Linate is considered Milan’s second airport after Malpensa but is a strong contender as the city’s best. Certainly it’s the most convenient. Centrally located with excellent transport connections, it’s also small and easy to navigate. That makes it the airport of choice for business travelers coming in and out of Italy’s northern capital.
Its location and size also restrict its capacity and capabilities to domestic and European destinations only. Despite that, in 2023 nearly 10 million passengers traveled through its gates. In the same year it was named Europe's Best Airport in the 5-10 Million Passenger category by the Airport Council International.
Airlines serving Linate
As is commonplace for Euro-centric airports, the majority of the airlines it serves fall into the low-cost category. In 2024, it operates 84 airlines flying to 32 countries across 264 routes, of which 75 are within Italy.
While VistaJet covers the most routes (around 60), its national flag carrier ITA Airways is by far the biggest operator with around 1,000 weekly flights to 32 destinations. The majority of these are domestic, with the Rome-Milan route particularly popular with business fliers. Flights to and from Linate are typically a little more expensive than equivalent routes at Malpensa. But in my experience, if you’re heading into Milan city, its convenience usually outweighs the extra cost.
One thing to know is that Linate’s flight schedules can change dramatically by season. ITA in particular often opens up new routes to chime with certain seasons – for example winter destinations for skiing – so it’s always worth checking to see where’s on offer.
Traveling to and from Milan
The airport is actually officially named Airport Enrico Forlanini after the aeronautical pioneer born in Milan. Despite that, it’s known by the nickname Linate after its location near the village of the same name. That location is what makes it such a tempting option when traveling into and out of Milan. Around four miles from the city center, you have lots of options for getting in and out.
Taxi
If you’ve hit the famed fashion stores hard and are burdened with lots of luggage, a taxi may be your best bet. Despite Milan’s nightmare traffic, it only takes around 20-30 minutes from the central station. If it’s during rush hours – 7.30 am to 10 am and 4.30 pm to 8 pm – expect it to take longer and consider the metro instead. There are no fixed airport fares, so set a price with the taxi driver before you travel.
Metro and train
The 2023 opening of the new Metro M4 Blue line (known as the MM4) has transformed the Linate commute. San Babila station, steps from the landmark Duomo, is now just 12 minutes from the airport. En route it stops at Dateo and Forlanini stations, both convenient interchange points to the regional rail network and the rest of Italy.
Tickets are fantastically cheap, last 90 minutes, and cover buses, trams, trolleybuses and suburban railway lines. It’s one of the best public transport routes I’ve used in recent years. If you’re commuting between 10 pm to 6 am in the week or 12.30 am to 6 am Friday to Sunday, take the NM4 night line instead.
Bus and shuttle
With the opening of the MM4 line, I wonder how much longer the bus and coach services will survive. If for some reason you don’t want to use the metro, look for the 73 or X73 bus to San Babila station. Prices are comparable to the metro but the journey takes two or three times as long.
If you need to connect to Milan Malpensa Airport for an onward international and long-haul flight, take the dedicated Malpensa Shuttle. Expect the transfer to take around 75 minutes.
Driving and parking
If you’re renting a car, it’s a quick drive from Linate to the main freeways that navigate you to the wonders of Italy. The A1, A4, A7 and A8 autostrade (freeways) are all easily accessible and cover all four directions. Most of these routes involve toll roads.
There’s plentiful parking, especially with the recent addition of a fourth parking lot. P1 and P2 are connected directly to the terminal building with short and long term parking. P3 is long term only. P4 caters for all but is a ten-minute walk from the terminal, or a slightly erratic shuttle ride. Book your parking space online in advance.
There are a multitude of car hire options, including all the major players and a scattering of local companies. All have desks at Arrivals. My default choice is Drivalia for its balance of price and service, but I’ve not tried the (usually cheaper) regional companies like Autovia, Locauto or the geographically confused Sicily By Car.
Navigating the airport
With just one three-story terminal, Linate is a breeze to get around. It’s also well designed to streamline passenger flow, with many new facilities added over recent years in an ongoing redevelopment. Arrivals are on the ground floor, departures on the first floor and a scattering of lounges and business facilities on the third.
There are no dedicated connecting routes through Linate and so no transit area. If you’re planning to transfer from one flight to another, you’ll need to go through security at Arrivals, go upstairs to Departures and go back through security again. If you’re traveling within a Schengen area, you shouldn’t need to go through immigration. If you’re cutting it close, you can buy a Fast Track pass to jump any security lines.
Check in, bag drop and security
There are 74 check-in desks and 10 passport control desks, which is just about enough to keep queuing to a minimum. It all looks and feels stylish and beautifully designed, so even if you do have to queue to drop off all your shopping bags, it’s a nice place to do it.
Security is one of the true bright spots of the Linate experience – and it’s not often I say that. Since replacing aging security machines with smart scanners, queues have dramatically shortened. I’ve never waited more than 15 minutes. While you now don’t have to remove laptops and liquids from bags, the EU has temporarily reinstalled the 100ml limit on liquids in carry-on baggage, so don’t pack anything bigger.
Shopping, eating and drinking in the terminal
At one point Linate was home to perhaps the best airport restaurant in Italy and one of the best in the world at Michelin-listed Michelangelo. Sadly, it closed and left a significant hole in its wake. The pizzas at Saporè are now by far your best bet. If you have the time and inclination go wild with the tasting menu that offers a sample of doughs prepared in different ways.
If you’ve already had too much pizza, the curious Brazilian sushi Temakinho restaurant offers something different. Otherwise it’s awesome pastries at Vyta and Venchi, and a range of cafés serving more great coffee than you could safely consume before boarding a flight. Ferrari Spazio Bollicine offers an escape from the crowds and some great wines, but service is painful. If you’re in a rush, don’t be afraid to search out a waiter to take your order – but equally, expect to be handled with disapproval in response!
Shopping certainly can’t compare to the mega malls of Malpensa Airport, but there’s still plenty of authentic Italiana on offer. True to its Milanese fashion origins, the stalwarts are here – Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Swarovski and the like. There are plenty of more interesting options too, and Linate’s layout means you’ll have to walk past them all to get to your gate.
Lounges
There are four lounges at Linate, which stands testimony to its status as a favorite for business travelers. The British Airways Galleries Lounge and ITA Piazza della Scala Lounge offer limited access for qualifying passengers. Elsewhere are the Sala Piranesi landside, before security, and the Sala Leonardo airside, after security.
The Sala Leonardo is comfy and convenient, with a decent range of food and drink options and plenty of quiet corners to work in. It doesn’t offer a shower though, which I think is a mistake for those early and late business flights. Visits are limited to two hours but cost about the same as a meal and glass of wine anywhere else in the airport.
Other Milan airports
The major airport of Milan is Malpensa, a vast mega transport hub 25 miles outside of the city. If you’re flying to or from the US, Malpensa is your only option. It’s also best located for traveling into Italy’s north, to the Lakes and Dolomite Mountains.
The outlier is ‘Milan’s third airport’, Milan-Bergamo 30 miles northeast. Also very convenient for the Lakes, in particular Lake Garda, it’s a great option for cheap flights around Europe without having to travel into Milan proper. It’s far bigger than Linate but also far more crowded and chaotic.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
