Airports of Italy
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2024
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The Airports of Italy deal with almost 200 million passengers every year although figures obviously dropped sharply as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
A large majority of foreign visitors to Italy come in via the main airports of Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa but with 36 airports at the latest count offering international or domestic services within Italy, a large number of runways are being underused. Tourists from Europe in particular are frequenting some of the smaller airports in increasing numbers due to the emergence of low-cost airlines offering more competitive prices. |
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At the bottom of this page is a chart showing the visitor numbers for each airport in Italy starting with the busiest, using the figures for 2019 which was the most recent pre-pandemic year. The data for 2020 and 2021 shows some fairly wild variations so 2019 provides the most accurate overview for a typical year.
Related links
Italian Airports By Region with quick Links and IATA Airport Codes
Abruzzo
Pescara Abruzzo Airport (PSR)
Calabria
Crotone Airport (CRV)
Lamezia Terme Airport (SUF)
Reggio Calabria Airport (REG)
Campania
Naples International Airport (NAP)
Emilia Romagna
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
Forlì Airport (FRL)
Parma Airport (PMF)
Rimini & San Marino Airport (RMI)
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Trieste Airport (TRS)
Lazio
Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO)
Rome Ciampino (CIA)
Liguria
Genoa Christopher Columbus Airport (GOA)
Lombardy
Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
Marche
Marche Airport (AOI)
Piedmont
Cuneo International Airport (CUF)
Turin Airport (TRN)
Puglia
Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport (BRI)
Brindisi Salento Airport (BDS)
Sardinia
Alghero Fertilia Airport (AHO)
Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG)
Olbia Airport (OLB)
Sicily
Catania Airport (CTA)
Comiso Airport (CIY)
Lampedusa Airport (LMP)
Palermo Airport (PMO)
Pantelleria Airport (PNL)
Trapani Airport (TPS)
Tuscany
Florence Airport (FLR)
Pisa Airport (PSA)
Umbria
Perugia Airport (PEG)
Veneto
Treviso Airport (TSF)
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)
Verona Airport (VRN)
Italian Airports by Region and in Detail
Rome
Accounting for almost half the numbers of visitors to Italian airports is Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Some 43 million passengers pass through its three terminals each year, a good proportion of those passengers bound for the capital: Rome. With the capital's central position in the country, its leading airport is a convenient option for a large geographical area around it.
From Rome Fiumicino you can fly to and from just about anywhere in the world but that's not the case for some of the smaller, regional airports. As such, a traveler from say the United States, will usually fly into Rome Fiumicino even if the final destination is another part of the country, and then either take a connecting flight, train or rental car to their chosen location. The capital's second airport is Rome Ciampino which handles around 6 million passengers each year to and from destinations in Europe and typically using budget airlines.
From Rome Fiumicino you can fly to and from just about anywhere in the world but that's not the case for some of the smaller, regional airports. As such, a traveler from say the United States, will usually fly into Rome Fiumicino even if the final destination is another part of the country, and then either take a connecting flight, train or rental car to their chosen location. The capital's second airport is Rome Ciampino which handles around 6 million passengers each year to and from destinations in Europe and typically using budget airlines.
Milan and the Lakes
Second on the list of visitor numbers is Milan Malpensa Airport, one of three airports that serve Italy's second city: Milan. Not only is Milan the business and financial capital of Italy, but it lies at the foot of the three great lakes of the north. Malpensa's 29 million passengers join the 6 million that fly in and out of Milan Linate Airport just a short distance east of the city and the 14 million that transit via Orio al Serio, otherwise known as Milan Bergamo Airport, with a large proportion of those passengers holidaying in and around Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. A popular alternative for Lake Garda is Verona Airport (Verona Villafranca) which is the closest of them all to Italy's biggest lake, and this of course is also the best option for the city of Verona itself.
Both the Lombardy region of which Milan is the capital, and the neighbouring region of Trentino Alto-Adige South Tyrol to its east, provide some of Italy's most popular ski resorts. Orio al Serio (Milan Bergamo) is the best airport for the likes of Livigno, Bormio and Ponte di Legno in Lombardy while popular destinations in the Trentino such as Canazei and Madonna di Campiglio are better served by Verona Villafranca.
Both the Lombardy region of which Milan is the capital, and the neighbouring region of Trentino Alto-Adige South Tyrol to its east, provide some of Italy's most popular ski resorts. Orio al Serio (Milan Bergamo) is the best airport for the likes of Livigno, Bormio and Ponte di Legno in Lombardy while popular destinations in the Trentino such as Canazei and Madonna di Campiglio are better served by Verona Villafranca.
