Best Airports in Italy: Choosing the Right Airport for Your Next Trip to Italy
If you’re looking to travel to Italy, you’ve probably noticed that the cost of a round-trip ticket has gone up and up. You may be wondering which airport to fly to and what the differences are, if any. Choosing the right airport for your needs can have a huge impact on the ease and comfort of your most important arrival and departure days, not to mention your wallet. Fortunately, Italy has a number of airports to choose from when planning your next adventure or study abroad adventure. You no longer have to fly into Rome Fiumicino Airport, which used to offer the most flight options at the cheapest prices. Whether you’re looking to start your journey south, north, or somewhere in between, you’ll have plenty of airports to choose from.
As a frequent traveler to Italy, I prefer the smaller airports. Florence airport is a clear winner in my book. The airport is extremely small, manageable, offers many international flights and is just a short taxi or bus ride to/from Florence city center. Taxi rides cost around 25 euros each way and the bus costs only a few euros each way. There is only one gate that all travelers exit through, so it’s easy to run into someone there. Many travelers start their trip in Tuscany or surely have it somewhere on their itinerary. Why not start and end your trip in the heart of Italy and not have to deal with other more congested and complicated airports? Here are some pros and cons to help any traveler choose the best arrival and departure cities for their trip.
Advantages of Florence Airport (FLR): The airport is small and easy to maneuver. Getting into the city of Florence is obviously the easiest by far. Taxis abound and cost approximately 25 euros. Florence Airport Cons: These flights can be at less convenient times and can sometimes cost a bit more. However, the extra time, energy, and cost of train tickets from Rome or Milan (where flights can be cheaper) may not be worth it.
Pisa airport is the second best option to travel to Florence. Advantages of Pisa Airport (PSA): Pisa is another small and manageable airport. It’s only a short train or bus ride to Florence (specifically, Florence train station) and many of the travelers who fly into this airport are making the same trip. Pisa Airport (PSA) Cons: The cost of a bus or train ticket may be less than the fare of a taxi from Florence airport, but you may not want to wait for a crowded bus or train after the long journey. flight. Remember you will be carrying your own luggage and there may be standing room only on full trains.
Rome airport has certainly improved in the last 5 years, but it is still very large and often complicated, even for the experienced traveller. Advantages of Rome Airport (FCO): Tickets for this airport are usually less expensive and there are more flights and more companies available for those who use miles or those who have a preferred airline. Rome Airport (FCO) Disadvantages: Arrivals and departures, especially for someone who doesn’t speak Italian and has never traveled to Italy before, can be difficult. It is a short train ride to Rome’s main train station, Roma Termini. Navigating terminals, trains, buses, and taxis can be overwhelming after a long flight.
Travelers should keep in mind when buying tickets what time their flights arrive and depart. Trains do not run 24 hours a day and Italy is known for unexpected and frequent train strikes. Allowing enough layover time is also important. Make sure you have enough time to catch the next flight! This is especially true in the case of return. Just to be on the safe side, it might be a good idea to set aside some time in case you run into any issues. This is more the case for winter flights. Summer is usually fine.
Other major cities like Venice, Milan, Bologna also have international airports. Travelers looking to start their trip in one city and end in another should consider flying into one airport and departing from another. For some reason, the myth persists that outbound and return flights must use the same arrival and departure destination. Their best rule of thumb when it comes to travel, especially in Europe and particularly in Italy, is to be flexible and enjoy the unexpected twists and turns that are sure to come your way.