Do you want to visit Rome? Do you want to see the colosseum, Palatino and the Roman Forum and experience the ancient history and civilization of the Eternal City? If yes, then you must plan your itinerary today. But wait, you can’t do this before you decide which airport to land into.
Check out https://visit-colosseum-rome.com/ for more details on travelling in Rome. Here is our guide for the best airports in the city.
Choosing the best of two airports
Rome has two international airports- Ciampino (CIA) and Fiumicino (FCO). People who are coming from across the Atlantic i.e. Canada or the US, you don’t have much of a choice as they will most likely land into Fiumicino only. However, if you are coming from Asia or Europe, then you may get to decide. You must note that Fiumicino is the main international airport of the city and most airlines like British Airways, American Airlines and Alitalia land straight into this airport.
The airport isn’t huge compared to other European airports like London Heathrow. It has four terminals of which three are located in the same building. The shops of the airport are also good enough for visitors. The Ciampino airport is relatively smaller than the Fiumicino and doesn’t have as many amenities as well. You won’t get duty-free designer stores here, nor are there any wine shops. Note that Ciampino usually serves the budget flights like Wizz Air, Ryanair and Easy Jet.
Fiumicino on the other hand serves some of the big budget airlines like Delta, Lufthansa, Alitalia, American, Air China, Air Canada, British Airways and more. It also servs budget airlines like Ryanair and Easy Jet.
Which airport is the most hassle free?
Though both airports are relatively easy to navigate, Fiumicino generally has a higher number of passenger and the lines at the immigration section are much longer than Ciampino. The luggage wait is also much longer. The airport is clean and very functional but the problem here is that it is much smaller than many other European airports which makes it a little more of a hassle.
However, Ciampino serves budget airlines exclusively because of which there are more issues with luggage here. For instance, you may only be allowed to take a single piece of luggage onboard and then pay a steep fee to get another checked bag in. If you are going to get a taxi, then Fuimicino is the better option. However, if you are looking for driving in then Ciampino is the better option, as it is located only 15km from the city center.
Overall, you will be finding both the airports as having some pros and some cons. The choice depends mostly upon the airline that you are flying and the region that you are coming from. If you want a quick trip around town, it would be better to visit Ciampino as it has much lesser hassle with luggage lines. However, if you want a complete air travel experience with duty free shops and more, then you should go to Fuimicino.