North - Eastern Italy
By far the most popular city in the same Veneto region of Verona is Venice. Most of the 11 million passengers that fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport are bound for the main island of the Venice Lagoon and without a shadow of a doubt, the transfer from airport to accommodation is the most evocative here as you can travel by boat, using either the Venice Water Bus Vaporetto system or by paying the extra for a private boat transfer. Whilst losing some of the charm of the onward journey to Venice, the alternative option of Treviso Airport offers the chance to save some coin with a number of low-cost airlines in operation. Treviso and to a slightly lesser extent Marco Polo, both work well for skiing holidays in the Dolomites of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.
A third (or fourth if you include Verona) option for north-eastern Italy is Trieste Airport which is located not in Trieste itself but the smaller town of Monfalcone. Trieste Airport covers the northern stretch of Adriatic Coast and the Gulf of Trieste. Depending on fluctuating prices, it can sometimes work well to hire a car at Trieste Airport and then take a tour of the neighbouring countries of Slovenia and Croatia.
South of Venice the Adriatic Coast stretches into the Emilia Romagna region which offers two very distinct types of tourism; it has an enormous stretch of sandy coastline within which are some of the country's most popular beach resorts including Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica. The coastal resorts and the inland Republic of San Marino micro state are served by the Rimini & San Marino Airport. In recent years, the Emilia Romagna region has seen a growth of gastronomic tourism with Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport serving the regional capital of Bologna but also some of the region's other highlights including the outstanding UNESCO World Heritage-listed cities of Modena, Ravenna and Ferrara. Some of the burden for that burgeoning tourism is now shared by two smaller airports in the region: Parma Airport and Forlì Airport.
A third (or fourth if you include Verona) option for north-eastern Italy is Trieste Airport which is located not in Trieste itself but the smaller town of Monfalcone. Trieste Airport covers the northern stretch of Adriatic Coast and the Gulf of Trieste. Depending on fluctuating prices, it can sometimes work well to hire a car at Trieste Airport and then take a tour of the neighbouring countries of Slovenia and Croatia.
South of Venice the Adriatic Coast stretches into the Emilia Romagna region which offers two very distinct types of tourism; it has an enormous stretch of sandy coastline within which are some of the country's most popular beach resorts including Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica. The coastal resorts and the inland Republic of San Marino micro state are served by the Rimini & San Marino Airport. In recent years, the Emilia Romagna region has seen a growth of gastronomic tourism with Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport serving the regional capital of Bologna but also some of the region's other highlights including the outstanding UNESCO World Heritage-listed cities of Modena, Ravenna and Ferrara. Some of the burden for that burgeoning tourism is now shared by two smaller airports in the region: Parma Airport and Forlì Airport.
North - Western Italy
The three north-western regions of Italy offer some contrasting landscapes: the Alpine regions of Valle d'Aosta and Piedmont are served by Turin Airport which lies a short distance north of the regional capital: Turin. Piedmont can boast some of Italy's premier ski resorts, including Sestriere, but also large swathes of territory such as the Langhe and Monferrato dominated by vineyards. A little-used option for those vineyard areas is Cuneo International Airport with mainly domestic flights on offer but also a connection to Munich in Germany.
Leaving those vineyard areas and heading south sees a gradual descent towards the mainly coastal region of Liguria. The capital city of Genoa is the main transport hub in the region with most of its International travellers flying into Genoa Christopher Columbus Airport. The airport marks just about the point where the coastline stretches east to the Riviera di Levante and west to form the Riviera di Ponente.
Leaving those vineyard areas and heading south sees a gradual descent towards the mainly coastal region of Liguria. The capital city of Genoa is the main transport hub in the region with most of its International travellers flying into Genoa Christopher Columbus Airport. The airport marks just about the point where the coastline stretches east to the Riviera di Levante and west to form the Riviera di Ponente.
Tuscany, Umbria and Marche
The central region of Tuscany has two airports within its confines, in Pisa and the capital: Florence. The busier of the two is Pisa Airport which is one of the most conveniently-located in the whole country, lying just at the edge of the city centre and arguably even within walking distance of its leading monuments such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Despite Florence's buoyancy in terms of tourism, Florence Airport is relatively little-used with around 3 million passengers per year, around half the figure of those travelling through Pisa.
Tuscany's neighbouring region of Umbria sprawls across the undulating Apennine Mountains with the one airport in the region being that of its capital: Perugia. Little more than 200,000 passengers use Perugia Airport every year but it's another one that benefits from a very convenient location relative to the city itself and a sensible choice for visiting the likes of Assisi, Lake Trasimeno, Orvieto or Spoleto.
