Best Airports To Land In Italy For Your Vacation

which airport to land in italy

Italy is a beautiful country with many airports to choose from. The airport you land in will depend on your destination in Italy and your budget. Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice are common stopover destinations for travellers flying in from abroad before they continue to smaller cities. The two largest airports in Italy are the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, commonly known as Fiumicino, and Malpensa, for Milan.

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Rome's airports: Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino and Ciampino G.B. Pastine

Italy has a number of international airports. The two largest airports in Italy are the "Leonardo da Vinci" airport in Rome, commonly known as Fiumicino, and Malpensa, for Milan.

Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport

Rome Fiumicino Airport, officially known as "Leonardo da Vinci" Airport, is the largest airport in Italy in terms of passenger traffic and the number of people who use it as an arrival or departure airport. It is located in Fiumicino, 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Rome, and was named after Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). Reproductions of some of his most famous works and inventions are on display inside the airport. The airport is served by different categories of transport: buses, shuttle buses, car sharing and taxis. It is also connected to the Italian high-speed network.

Ciampino G.B. Pastine Airport

Rome Ciampino Giovan Battista Pastine Airport, also known as G.B. Pastine Airport, is the secondary international airport of Rome. It is one of the oldest airports still in operation. It was inaugurated in 1916 and was the capital's only airport until 15 January 1961, when the “Leonardo da Vinci” international airport was inaugurated. It remains in service for some low-cost airlines as well as domestic and charter operations.

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Milan's airports: Malpensa and Linate

Milan has three airports: Malpensa, Linate, and Bergamo. Malpensa and Linate are the focus of this article. Milan's airports are among the busiest in Italy, with Malpensa being the second busiest in the country in terms of passenger numbers.

Malpensa Airport

Malpensa Airport is Milan's main international airport, located 45km (28 miles) northwest of the city centre. It is the sixth-busiest airport in Europe and the ninth in the world in terms of the number of countries served by direct flights. In 2024, Malpensa handled 28.5 million passengers. It is also Italy's busiest airport for freight and cargo, handling over 730,000 tons of international freight annually.

The airport has two terminals and two parallel runways, which were extended to 3,915m (12,844 ft) in the early 1960s, making them the longest in Europe at the time. Malpensa Airport is easily accessible by road, with a four-lane motorway connecting it to the A8 highway to Switzerland and a five-lane motorway to the A4 highway to Turin, Verona, Venice, and Trieste.

Linate Airport

Linate Airport is Milan's other airport, located just 11km (6.8 miles) east of the city centre. It is much closer to the city than Malpensa, making it a convenient option for travellers. Linate primarily handles domestic and short-haul flights, and in the mid-1980s, it was handling seven million passengers per year.

Linate Airport has a single runway and limited parking slots. Travellers can easily get to and from the airport to the city centre by bus or taxi, with quick and easy connections to the train station.

Choosing Between Malpensa and Linate

When deciding which airport to fly into or out of, several factors come into play, including cost, convenience, and location. Linate Airport is generally considered more convenient due to its proximity to Milan's city centre, especially if you need to connect to the train station. However, Malpensa Airport has better road connections to other parts of Northern Italy and offers direct coach connections to Linate and other major cities.

Additionally, flight availability and pricing may be determining factors. Linate Airport is favoured by some major European carriers, while Malpensa is preferred for intercontinental flights.

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Venice's airport: Marco Polo

Venice Marco Polo Airport (IATA: VCE, ICAO: LIPZ) is the international airport of Venice, Italy. It is located on the mainland near the village of Tessera, a frazione of the comune of Venice, around 7.6 kilometres (4.7 miles) east of Mestre and about the same distance north of Venice proper. Named after Marco Polo, the airport is a base for Volotea, Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet.

Venice Marco Polo Airport has three floors: the ground floor for arrivals and the second floor for departures. The departure area has 70 check-in desks and two airside lounges: the "Tintoretto Lounge" for SkyTeam passengers and the "Marco Polo Room" for all other passengers. The third floor of the terminal has offices for the operating company and airlines. The departure floor has separate areas for Schengen and non-Schengen flights.

