Milan's Dual Airport System: Efficient Or Confusing?

Milan is served by three airports: Malpensa, Linate, and Bergamo. Malpensa is the largest airport and is located about 32 miles from the city. It handles the most long-haul international flights and is the second-busiest airport in Italy. Linate is the closest airport to the city centre and mostly serves domestic flights. Bergamo is located outside Milan and is a hub for flights within Europe and the UK.

Malpensa Airport (MXP)

The airport is situated in the municipalities of Somma Lombardo and Ferno in the province of Varese, inside the Parco naturale lombardo della Valle del Ticino, a nature reserve included by UNESCO in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. It first opened in 1909 as a testing site for aircraft prototypes before becoming a civil airport in 1948.

Malpensa Airport has two terminals, T1 and T2, which are some distance apart and connected by free shuttle buses and trains. T2 is used exclusively by EasyJet, while all other flights depart from T1. The airport is served by two train stations, one at each terminal, with local trains running to Milan Central Train Station or Milano Cadorna every 30 minutes. Tickets for the 40-45 minute journey cost €13-14 each way. Taxis from the airport to the city centre cost around €95-110.

Milan Malpensa Airport is the busiest airport in Italy for freight and cargo, handling 721,254 tons of international freight annually (2022). It is also the second busiest airport in Italy in terms of passenger numbers, with 21.3 million passengers passing through in 2022. In addition to EasyJet, over 100 airlines serve the airport, including British Airways, Lufthansa, and Alitalia.

Linate Airport (LIN)

Milan Linate Airport (IATA: LIN, ICAO: LIML) is a city airport located in Milan, Italy's second-largest city and largest urban area. It is one of three airports serving Milan, along with Malpensa and Bergamo. Linate Airport is the closest to the city centre, just 7km (4 miles) away, making it a popular choice for business travellers.

Linate Airport served 9,425,962 passengers in 2022, with 101,956 aircraft movements in the same year, making it one of the busiest airports in Italy. It is the third-busiest airport in the Milan metropolitan area in terms of passenger numbers and the second busiest in terms of aircraft movements. The airport features a three-story passenger terminal building, with check-in and baggage reclaim facilities, service counters, shops, restaurants, and departure areas. The airport has five aircraft stands, all equipped with jet bridges, and several more parking positions on the apron.

Linate Airport is primarily a domestic airport, serving inter-Italian flights and some European destinations. It is named after the small village of Linate, located in the town of Peschiera Borromeo. Its official name is Airport Enrico Forlanini, after the Italian inventor and aeronautical pioneer born in Milan. The airport was built in the 1930s when the nearby Taliedo Airport became too small for commercial traffic. Linate Airport has undergone several renovations and upgrades over the years, including a major closure for runway resurfacing and terminal upgrades in 2019.

Travellers can reach the city centre from Linate Airport in about 15 minutes via the Milan Metro Line 4. There are also bus services, including the Linate Shuttle, which runs buses to Milano Centrale every half hour, with a journey time of 25 minutes. A taxi from the airport to the city centre takes around 20 minutes and costs approximately €40.

Il Caravaggio International Airport, Bergamo (BGY)

Milan is served by three airports: Malpensa Airport, Linate Airport, and Il Caravaggio International Airport, Bergamo (BGY). Il Caravaggio International Airport, also known as Milan Bergamo Airport, is located in Orio al Serio, 3.7 km (2.3 mi) southeast of Bergamo and 45 km (28 mi) northeast of Milan. The airport is named after the Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, who was originally from the nearby town of Caravaggio.

Il Caravaggio International Airport is the third busiest airport in Italy, serving over 13 million passengers per year. It is one of Ryanair's three largest operating bases, along with Dublin and London Stansted airports. The airport has a single terminal, with two zones: Zone A (Gates A1-A15) and Zone B (Gates B1-B5). Gates A13 and B5 are equipped with boarding bridges, while the remaining gates are remote.

The airport is located in Lombardy, one of the busiest and biggest industrial zones in Italy. It is surrounded by several other major Italian cities, including Brescia, Turin, and Verona. The airport is easily accessible by various transport options, including shuttle services, taxis, buses, and car hire. The main bus companies operating between the airport and Milan are Autostradale and Locatelli Air Pullman, with tickets available for purchase from their windows.