The Marche region lies to the east of Umbria, occupying a position between the Adriatic Coast to its east and the same hills as Umbria to the west. Its single international entry point is Marche Airport which lies just north of the regional capital of Ancona in a small seaside town called Falconara Marittima. With the Rimini and San Marino Airport just a short distance to the north, it works best for the multitude of seaside towns south of the city and in particular the beautiful Conero Peninsula.
Tuscany's neighbouring region of Umbria sprawls across the undulating Apennine Mountains with the one airport in the region being that of its capital: Perugia. Little more than 200,000 passengers use Perugia Airport every year but it's another one that benefits from a very convenient location relative to the city itself and a sensible choice for visiting the likes of Assisi, Lake Trasimeno, Orvieto or Spoleto.
The Marche region lies to the east of Umbria, occupying a position between the Adriatic Coast to its east and the same hills as Umbria to the west. Its single international entry point is Marche Airport which lies just north of the regional capital of Ancona in a small seaside town called Falconara Marittima. With the Rimini and San Marino Airport just a short distance to the north, it works best for the multitude of seaside towns south of the city and in particular the beautiful Conero Peninsula.
Naples and Calabria
The most important city in southern Italy is also the location of its most important travel hub: Naples International Airport. The fifth most popular airport in the country, it sees 10 million passengers per year transferring to nearby hotspots such as Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and the islands of Ischia, Capri and Procida. As well as providing flight connections to all of the major European capitals, it also offers seasonal flights to and from the USA.
Naples is the capital of the Campania region and its airport is the best option for certain locations within the confines of its southern neighbours of Basilicata and Calabria. However, whilst Basilicata doesn't have a commercial airport, the larger region of Calabria to its south has three. Of those three, by far the most popular is Lamezia Terme Airport which is the most convenient international entry point for Calabria's favourite seaside spots of Tropea, Pizzo and Scilla. The south coast of the region has Reggio Calabria Airport but although the most populous Calabrian city does have its own airport, its destinations are limited to cities in northern Italy. Even more limited is Crotone Airport on Calabria's Ionian Coast which connects to just one location: the city of Bergamo in Lombardy.
Naples is the capital of the Campania region and its airport is the best option for certain locations within the confines of its southern neighbours of Basilicata and Calabria. However, whilst Basilicata doesn't have a commercial airport, the larger region of Calabria to its south has three. Of those three, by far the most popular is Lamezia Terme Airport which is the most convenient international entry point for Calabria's favourite seaside spots of Tropea, Pizzo and Scilla. The south coast of the region has Reggio Calabria Airport but although the most populous Calabrian city does have its own airport, its destinations are limited to cities in northern Italy. Even more limited is Crotone Airport on Calabria's Ionian Coast which connects to just one location: the city of Bergamo in Lombardy.
The Southern Adriatic
Largely consisting of the coastal region of Puglia, the area that could be described as the "southern Adriatic" stretches up to the regions of Abruzzo and Molise. In terms of tourism, the area is dominated by Puglia's seaside resorts which are among the best in Italy and the dazzling beaches of its sub-region called the Salento. Of Puglia's two airports, Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport is the busier, serving the capital of Bari, its coastline including Polignano a Mare and its hinterland where the trulli houses of Alberobello are among the most popular sights.
Further south along Puglia's Adriatic Coast is the Brindisi Salento Airport which as the name suggests, covers the port city of Brindisi and the Salento region. At the heart of the Salento is the Baroque city of Lecce while the seaside town of Otranto graces the eastern, Adriatic Coast and Gallipoli is the star of the show on the opposite, Ionian Coast. North of Bari, the Gargano Peninsula is a rival to the Salento in a certain sense with its own beautiful beaches and rocky coastline which includes the wonderful seaside resort of Vieste.
For the seaside resorts of Molise and Abruzzo directly north of the Gargano Peninsula, the most convenient international entry point is Pescara Abruzzo Airport. Around 700,000 visitors per year transit through the Abruzzo region's only airport which is one of the best options for the rugged interiors of the Apennines and national parks such as the Gran Sasso or Majella.
Further south along Puglia's Adriatic Coast is the Brindisi Salento Airport which as the name suggests, covers the port city of Brindisi and the Salento region. At the heart of the Salento is the Baroque city of Lecce while the seaside town of Otranto graces the eastern, Adriatic Coast and Gallipoli is the star of the show on the opposite, Ionian Coast. North of Bari, the Gargano Peninsula is a rival to the Salento in a certain sense with its own beautiful beaches and rocky coastline which includes the wonderful seaside resort of Vieste.
