Rome Fiumicino Airport

Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (Italian: Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci di Roma–Fiumicino) (IATA: FCO, ICAO: LIRF) is an international airport in Fiumicino, Italy, serving Rome. It is the busiest airport in the country, the 8th-busiest airport in Europe and the world's 36th-busiest airport with over 49.2 million passengers served in 2024. It covers an area of 16 square kilometres (6.2 sq mi).
Fiumicino serves as the principal hub for ITA Airways, the Italian flag carrier and the largest airline in the country. It was previously the hub for Alitalia, the defunct airline that was Italy's largest. It is also an operating base for several other airlines, such as Aeroitalia, Condor, easyJet, Neos, Ryanair, Vueling and Wizz Air.
Opened in 1961, it is in Fiumicino, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Rome, and is named for Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). Reproductions of some of his most famous works and inventions are on display inside the airport.
During construction, the remains of some Roman ships were found.
The airport was officially opened on 15 January 1961, with two runways, replacing the smaller Rome Ciampino Airport, which remains in service for some low-cost airlines as well as domestic and charter operations. Despite being officially opened in 1961, Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport had actually been in use since 20 August 1960. This was to help relieve air traffic that was congesting Rome Ciampino Airport during the 1960 Summer Olympics.
During the 1960s, former home-based Alitalia invested heavily in the new airport, building hangars and maintenance centres; in the same period a third runway was added (16L/34R).
Security Services transferred from the Polizia di Stato (Italian State Police) to Aeroporti di Roma S.p.A. in 2000. Aeroporti di Roma created ADR Security S.r.l. (100%-owned) to provide these services as well as security services to airlines (in competition with other security companies such as IVRI). Airport Security is supervised by Polizia di Stato, Guardia di Finanza (Italian Customs Police), Italian Civil Aviation Authority and Aeroporti di Roma S.p.A.. Ground handling services were provided by Aeroporti di Roma until 1999, when it created Aeroporti di Roma Handling (to serve all airlines except for Alitalia, which continued to be handled by Aeroporti di Roma itself). Alitalia provided passenger assistance even before 1999. In 2001, Alitalia created "Alitalia Airport" and started providing ground handling for itself and other airlines. Aeroporti di Roma Handling remains the biggest handler in terms of airlines handled, but Alitalia Airport is the biggest handler in terms of airplanes handled as Alitalia aircraft account for 50% of the ones at Fiumicino. In May 2006, Italy's Civil Aviation Authority announced that it took off the limitation of three ramp handlers in Rome Leonardo da Vinci airport. ARE Group and Aviapartner announced that they would create a company called Aviapartner (51% Aviapartner; 49% ARE Group) to serve Milan Malpensa and Rome Leonardo da Vinci.
Since 2005, the airport operates a category III B instrument landing system (ILS). Further improvement work was implemented in 2007 to enable the airport to handle 30 takeoffs/landings per hour, up from 10, in the event of thick fog. Three runways presently operate at Leonardo da Vinci airport: 16L/34R and 16R/34L (separated by a distance of 4,000 m (13,000 ft)), and 07/25, used only westwards for takeoffs owing to the prevailing winds. The airport used to have a fourth runway, 16C/34C which was located alongside 16L/34R, it was mostly used as a taxiway or as a backup for 16L/34R; the runway is now designated as Taxiway "D".
In 2010, the new single baggage handling system for more efficient luggage delivery began operations.
Several projects are planned. These include the construction of an environmentally-friendly cogeneration system, which would allow the airport to produce its own energy; the "Masterplan Fiumicino Nord", involving four new terminals and two new runways to be built in the future handling 100 million passengers per year.
Rome-Fiumicino airport has been hit twice by terrorist attacks: the first in 1973 (34 deaths) following the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Jordan and the Jordanian-Palestinian civil war, and the second in 1985 (19 deaths +4 terrorists) part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, presumably linked to Abu Nidal Organization.