Il Caravaggio International Airport offers a range of facilities for passengers, including banks, ATMs, shops, and restaurants. The airport is also conscious of accessibility needs, providing ramps for wheelchair users and relief paths for the visually impaired. Additionally, there are storage facilities available within the airport, located at the arrivals hall. Overall, Il Caravaggio International Airport serves as a vital transport hub for those travelling to and from Milan and the surrounding areas.

Bresso Airport

Milan, Italy, is served by three airports: Malpensa, Linate, and Bergamo. Bresso Airport, also known as Aeroporto di Bresso or Aeroporto Giampiero Clerici, is a smaller airport located in the Milan metropolitan area. Here is some detailed information about Bresso Airport:

History and Military Use

Current Usage

Since 1960, Bresso Airport has been the permanent site of the Aero Club Milano. Today, it mainly serves general aviation, flying club activities, touristic flights, and air taxi services. It is also a base for the state helicopter emergency service, Elisoccorso. The airport's runway is 1,080 metres (3,540 ft) long and 30 metres (98 ft) wide, with a magnetic orientation (QFU) of 36/18.

Flight Procedures

Radio frequencies are assigned for different purposes, with Bresso Radio at 122.005 MHz for GA traffic information. Aircraft operating within the "Bresso Working Area" must inform Bresso Radio and maintain a listening watch on Milano FIC.

Take-off and departure procedures dictate that regardless of the runway used (18 or 36), traffic must maintain 1500 ft AMSL until leaving the designated areas.

Approach and landing procedures include relevant reporting points such as OSCAR, CHARLIE, and NOVEMBER. When approaching from northern sectors, aircraft are instructed to proceed inbound overhead the field at 2000 ft AMSL and join the traffic pattern when essential traffic is in sight.

Notable Events

On June 3, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated mass on the tarmac of Bresso Airport during the seventh World Meeting of Families, an event promoted by the Catholic Church.

Malpensa vs Linate: which airport to fly into?

Milan, Italy, is served by three airports: Malpensa (MXP), Linate (LIN), and Bergamo (BGY). Malpensa and Linate are the two main airports serving Milan. So, which airport should you fly into?

Malpensa:

Malpensa Airport is the main international airport serving Milan. It is located about 50 kilometres (32 miles) northwest of Milan and is the main airport in northern Italy for long-haul international flights. Malpensa is the busiest of Milan's airports, handling around 26 to 28 million passengers per year, making it the second busiest airport in Italy after Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO). All non-EU originating flights to Milan arrive at Malpensa, which is also a hub for British low-cost carrier EasyJet. The airport has two terminals, with Terminal 2 exclusively used by EasyJet. All other passengers travel through Terminal 1.

Getting into Milan from Malpensa:

If you are not travelling with a lot of luggage, using public transport to get to the city centre is the cheapest and most practical option. Local trains run between the airport and the city every 30 minutes, with passengers having the option of going to Milan Central Train Station or the smaller Milano Cadorna. Tickets cost €13-14 each way, with a journey time of 43 minutes. There are also buses (both public and private) and shuttles offering direct service from the airport to various points in Milan. A taxi from the airport will cost around €90-110 and will take about 45 minutes in regular traffic.

Linate:

Linate Airport is a smaller airport serving Milan, primarily handling domestic and European flights. It is located just outside the city centre, about seven kilometres (four miles) away, making it the closest airport to Milan. This proximity to the city centre makes it the airport of choice for business travellers. Linate serves more than nine million passengers per year, most of them flying on Alitalia flights within Italy.

Getting into Milan from Linate:

There is currently no train service from Linate to the city centre, so if you want to use public transport, you will need to take a bus. The airport has a shuttle bus service that departs every half hour, with a journey time of 25 minutes. Tickets cost €7 for a single ticket. A taxi from the airport will get you to the city centre in 15-20 minutes and will cost around €25-40.

So, which airport should you fly into?

If you are flying internationally, particularly from outside Europe, you will likely arrive at Malpensa Airport, as it is the main airport for long-haul international flights. However, if you are flying within Italy or on another short-haul flight within Europe, Linate Airport may be a more convenient option due to its proximity to the city centre. When choosing which airport to fly into, consider your departure city and the availability of direct flights, as well as your preferred mode of transportation into the city centre.

Frequently asked questions