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Northern Italy's primary international gateway near Milan.
Opened
1948
Location
Ferno (VA), Italy
Milan Malpensa International Airport is the largest airport in northern Italy and the second busiest in the country by passenger traffic, serving the Milan metropolitan area and the broader Lombardy region. Located approximately 49 kilometres northwest of Milan city centre near the town of Ferno in the Province of Varese, it handles tens of millions of passengers annually and serves as a key hub for intercontinental routes.
The airport operates two passenger terminals: Terminal 1, which handles the majority of international and long-haul flights, and Terminal 2, primarily used by low-cost carriers including Wizz Air. A dedicated cargo terminal makes Malpensa one of Italy's most important freight hubs as well.
Malpensa has historically served as the main hub for Alitalia and its successor ITA Airways, and continues to attract major European and intercontinental carriers. Its strategic location makes it a critical node for both business and leisure travel across northern Italy and neighbouring Switzerland.
Terminals
The airport has two passenger terminals: Terminal 1 for full-service and long-haul carriers and Terminal 2 primarily for low-cost airlines, connected by a shuttle bus.
Getting to & from
Malpensa is connected to Milan city centre by the Malpensa Express rail service linking to Milano Centrale and Porta Garibaldi stations, as well as coach services and taxis.
Airlines here
ITA Airways uses Malpensa as a key hub, alongside major carriers such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Emirates, Air France, and low-cost operators including Wizz Air and easyJet.
Notable facts
- ›Malpensa is the second busiest airport in Italy by passenger volume, after Rome Fiumicino.
- ›The airport handled over 24 million passengers in 2023 as traffic recovered post-pandemic.
- ›It serves as a major cargo hub, ranking among Italy's top airports for freight volume.
- ›Terminal 2 was originally built for low-cost carriers and opened in 2007.
- ›The airport sits near the Ticino river valley and the border with the Swiss canton of Ticino.
This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.