As of 2021, after major expansion and refurbishment works, the airport now features two terminals:
The terminals were upgraded during the 1990s and 2000s. In 1991, the domestic Pier A with 12 gates opened, followed in 1995 by the international Pier B with 10 gates and in 1999 by the international Satellite C with 14 gates. In 2000, the new domestic Terminal A opened, and the terminal buildings, then consisting of Terminal A (with Pier A), Terminal AA, Terminal B (with Pier B) and Terminal C (with Satellite C), were reorganized.
The dedicated Cargo City terminal was added in 2004, while the check-in counters for Northwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, American Airlines and El Al in Terminal 5 opened in 2008, with passengers then being bused to what was then called Satellite C.
In 2009, the terminals were renamed. Terminal A was renamed Terminal 1, Terminal AA was renamed T2, Terminals B and C were consolidated into Terminal 3, and Terminal 5 remained unchanged.
In January 2017, Terminal 5 was closed for renovations; a new central airside hall is currently being built in the middle section. The former Terminal 2 closed permanently on 15 December 2017 to make way for the north-west expansion of Terminal 1. A new three-storey boarding and waiting area, as well as a new Pier A with 13 boarding and 10 remote gates, have been built.
From 17 March 2020 to 6 August 2021, Terminal 1 was closed due to decreased passenger traffic amidst the COVID-19 pandemic; this pause was used to perform a redesign of the main hall layout, which increased the available passenger space.
Future plans include a new Terminal 4, expansion of runways, and new buildings for car parking, services, and airport facilities.
An automated people mover (APM) called SkyBridge (Innovia APM 100) opened in 1999 along with the Satellite C. It consists of two stations, one on the third floor of Terminal 3, and the other on the second floor of gate area E31–44. This shuttle train is the only means of transport for passengers between the two sections of the terminal. The westbound service, from T3 to Gates E31–44, is for departing passengers only, while the eastbound service is for arriving passengers only. Arriving passengers are not permitted to take the train back, as they need to pass through a transfer security checkpoint to re-enter the departure area. Likewise, departing passengers are not permitted to take the train back to Terminal 3.
The following airlines operate regular scheduled, seasonal and charter flights to and from Fiumicino:
Fiumicino Aeroporto railway station is served by the Leonardo Express train operated by Trenitalia, available at the airport terminal. It takes 30 minutes to get to Termini Station in the city center of Rome, with a non-stop trip that is provided every 15 minutes. The railway section to the airport was opened in May 1990, and uses the Rome-Fiumicino railway infrastructure.
Leonardo da Vinci airport is also connected to Rome by the FL1 line, a suburban commuter and rapid transit line. Departing every 15 minutes, stopping at all stations. The FL1 line does not stop at Termini station, connects the airport with the other main stations of Rome where it is possible to change to the metro network, Trastevere (Tram lines 3 and 8), Ostiense (Metro Piramide), Tuscolana (Metro Ponte Lungo) or Roma Tiburtina (Metro Tiburtina).
The airport is also connected to the Italian high-speed network, the following connections depart from Fiumicino Aeroporto station:
Leonardo da Vinci is about 35 km (22 mi) by car from Rome's historic city centre. The airport is also served by different categories of transport: buses, shuttle buses, car sharing and taxis.
The airport is a terminus for local and national bus lines:
Added to these are the national connections operated by the companies Flixbus and Itabus.
It can be reached from the highways:
And also from the following streets:
Rome Fiumicino airport is equipped with:
Leonardo da Vinci has improved the real-time info mobility service that is provided to passengers and airport operators on the leading connections from the airport. This new layout makes it easier for passengers to interpret information on connections to and from the airport. They have also upgraded road surfaces in the arrival areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 to let taxis pull up to the platform more easily and make it easier for passengers to get off.
From the 1960s until the 1980s, the airport experienced significant aircraft hijackings as well as being the scene of two major terrorist attacks and the port of origin for an aircraft bombing in flight—some engendered by Palestinians as part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Media related to Fiumicino Airport at Wikimedia Commons Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport travel guide from Wikivoyage