The airport offers scheduled bus connections to the nearby railway stations of Venice Mestre and Piazzale Roma. It is also directly connected to several destinations in the lagoon by public transit Alilaguna water shuttle services (Blue, Red and Orange lines), the express Gold Line to Piazza San Marco, and water taxis.

The airport handled 11,184,608 passengers in 2018, making it the fourth busiest airport in Italy. It has grown significantly in recent years in terms of air traffic and the quality of its services, and is the most popular among Italian and foreign citizens in transit.

Another airport in the Venice area, Treviso Airport, is sometimes unofficially labelled Venice – Treviso and serves low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air.

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Palermo's airport: Falcone Borsellino

Palermo, the capital of the Italian island of Sicily, is a city rich in history, culture, and stunning architecture. Palermo Airport, also known as Falcone Borsellino Airport or Punta Raisi Airport, is located about 30 to 35 kilometres northwest of the city. It is the second busiest airport in Sicily, handling nearly 7 million passengers in 2022. The airport is still one of the busiest in southern Italy, with many national and international flights. There are 29 airlines flying from Palermo to 125 airports around the world, including Aegean Airlines, Air France, British Airways, easyJet, Iberia, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Turkish Airlines, and United. The top international destinations from Palermo are Paris and Barcelona. The airport is organised above one terminal, with a total width of 450 acres and two runways. The terminal has four levels, with arrivals and departures on the upper two levels. There are two ATMs and two currency exchanges available at the airport, as well as a Customer Care station and a first-aid facility.

Travelling to and from Palermo Airport is convenient and affordable. By train, tickets from Palermo to the airport cost €6.80 for adults and €3.50 for children between 4 and 12 years of age, with a 50% discount for children aged 12 to 18 in families or small groups. There are also airport bus services available. Car rentals can be found at the airport, and parking a car at the airport is generally more affordable than in the city.

Falcone Borsellino Airport is dedicated to two heroic judges killed in the fight against the mafia. The airport is located in Cinisi, about 30 kilometres west of Palermo and not far from other beautiful places in eastern Sicily, such as Alcamo and Mazara del Vallo. It is the third busiest airport in southern Italy, after Catania and Naples.

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Pisa's airport: Galileo Galilei

Italy has a number of international airports, and the best one for reaching a particular region depends on where you want to go. The two largest airports in Italy are the "Leonardo da Vinci" airport in Rome, commonly known as Fiumicino, and Malpensa, for Milan.

Pisa International Airport, also known as Galileo Galilei Airport, is located in Pisa, Italy. It is one of the two major airports in Tuscany, the other being Florence Airport. It is named after Galileo Galilei, the scientist and native of Pisa. The airport is located just 0.62 miles (1 km) from Pisa and is very close to the coast. It is ranked 10th in Italy in terms of passenger numbers, with 5 million passengers passing through its terminals annually.

Galileo Galilei Airport is one of Tuscany's most important airports and has become one of the most popular airports to fly to, especially with low-cost carriers. From here, tourists can easily get to Pisa and to the whole central region of Italy. Trenitalia, Italy's primary train operator, connects the airport with Florence's train station, Santa Maria Novella. Trains run between the two cities several times a day, and the journey takes approximately one hour. The airport also has its own Pisa Mover shuttle service to and from Pisa Centrale railway station, with a return ticket costing ten euros and the shuttle taking five minutes.

If you want to discover other parts of Tuscany, such as Siena, San Gimignano, or Lucca, it is recommended to hire a car at Pisa Airport. However, for Tuscany in general, it is recommended to use the train, as stations are located centrally, and a car is not convenient or cost-effective for reaching Pisa.

Frequently asked questions

Venice Marco Polo Airport is the international airport of Venice, Italy. It is located on the mainland near Mestre. Air Canada Rouge has flights in and out of Venice, which are very convenient.

The main airport in Tuscany is the "Galileo Galilei" airport in Pisa, but Genoa, Bologna and Rome are also good alternatives.

Rome Fiumicino (FCO) is the largest Italian airport in terms of passenger traffic and the number of people who use it as an arrival or departure airport. It is located west of Rome and is connected to the city centre via bus and train.

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