, true seating away from the gates is thin, so people stack up right at the boarding lines. With Avianca running many of the departures, those 15–30 minutes before pushback can feel packed, and latecomers end up standing in the hallway. If you do not have lounge access, grab a seat as soon as you find one near your gate number, especially at the morning and evening peaks.
Arrivals and getting into Barranquilla
Domestic arrivals drop you at the same ground floor used for the rest of BAQ, with baggage carousels only a short walk from the doors. A GetYourGuide user described the area around the airport as “a bit more rough than other areas,” and locals echo that in forum posts. Regulars move quickly from baggage claim to the official taxi line or a pre‑booked transfer, rather than waiting outside on the curb or wandering off in search of food that usually is not there late at night.
How to work this terminal
Think of BAQ as a single terminal with domestic and international sections sharing the same shell, so a domestic landing lets you walk straight landside and up to departures again without any shuttle or extra security zone. Gate count is low, distances are short, and services are thin, so build your buffer with time before arriving at the airport, not by killing time inside. One practical move: eat or pick up snacks in town, arrive about 90–120 minutes before your flight, then clear security and either head directly to the Avianca lounge or lock down a seat near your assigned gate.