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Recommended Reviews - Aeroporto di Catania
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Recently modernized but still 2nd tier . Check in is confusing . Car rental is chaotic. Terrible signage ti find and enter. Plus is some nice shops . Lacks a first class airline club.

It's a very small airport and yet our luggage took forever to come from the plane to the conveyor belt. I'm sure there are pluses and negatives here. Ours were a bit negative.

Worst airport I've ever seen. Not a good first impression for visitors. Not enough gates connected to main terminal. Very small selection of dining options (which does represent the whole of Sicily).
Though it is an international airport, it is relatively small. We departed in the morning and had to wait 30+ mins to check in, so give yourself AMPLE TIME before your flight in case they are delayed for check-in and baggage drop off. Security was pretty quick. There is only one terminal for international flights so it's easy to find your gate or baggage claim. There are a few car rental places, some on sight and some a short walk from the airport. If you're hungry; there are couple of delicious to buy croissants, arancinis, sandwiches, coffee and more to have before you take off. We had the arancini bolognese and honestly it was some of the best arancini we had during our visit. There is also a store where you pick up some formaggio, meats, wine, pastas and more, but keep in mind if your final destination is in the US, cheese and meat you are not allowed to bring through customs. My fiancé found this out the hard way when we were waiting for customs. ---------------------------------------- Sebbene sia un aeroporto internazionale, è relativamente piccolo. Siamo partiti la mattina e abbiamo dovuto aspettare più di 30 minuti per il check-in, quindi prenditi TANTO TEMPO prima del volo nel caso in cui ci fossero ritardi per il check-in e la consegna dei bagagli. I controlli di sicurezza sono stati piuttosto rapidi. C'è un solo terminal per i voli internazionali, quindi è facile trovare il gate o il ritiro bagagli. Ci sono alcuni autonoleggi, alcuni in vista e altri a pochi passi dall'aeroporto. Se hai fame; ci sono un paio di deliziosi croissant, arancini, panini, caffè e altro da acquistare prima di partire. Abbiamo preso gli arancini alla bolognese e onestamente erano alcuni dei migliori arancini che abbiamo mangiato durante la nostra visita. C'è anche un negozio dove puoi prendere del formaggio, salumi, vino, pasta e altro, ma tieni presente che se la tua destinazione finale è negli Stati Uniti, formaggio e carne non sono ammessi alla dogana. Il mio fidanzato l'ha scoperto a sue spese quando eravamo in attesa della dogana. read more
INFO ON GETTING TO TAORMINA. GET ON THE BUS, check the bus times if you wanna get to Taormina. The train has less times it visits Taormina. The bus is as cheap and has more available times than the train. When you grab your luggage, bus tickets are outside to the right. First stall should say to Taormina. Our bus came 15 min early, so we lucked out and left without waiting You can't rent a vehicle and leave it in Taormina if you plan on using just for one day drive to Taormina. They won't let you rent the car Fastest and cheapest is bus read more
2 years ago
A little bit of a hot mess but really I went in with low expectations. From there being no clear direction where to o to collect our lost luggage to unclear instructions on which security line to enter, it was just confusion all around. We had a 6am flight so a number of places weren't opened and the few they were had long lines. It looks like they're doing a ton of construction so hopefully more to come or more organization! read more
3 years ago
Recently modernized but still 2nd tier . Check in is confusing . Car rental is chaotic. Terrible signage ti find and enter. Plus is some nice shops . Lacks a first class airline club. read more
2 years ago
The airport was exceptionally crowded and busy. However, it functioned well and presented no problems. I want to commend the airport for its medical clinic, as I had an issue that needed to be addressed prior to leaving for 18 hours of travel. They provided a great service for free. They were well staffed with more than five people at 7 pm and were very nice and helpful. read more
2 years ago
This airport is really disorganized. We were flying with Edelweiss to Zurich, and we had to wait at least an hour to check in. During this time, everyone was very unhappy. One of the agents was on the phone for about 30 minutes, and the others were having unnecessary conversations with passengers. I've never experienced such a slow check-in process before. The airport is dirty and definitely in poor condition. We barely made it to our flight on time. read more
So I've only experienced this Airport during the Covid timeframe. It so crowded and there's very few places to sit. There are some cafes, but grabbing food seems pointless because there is nowhere to enjoy it. The one positive note was the speed in which I went through security. I have a trip coming up in a week, we shall see how that one goes. read more
7 years ago
This is a small but modern airport. We flew in from Napoli and once landed, we needed to take a bus to the terminal. Well lit and well marked, we made our way to the luggage claim to grab our luggage. One wrong turn takes you outside the secure area where you cannot return to get your luggage if you haven't grabbed it already. Should be a sign. After a long wait for the luggage we were able to get it, not like in Milano. read more
Know before you go that this is a small airport which has it's pros and cons. The pros are that you get through everything very quickly so you don't need to two hours everyone insists that you need to get through the darn thing (if you aren't checking bags). The cons are that this airport feels more like a shopping mall where you can buy everything from clothing to food but there really aren't any good places to sit while you wait. All I really wanted was a clean bathroom and a way to refill my water bottle. Neither of those were available which made my wait for my flight not as nice as it could be. I guess the good news was that my flight was on time so my wait time was minimal. Oh. . .and that bottle of water? I got in my first class seat. Things started looking up from there! read more
