Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is the international facility serving Rome, Italy, and is also home to the airline Alitalia. It’s a busy airport, so here are some tips to help you navigate the facility, whether you’re arriving or departing.
Opened in 1961 with two runways, Fiumicino Airport is located 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the city center. It has four terminals to handle its 40 million passengers a year.
Terminal 1 drive domestic flights, medium-haul flights from the Schengen Area and Alitalia, together with domestic and Schengen Area flights operated by KLM, Air France, Hop !, Air Europa, Luxair, Compagnie Aérienne Corse Méditerranée SAEM, Etihad Regional-Darwin Airlines, Air Berlin , Niki and Air Serbia. Terminal 2 handles domestic, Schengen and non-Schengen flights from Easyjet, Wizzair, Blue Air, Sun Express, Air Moldova and Meridiana, except for flights to Olbia and long-haul flights that operate from T3.
Terminal 3 handles domestic, Schengen and non-Schengen flights. Terminal 4 handles direct flights to the United States and Israel operated by American Airlines and Israeli airlines.
Leaving and arriving
Travelers can check the status in real time on the airport website. There are six security checkpoints at Fiumicino Airport with 66 X-ray machine points to check passengers. The airport expanded its security areas to reduce passenger bottlenecks.
Customs can be a pretty quick process – a quick look at your passport and you’re done. But depending on the volume of travelers and the peak of the seasons, the process can be considerably delayed.
If you need to stay close to the airport, consider the Hilton Rome Airport Hotel, which is connected to the Fiumicino terminals through a covered tunnel. It also offers a free bus service to the center of Rome that operates eight times a day.
On the arrivals level, there are buses and taxis to get to the city center. The Tren Italia train is also an option to get to Rome. Get through the departures level by taking the pedestrian overpass that will take you to the train station. The uninterrupted Leonardo da Vinci to Roma Termini is about 10 euros ($ 11). The regular service, a little slower but frequent, is about 5 euros ($ 5).
When leaving FCO, if you are checking baggage, be prepared for a long wait and travelers are advised to show up at least three hours before an international flight. Airlines like to put security stickers on passports, so avoid a delay and make sure you have one before proceeding to your gate.
Once you’ve cleared check-in and security, take a breath and enjoy your final Italian coffee at one of the airport cafes. Or go shopping for last-minute gifts at stores like Armani and Gucci, along with outlets that sell Italian goods duty-free.
Edited by Benet Wilson
The best hotels in Rome
