Best Airports For Your Sicilian Adventure

Sicily is an island in Italy with six main airports and several smaller airfields catering to general aviation. The four most popular airports in Sicily are Catania, Palermo, Trapani, and Comiso. The airport you choose will depend on your final destination and your needs. For example, if you plan to visit western Sicily, including cities such as Cefalù, Caltanissetta, and Trapani, you should choose Palermo Airport. If you want to see Mount Etna, then Catania Airport is the best option.

Catania Fontanarossa airport

When planning a trip to Sicily, you may want to fly into Catania Fontanarossa airport, especially if you plan to visit Mount Etna. This airport is located 2.3 nautical miles (4.3 km; 2.6 mi) southwest of Catania, Sicily's second-largest city. It is also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport, named after the opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, who was born in Catania.

Catania Fontanarossa is the busiest airport in Sicily and the fourth busiest in Italy, with nearly two million passengers carried in 2016. Major airlines such as ITA Airways, Lufthansa, and KLM offer services here, connecting numerous European destinations such as Rome, Munich, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair also operate from this airport, offering flights to leisure destinations. The Catania/Fontanarossa – Rome/Fiumicino route is Italy's busiest air route and the second busiest in Europe in 2021.

The airport has undergone several renovations to accommodate increasing passenger numbers. In 2007, a new terminal with 22 gates and six loading bridges opened, replacing the old facilities. The airport's "investment programme" has continued to drive growth and development, with additions such as a panoramic restaurant, a new airside runway, and further office space.

Palermo Falcone-Borsellino airport

There are six main airports on the island of Sicily, one of which is Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport, also known as Punta Raisi Airport. It is located about 35 kilometres northwest of Palermo, the capital city of Sicily. Palermo Airport is the second busiest airport in Sicily, with 7,118,057 passengers in 2022. It is one of the busiest southern airports in Italy, with many national and international flights. The airport is named after two leading anti-mafia judges, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who were murdered by the Sicilian Mafia in 1992.

Falcone-Borsellino Airport has one terminal, a total width of 450 acres, and two runways. The terminal has four levels: a subterranean floor, a ground floor, a first floor, and a second floor, with arrivals and departures on both upper levels. The airport is accessible by train, with tickets from Palermo Centrale to Punta Raisi costing €5.90. The Punta Raisi train station is located about 100 metres from the airport. It is also accessible by taxi, with a trip costing around €40, and by car, via the A29 highway to Trapani, exiting at Puntaraisi–Aeroporto Falcone Borsellino.

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a city rich in history, culture, and stunning architecture. Founded 2,700 years ago by the Phoenicians, the city boasts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including those of Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Monreale and Cefalù. There are also numerous churches and chapels worth visiting, such as the Palermo Cathedral, the Church of Saint Catherine, and the Church of Our Lady of Remedies. Palermo is also known for its amazing places to eat and be entertained.

If you plan to visit western Sicily, including cities such as Cefalù, Caltanissetta, Trapani, Marsala, and Agrigento, Palermo Airport is a good choice. It is also a good option if you are visiting Messina, Taormina, and the area of Siracusa, but Catania Airport may be a better choice in that case. Catania Airport is the busiest airport in Sicily, with more international connections, and it is also the best option if you want to see Mount Etna.

Trapani Birgi airport

There are six main airports in Sicily, Italy, and several smaller airfields catering to general aviation. Two small airports are on the Sicilian islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria. The first airfield to open on the island was Catania Airport, followed by Palermo–Boccadifalco Airport.

Trapani–Birgi Airport (IATA: TPS, ICAO: LICT) is a military air base and public airport serving the city of Trapani in Sicily. It is located between Trapani and Marsala and is one of the five civil airports in Sicily. The airport is 15 kilometres from the city centre. It opened in the early 1960s and, after a long period of inactivity, was relaunched in 2003. It now hosts several flights, mainly low-cost connections.

Trapani–Birgi Airport is named after the Sicilian industrialist Vincenzo Florio Sr. The airport's official name is "Vincenzo Florio", and it is expected that a new railway station with the same name will be operational by 2026. The new station will provide a direct 45-minute train link to Palermo Airport.

Trapani–Birgi Airport gained international attention during Operation Unified Protector in 2011 when NATO aircraft were based there during the military intervention in the Libyan Civil War. In 2023, 1,332,368 passengers passed through the airport, making it the third-busiest airport in Sicily.

Comiso airport

In 2023, a fire at Catania Airport led to a considerable proportion of flights being diverted to Comiso, including those from non-Schengen countries. If you are visiting western Sicily and cities such as Cefalù, Caltanissetta, and Trapani, Palermo Airport may be a better option. Likewise, if you plan to visit Messina, Taormina, and Siracusa, Catania Airport is a good choice. However, if you want to see Mount Etna, it is recommended to fly into Catania and base yourself outside the city, as driving in Catania itself is best avoided.

Palermo Punta Raisi airport

Palermo Airport has its own train station, Punta Raisi, which is the northwestern terminus of the Palermo metropolitan railway service. The train journey from the airport to Palermo city centre takes about an hour. Alternatively, passengers can take a bus from the airport to Palermo city centre, which offers more frequent and convenient drop-off locations.

Palermo Airport offers car rental services from companies such as Europcar, Avis, Hertz, and Autoeuropa, with rental counters located in the arrival hall. However, visitors are advised to avoid driving in Palermo and Catania and instead base themselves outside the cities with a car.

Palermo Airport has a variety of flight connections. In June 2005, Eurofly launched seasonal flights from Palermo to New York City using Airbus A330s. In June 2024, Neos commenced a summer-seasonal route using Boeing 787 Dreamliners, reconnecting Palermo to New York. From May 2025, United Airlines will also operate a summer-seasonal service between Palermo and Newark, near New York, using Boeing 767-400s. For visitors travelling within Italy, Catania Airport offers more international connections, and Comiso (Ragusa) and Trapani airports are also options for those taking low-cost flights from the Milan and Rome areas.

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