For the seaside resorts of Molise and Abruzzo directly north of the Gargano Peninsula, the most convenient international entry point is Pescara Abruzzo Airport. Around 700,000 visitors per year transit through the Abruzzo region's only airport which is one of the best options for the rugged interiors of the Apennines and national parks such as the Gran Sasso or Majella.
Sicily
A testament to the popularity of Sicily is that it has no fewer than six airports of its own. Slightly upsetting the natural order of things, the second city sees the most air travel with around ten million transiting through Catania Airport every year. The city of Catania is situated on Sicily's Ionian Coast and lies at the foothills of the fiery Mount Etna while further north along the coast is the island region's number one tourist destination: Taormina.
Seven million passengers use the Sicilian capital's Palermo Airport every year; aside from the many charms of Palermo itself, the city occupies the same coastline as the popular seaside resort of Cefalù while closer to the city are the disparate attractions of Monreale Cathedral, the hill town of Caccamo and the beach at Mondello.
Although a greatly reduced number of passengers flow through Trapani Airport, the city that it serves lies at the centre of one of Italy's most beautiful areas of coastline. Trapani is just a short hop across the sea to the Aegadian Islands of Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo while a short drive north of the city brings the beach resort of San Vito Lo Capo and the stunning Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro into play.
Not only this, but Trapani Airport represents the best means of travel into one of the two Sicilian Islands that has its own airport: Pantelleria. Although the island can be reached by sea, the short flight to Pantelleria Airport is greatly preferable to the much longer ferry journey. Boasting the beautiful Spiaggia dei Conigli, the often-voted best beach in Italy, the island of Lampedusa is best accessed via Lampedusa Airport as it too has a rather arduous ferry journey as the next best option.
Sicily's final airport is that of the pretty town of Comiso in the Ragusa Province. Aside from its convenience for reaching the historic city of Syracuse, the Comiso Airport is right at the heart of the UNESCO-listed Val di Noto: the term given for a series of eight towns built in the 17th century where the Sicilian Baroque architecture reached its zenith. The city of Ragusa and slightly smaller towns such as Modica, Noto and Scicli which are both beautiful and of special significance to fans of the Inspector Montalbano TV series which is filmed here.
Seven million passengers use the Sicilian capital's Palermo Airport every year; aside from the many charms of Palermo itself, the city occupies the same coastline as the popular seaside resort of Cefalù while closer to the city are the disparate attractions of Monreale Cathedral, the hill town of Caccamo and the beach at Mondello.
Although a greatly reduced number of passengers flow through Trapani Airport, the city that it serves lies at the centre of one of Italy's most beautiful areas of coastline. Trapani is just a short hop across the sea to the Aegadian Islands of Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo while a short drive north of the city brings the beach resort of San Vito Lo Capo and the stunning Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro into play.
Not only this, but Trapani Airport represents the best means of travel into one of the two Sicilian Islands that has its own airport: Pantelleria. Although the island can be reached by sea, the short flight to Pantelleria Airport is greatly preferable to the much longer ferry journey. Boasting the beautiful Spiaggia dei Conigli, the often-voted best beach in Italy, the island of Lampedusa is best accessed via Lampedusa Airport as it too has a rather arduous ferry journey as the next best option.
Sicily's final airport is that of the pretty town of Comiso in the Ragusa Province. Aside from its convenience for reaching the historic city of Syracuse, the Comiso Airport is right at the heart of the UNESCO-listed Val di Noto: the term given for a series of eight towns built in the 17th century where the Sicilian Baroque architecture reached its zenith. The city of Ragusa and slightly smaller towns such as Modica, Noto and Scicli which are both beautiful and of special significance to fans of the Inspector Montalbano TV series which is filmed here.
Sardinia
The second of Italy's two island regions, Sardinia offers three airports to welcome its visitors. The busiest of the three is Cagliari Elmas Airport which lies just north of Cagliari city centre next to a lagoon area. Cagliari Elmas is the most convenient airport for the southern half of Sardinia which includes the two islands of Sant'Antioco and San Pietro as well as dozens of spectacular beach resorts.
The Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in north-eastern Sardinia is at the heart of a large cluster of attractions. Named principally after the coastal area of the Costa Smeralda of which Porto Cervo is the main town, it also provides the most convenient entry point for the La Maddalena Archipelago of islands, the beach resort of Santa Teresa Gallura and the island of Tavolara to the south of the airport.
