Traveling across Europe by air

I flew from Barcelona to Vienna a few years ago and gave myself 1 1/2 hours. My thought was that my Spanish is terrible and I didn't know the airport. It was more than adequate time.

A flight from Germany to Spain (both in the "Schengen Area", like most but not all European countries) is like a US domestic flight. There is no customs or immigration upon arrival in Spain or within Spain. With just a carry-on, the airport arrival time requirement is much less strict than for a flight back to the US. But each airport is different - some are busier than others, so you might want to arrive earlier in some than others.

Learn what countries of Europe belong to the Schengen zone. For future travel, particularly if you want a long trip, you need to learn the rules on limited stays within a year. But for now, treat flights within Schengen zone as you would domestic flights at home. 90-120 minutes before, and no immigration....or customs.

If your domestic spanish flight is on the mainland, you should probably book a train ticket instead. Spain has an excellent network of high speed trains and there are few routes on the mainland where flying still makes sense.

If you're travelling to the Canaries however, special rules apply as the islands are outside the EU VAT area.

It depends on the airline. You need to look this up on the airline website. Economy airlines require you to be at the airport earlier than "full service" airlines.
For example Easyjet has a hard cut-off at 40 minutes. One minute after that and they will not let you board.

As a general rule, minimum 1 hour, aim for getting to the airport 1½ hours before.

Remember:
- No immigration (passport) checks within the Schengen Area.
- Exit passport checks are quick, it is security that takes time.
- No customs within the EU (slightly different list of countries, but customs is only on arrival and takes zero time so not an issue)
- Print your boarding pass before getting to the airport (or have it on your phone), so you bypass check-in.

Mostly depends on the specific airport. Just as in the US, I would get to a major airport (Madrid, Barcelona) at least 2 hours before a flight whereas a smaller airport and hour and a half is probably plenty. In the US if I'm flying anywhere from my local airport (Hartford) then 1.5-2 hours is plenty whereas if I'm flying out of JFK I would allow 3 hours. Might be overkill but you don't know. Also, you are not familiar with the transportation to the airport and how long that will take. For your home airport you have probably done it lots of times and know exactly how long it should take.

I'd say what some have said, arrive at the airport the same as you would for a domestic flight in the US.

I don't think Spain has a great rail system. There are high speed trains that operate in roughly a "C" pattern from Barcelona through Madrid, Cordoba, Savilla and Grenada (with side routes like Madrid to Toledo). Sometimes track maintenance requires you to transfer to a bus for part of the route (which becomes longer than just taking a bus).

A good transportation strategy considers buses in Spain too. They have an extensive network that can get you everywhere. If it's more than a four hour ride, however, I'll consider whether a train works. If the train doesn't work, flying can be the best option. I rented a car in Barcelona because much of my itinerary didn't work by train or bus - then dropped the car in Cordoba and took a train to end the trip in Madrid.

www.skyscanner.com is good for short-hop European flights. It links to the airlines you might choose. There you can read the specifics on time required to check in. Read all the rules carefully. Airlines such as easyJet, one of the biggest in Europe, strictly enforce their restrictions, and a lot of things such as check-in and purchasing space for luggage should be done in advance. For instance, a basic easyJet ticket will allow one bag in the cabin -- ONE, not one plus a purse plus a computer bag. They mean it, too. Size of luggage can vary from line to line; there is no one regulation size. And with a few exceptions, these carriers do not connect to other airlines.

To compare trains, start at www.seat61.com where almost every question is already answered.

If you're using the Madrid airport, keep in mind that it's huge. I always allow myself some extra time at the Madrid airport.

I typically arrive 2 hours at the departing airport before intra-European travel.

Do I need to give extra time for customs beyond what I might expect
traveling to/from the US?

You shouldn't deal with customs at departure unless you are applying for a VAT refund. You also don't deal with customs when departing from your US airport.

I have already purchased a suitcase small enough to fit the carry-on
restrictions. Any other tips are greatly appreciated!!

Yes, go to the website of the airlines you are flying to verify that the dimensions of your new suitcase fit within their restrictions. Pay attention also to the weight maximum to make sure that your packed bag does not go over it or you will pay a huge fine. Weigh your packed suitcase before you leave home to verify your bag's compliance with weight restrictions.