Milan is the economic center of Italy and is considered a leading alpha global city. Three international airports serve Milan, namely Malpensa, Linate, and Orio al Serio (Bergamo). In total, the three Milan airports served more than 41 million passengers in the year 2022. Here’s all you need to know about the airports in Milan, Italy.
Malpensa Airport
The Milan Malpensa Airport
is Italy’s second busiest airport in terms of passengers served (second only to Rome Fiumicino Airport) and the largest international airport in northern Italy. The Malpensa Airport is the main international airport for the city of Milan. The airport code for Milan Malpensa Airport is MXP.
The airport was inaugurated in 1910 and primarily used for military functions during the First World War, hosting squadrons of the Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica). The civil operations in the Malpensa airport began from the year 1948. Several improvements and expansions have been made to Malpensa Airport over the years to accommodate an increasing number of passenger and airline traffic.
Malpensa airport is 45km from the Milan city center and has two passenger terminals, T1 and T2. The two terminals are well connected among them through shuttle buses and trains. Malpensa T1 terminal is bigger and more prominent, seeing most international traffic, whereas the T2 terminal is older and usually deals with low-budget carriers.
Transfer from/to Milan Malpensa Airport
Various means of transportation connect Milan Malpensa airport with the city center, and travel time is about 40-60 minutes. The most convenient, although pricey, option is the taxi. Buses operate regularly from Milan Malpensa Airport to the Milan Central train station. Coach transfers are also available from Malpensa Airport to Linate and Orio al Serio airports.
Flixbus
and Terravision
are two of the leading bus service providers connecting Milan Malpensa airport and the city center. It is recommended to book the tickets online and well in advance to avoid long queues near the bus terminals.
The Malpensa Express connects the Milan Malpensa Airport to the Milan train stations. By taking the Tilo S50 train, you can get from Milan’s airport to Bellinzona, Switzerland, via Varese and Lugano
. The Milan airport train station can be found on the lower levels of the building. Check out the detailed guide on how to get from Milan Malpensa airport to the city center
.
If you plan to travel to other parts of Italy, like Venice, Florence, and Rome, then taking the train from Milano Centrale train station would be most convenient. Take a look at the Milan train stations guide
for all the must-know information.
Trainline
is a popular and convenient option to get the best available prices, times, and book train tickets. Trainline makes trip planning simple and with early booking, you can save upto 51%.
Linate Airport
Linate Airport
is one of the top ten busiest airports in Italy. The Linate airport is located about 7km from the city center and serves the least traffic compared to the other two airports in Milan. It is a city airport mainly used for domestic and international flights within the EU. The Milan Linate Airport served about 7.7 million passengers in the year 2022.
Originally built in the 1930s, Linate Airport started operating in 1937. The airport has been continually modernized and expanded to serve Milan’s domestic and regional air traffic. Over time, Linate Airport has maintained its focus on short-haul and domestic flights. The airport code for Linate Airport is LIN.
Transfer from/to Milan Linate Airport
Due to its proximity to the Milan city center, Linate has the shortest travel time and can even be reached through local public transport. There are three main routes to Milano Linate airport by car: the North (A4/A51), the West (Viale Forlanini), and the East (A35-Brebemi). Taxi stands are located near gate 5 if you prefer to take a taxi.
Shuttle buses between Linate airport and Milano Centrale station take 25 minutes and cost 8€, at the time of this writing. Local buses also operate from Milan Linate airport to various parts of the city. Flixbus
offers daily connections between Linate airport and Milan Central station.
Milan’s new M4 metro line makes Linate airport extremely accessible from the city, making it a very convenient option. Navigating public transport in a new city might feel daunting; read the ultimate guide to Milan’s public transport
to steer through with ease.
Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport
The Bergamo Orio al Serio airport is the third busiest airport in Italy and served more than 13 million passengers in 2022. The airport is located in Orio al Serio, 3.7 km from the city of Bergamo
and 45 km away from Milan city center. The Milan Bergamo airport is officially named Il Caravaggio International Airport, after the Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.
In the late 20th century, Bergamo Airport underwent extensive renovations to accommodate the growing number of low-cost airlines. It has since become a significant hub for budget airlines, handling a considerable portion of Milan’s low-cost flight traffic. The airport code for Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport is BGY.
Transfer from/to Milan Bergamo Airport
Although the Orio al Serio airport is situated in the neighboring city of Bergamo, Italy, it can be reached in 45-60 minutes. Shuttle buses operate regularly from Bergamo airport to Milan Central station taking roughly 60 minutes and costing 13€, at the time of this writing.
Flixbus
and Terravision
are the leading bus service providers connecting Bergamo airport and the Milan city center.
Bergamo airport does not have a dedicated train station, and the closest one is the Bergamo train station (Stazione Bergamo), located in the Bergamo city center. To reach the train station from Bergamo Airport, take the bus operated by ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo), which is the local public transport provider. The journey usually takes between 15 to 20 minutes. Then take the train to Milano Centrale train station which takes around 50 minutes.
Trainline
is a popular and convenient platform to get the best available prices, times, and book train tickets. Trainline makes trip planning simple and with early booking, you can save upto 51%.
Taxi is the most convenient option to transfer from Beramo airport to Milan city, more so if there are large pieces of luggage.
Bresso Airport
The Bresso Airport is a general aviation airfield that handles all civil aviation operations except for commercial flights. Flying club activities, touristic flights, and air taxis are some of the activities at the Bresso airport. Originally built in 1912, the Bresso Airport is also known as Aeroporto Giampiero Clerici. Between 1931 and 1933, the Bresso airfield housed a squadron of the Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica). As a result of the Second World War, much damage was done to the airport. Bresso is located 8 km north of Milan, and the airfield is home to the flight school, Aero Club Milano .
Conclusion
The city of Milan is well served by multiple airports, each catering to a specific type of traffic. There are a few factors to consider when choosing which Milan airport is better. Linate airport is closest to the city of Milan but does not see international flights from outside of Europe. Malpensa airport on the other hand is farther away but not hard to get to using different means of transport. Bergamo airport is usually a good alternative that often gets overlooked.
Overall, the Malpensa airport in Milan is generally considered the biggest and best. However, the Linate and Bergamo airports are not far behind and are equally important. Surely something to consider before booking your next flights.
*This article contains affiliate links. Read the privacy policy for more details.
comments powered by Disqus