Over on the opposite, north-western coast of Sardinia is Alghero Fertilia Airport. The seaside town of Alghero is one of the most popular resorts in the whole island region and lies just a short distance from such wonders as the polychromatic town of Bosa, the donkey island of Asinara and the Sinis Peninsula to the south which can boast the archaeological site of Tharros.
The Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in north-eastern Sardinia is at the heart of a large cluster of attractions. Named principally after the coastal area of the Costa Smeralda of which Porto Cervo is the main town, it also provides the most convenient entry point for the La Maddalena Archipelago of islands, the beach resort of Santa Teresa Gallura and the island of Tavolara to the south of the airport.
Over on the opposite, north-western coast of Sardinia is Alghero Fertilia Airport. The seaside town of Alghero is one of the most popular resorts in the whole island region and lies just a short distance from such wonders as the polychromatic town of Bosa, the donkey island of Asinara and the Sinis Peninsula to the south which can boast the archaeological site of Tharros.
Busiest Airports in Italy
Ranked in order of passenger numbers during last pre-pandemic year of 2019.
1. Rome Fiumicino - 43,532,573
2. Milan Malpensa - 28,846,299
3. Milan Bergamo - 13,857,257
4. Venice Marco Polo - 11,561,594
5. Naples Capodichino - 10,860,068
6. Catania Fontanarossa - 10,223,113
7. Bologna Guglielmo Marconi - 9,405,290
8. Palermo Falcone e Borsellino - 7,018,017
9. Milan Linate - 6,570,984
10. Rome Ciampino - 5,879,496
11. Bari Karol Wojtyla - 5,545,588
12. Pisa Galileo Galilei - 5,387,558
13. Cagliari Elmas - 4,747,806
14. Turin Caselle - 3,952,158
15. Verona Villafranca - 3,638,088
16. Treviso Canova - 3,254,731
17. Olbia Costa Smeralda - 2,978,769
18. Lamezia Terme - 2,978,110
19. Florence Peretola - 2,874,223
20. Brindisi Salento - 2,697,749
21. Genoa Christopher Columbus - 1,536,136
22. Alghero Fertilia - 1,390,379
23. Trieste Ronchi dei Legionari - 783,179
24. Pescara Abruzzo - 703,386
25. Ancona Falconara/Marche Airport - 489,835
26. Trapani Birgi Vincenzo Forio - 411,347
27. Rimini & San Marino - 395,194
28. Reggio Calabria - 365,391
29. Comiso Pio La Torre - 352,095
30. Lampedusa Airport - 276,972
31. Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi - 219,183
32. Crotone Sant'Anna - 169,780
33. Cuneo Levaldigi - 92,401
34. Parma Giuseppe Verdi - 75,007
35. Forlì Luigi Ridolfi - 39,885 (most recent figure published in 2013 but now under new management)
36. Pantelleria Airport - no figures published
2. Milan Malpensa - 28,846,299
3. Milan Bergamo - 13,857,257
4. Venice Marco Polo - 11,561,594
5. Naples Capodichino - 10,860,068
6. Catania Fontanarossa - 10,223,113
7. Bologna Guglielmo Marconi - 9,405,290
8. Palermo Falcone e Borsellino - 7,018,017
9. Milan Linate - 6,570,984
10. Rome Ciampino - 5,879,496
11. Bari Karol Wojtyla - 5,545,588
12. Pisa Galileo Galilei - 5,387,558
13. Cagliari Elmas - 4,747,806
14. Turin Caselle - 3,952,158
15. Verona Villafranca - 3,638,088
16. Treviso Canova - 3,254,731
17. Olbia Costa Smeralda - 2,978,769
18. Lamezia Terme - 2,978,110
19. Florence Peretola - 2,874,223
20. Brindisi Salento - 2,697,749
21. Genoa Christopher Columbus - 1,536,136
22. Alghero Fertilia - 1,390,379
23. Trieste Ronchi dei Legionari - 783,179
24. Pescara Abruzzo - 703,386
25. Ancona Falconara/Marche Airport - 489,835
26. Trapani Birgi Vincenzo Forio - 411,347
27. Rimini & San Marino - 395,194
28. Reggio Calabria - 365,391
29. Comiso Pio La Torre - 352,095
30. Lampedusa Airport - 276,972
31. Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi - 219,183
32. Crotone Sant'Anna - 169,780
33. Cuneo Levaldigi - 92,401
34. Parma Giuseppe Verdi - 75,007
35. Forlì Luigi Ridolfi - 39,885 (most recent figure published in 2013 but now under new management)
36. Pantelleria Airport - no figures published
