Southern Italy's Airports: A Comprehensive Guide

Italy has a diverse airport landscape, ranging from international hubs to charming regional airports. In this article, we will be focusing on the airports located in Southern Italy. Serving the south of Italy, you can find airports such as Naples International Airport, Reggio Calabria Airport, and Comiso Airport. Read on to find out more about these airports and how to get to your destination once you've landed.

Airports in Southern Italy

Comiso Airport serves southern Italy and is known for its easy layout and great customer service

Italy has several international airports, including two of the largest: "Leonardo da Vinci", commonly known as Fiumicino, in Rome, and Malpensa, in Milan. Serving the south of the country, Naples-Capodichino International Airport is the intercontinental airport for Naples and the region of Campania. Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, also known as Palese Airport, serves Puglia, as well as Basiliciata and Abruzzo.

Comiso Airport, also known as Vincenzo Magliocco Airport, serves southern Italy. Travellers appreciate the airport's easy-to-navigate layout and great customer service. The airport was once used for military purposes, but it transitioned to civil use in 2008. Comiso Airport has a runway that is 2,538 metres long and 60 metres wide, with two fast exits and connections to a 38-metre-wide taxiway. An Instrument Landing System and a new 19-metre-high control tower were added during refurbishment.

Alitalia, Ryanair, Bulgaria Air, Alba Star, HOP!, and Air France all offer direct flights to Comiso Airport. The cheapest month to fly there is July.

Other airports in southern Italy include Reggio Calabria Airport, which is named after a historical war veteran and was the first airport in Calabria. Lamezia Terme International Airport is another airport in the Calabria area.

Naples-Capodichino International Airport is the intercontinental airport serving Naples and the Campania region

The airport is not the only one in the region, with several other airports serving Southern Italy. The Comiso Airport, for example, serves the area with its easy-to-navigate layout and great customer service. Reggio Calabria Airport is another airport in the south of the country. It is a small airport with beautiful surrounding scenery and was the first airport in Calabria.

In addition to Naples-Capodichino, there are several other intercontinental airports in Italy. These include Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, commonly known as Fiumicino, and Malpensa in Milan, which are the two largest in the country. Palermo International Airport in Sicily and Cagliari Airport in Sardinia are also intercontinental hubs.

There are also several other airports in Italy that serve the south of the country well. Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, for instance, serves Puglia, as well as Basilicata and Abruzzo. It is named after Pope John Paul II and is also known as Palese Airport. Brindisi Airport, located a few kilometres north of the historic port city of Brindisi, is another airport in the south of Italy.

Catania–Fontanarossa Airport is the most important airport in Sicily

Italy has several international airports, including the two largest, "Leonardo da Vinci" in Rome and Malpensa in Milan. There are also airports in Tuscany, Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily.

Catania–Fontanarossa Airport, also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport, is located close to Catania, the second-largest city on the Italian island of Sicily. It is named after the opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, who was born in Catania. The airport is situated around 4-7 km from the city centre and is easily accessible by train, bus, taxi, or car.

Catania–Fontanarossa is the busiest airport in Sicily and one of the busiest in Italy, with over six million passengers in 2010 and nearly nine million in 2021. It is a popular gateway to the east coast of Sicily, a favourite tourist destination for domestic and international travellers. The airport has experienced rapid growth and high passenger levels, leading to several expansions and improvements over the years, including the addition of new terminals and a railway station in 2021.

Major airlines such as ITA Airways, Lufthansa, and KLM offer services to numerous European destinations, while low-cost airlines like easyJet and Ryanair provide flights to leisure spots. The Catania/Fontanarossa – Rome/Fiumicino route is Italy's busiest and Europe's second busiest. The airport also has a variety of services and amenities, including ATMs, car rental options, and dining choices.

With its convenient location, high passenger traffic, and range of facilities, Catania–Fontanarossa Airport is undoubtedly the most important airport in Sicily, providing essential connections to the rest of Italy and beyond.

Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport serves Puglia, Basiliciata, and Abruzzo

Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, officially known as the Karol Wojtyla Airport, serves the Italian regions of Puglia, Basilicata, and Abruzzo. It is located approximately 8 kilometres (5 miles) northwest of Bari City. The airport is also known as Palese Airport, named after the nearby neighbourhood. Bari Airport was originally a military airfield built in the 1930s and remained so until the 1960s when it opened to the public. Alitalia was the first airline to operate at the airport, providing flights to various destinations within Italy. In recent years, the airport has seen an increase in passenger traffic, with over 5 million passengers in 2019.

Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport is not the only airport serving southern Italy. Naples-Capodichino International Airport serves the city of Naples and the region of Campania. Additionally, the Comiso Airport and Reggio Calabria Airport are located in southern Italy, offering convenient layouts and beautiful surroundings.

When travelling to Sicily, the "Falcone Borsellino" Airport in Palermo is a common choice, while the Catania–Fontanarossa Airport, also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport, is Italy's fourth busiest airport. For those heading to Sardinia, the Cagliari Airport and Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport are good options.

In terms of Tuscany, the main airport is the "Galileo Galilei" Airport in Pisa, but Genoa, Bologna, and Rome are also viable alternatives. Grosseto Airport in Tuscany is primarily used for military purposes, but it also accommodates commercial flights.

Reggio Calabria Airport is a small airport in Calabria, named after war veteran Tito Minniti

Italy has several international airports, including two large airports in Rome and Milan. In Southern Italy, Naples-Capodichino International Airport serves the region of Campania, while Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport serves Puglia, Basilicata, and Abruzzo.

Reggio Calabria Airport is a small airport in Calabria, Southern Italy. It is named Reggio di Calabria "Tito Minniti" Airport after war veteran Tito Minniti, who was born in Reggio Calabria. The airport is located just a few kilometres from the centre of the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria and is easily accessible by car, train, bus, and even hydrofoil. It is reachable in 7 minutes by regional train from Reggio Calabria Centrale or Melito di Porto Salvo. The airport is also served by bus routes 27 and 27/ from the University and San Brunello and by the Port-Airport direct route.

Reggio Calabria Airport was the first airport in Calabria, inaugurated as a military airport in 1939 and becoming operational for commercial flights in 1947. It serves mainly the Metropolitan City of Reggio and the Province of Messina, and partially the Province of Vibo Valentia. Daily flights connect several Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, and are seasonally augmented by flights to various other countries.

The airport has two runways: runway 15/33 (the main runway) and runway 11/29 (the secondary runway). It has a large parking area with a total of 180 spaces, open 24/7, and staff available from 08:00 to 20:00. The terminal is structured on two levels, with dining options and shops, including a store dedicated to typical Calabrian products.

Reggio Calabria Airport is also known as Aeroporto dello Stretto (Airport of the Strait) or Strait Airport. It is located near the Strait of Messina, and there was a projected pier to allow ferries from Messina to dock, but prevailing winds prevented this.

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