Ugh. Two stars because I'm feeling a bit generous today. This airport is typically in need of a cleanup. Overflowing trash containers, dingy walls, gloomy lighting, grungy and smelly bathrooms. The food court selections are less than spectacular. If you expected good pizza just because you're in Sicily, forget it. We couldn't even find where to refill our water bottles, and the counterman would not provide tap water. I don't think it would take much effort to improve this airport. It just seems there is no will to do so. read more
7 years ago
This needed to be looked at again. Catania International (CTA) is Italy's 5th busiest airport. I didn't know that and a listing informed me of that position, which surprised me. It's quite a bit busier than Palermo (PMO), a city that is the Sicilian capital and has twice Catania's population. CTA's popularity is probably due to Sicily's eastern coast being the focal point of tourism, with Taormina, Mt. Etna, the Greek ruins of Syracuse, and the historic Baroque cities in the Val di Noto. I want to love this airport, or at least like it. When this newer airport went on line, it functioned fine. Now, with too much growth in traffic, it's not enough airport for what is needed. The lines are disorganized and, for Alitalia, I haven't seen much effort to avoid the commingling of those who just had a bag drop versus those who had to check-in. Asking would have helped bring someone to the correct line ... but not all passengers are able to do that. However, while the check-in lines are long and disorganized, security works more efficiently. Arrive at least 2 hours prior to your flight, even if a domestic one. That 2-story wedge in the front of the building where the escalators are feels like someone is shoehorned in there. It's too narrow, especially down below where people leave after baggage claim and are confronted with food, drink, sundries, some rental counters, info desks, and the like. And is it ever noisy. Similarly, they are trying to improve rental car facilities but they, too, are too small. Also, the traffic out front is often snarled, owing to the small roads in and out of the airport. My luggage has typically arrived but, one time, it did not. It was not the fault of Catania's airport but that of the departure airport where, on a direct flight, the luggage was never even boarded. I was in the baggage claim area and, thankfully, I got one of the more astute employees who was very helpful. I was watching one bewildered guy explain to another luggage area employee how his dog had not arrived. To this day, I hope they found that guy's dog. They probably did. You can often replace luggage and its contents. You can't just replace your dog. Fortunately, they located my luggage that one time and had it delivered to me the following day. As for the efficiency and upkeep, there is way too much boarding from shuttle buses onto the field and, for Alitalia, that shouldn't be the case. For low cost carriers, I can understand it. The main terminal with the jetways has become, in short order, too small. I saw one big shattered window pane as one came into baggage claim from the field, wondering how that could even happen. And, finally, I saw people walking out of a bathroom upon landing with looks of disgust on their faces. I then went in to use the bathroom and found that none of the few stalls were usable, owing to their nasty condition. This alone, combined with the disorganized nature that someone who doesn't know the "lay of the land" couldn't manage that well, brings on the drop to 2 stars. I am astounded to look back and remember that Cagliari (CAG), the airport for the main city on Italy's more isolated second island of Sardinia, is cleaner, bigger, has more polite employees, and there is even a FS (national system) train that takes people from Cagliari's city center to the airport. For that matter, Sicily's bustling Palermo even has a FS train connecting their central station to their airport. You have other options, depending on where in Sicily you're headed. One is that Comiso (CIY) is a small airport serving the Val di Noto area and southeastern Sicily. Mostly, this is a Ryanair airport. However, one has to check transport options in and out of here. I just know that they're trying to grow this airport. The other option isn't even on Sicily. It's across the Strait of Messina in Reggio di Calabria, it's REG, and it's doable. From Messina, board one of the frequent ferries across the strait and then take the "metropolitana leggera" (light rail) or "trenino" two stops south, directly into REG. I saw a photo of this small airport and my jaw dropped. Set up on a promontory over the strait, it has a direct view over Mt. Etna and the eastern Sicilian coast. Sicily's boisterous, animated, and mercantile nature can be a lot of fun. I just don't much care for it at an international airport in the 21st century. read more
7 years ago
IT'S THE END OF THE LINE I've been flying into Catania for 40 years. The new airport is much nicer then the old airport. I do miss a few things. Like the luggage conveyor belt run by a donkey. Okay I'm joking but if you saw it you might agree with my assumption. I truly can not confirm that a donkey ran this but it sounds like a great story. I also miss walking off the jet and down the stairs to the tarmac. Now they have jetways but in the old days I felt special walking down those stairs like the President or the Pope. Unfortunately during those times no one really cared if I waved at them from the top step. One thing about this airport that drives me crazy is they don't have any water fountains anywhere. A small tiny bottle of water is $1.51 Euro at duty free and $1.70 at the store in the airport. The bad part is it can get 12 liters of water at a Sicilian grocery store for $1.50 Euro. They have you trapped. .There are some stores for last minute souvenirs and perfume. They also have some places to get food before taking off. I packed food before arriving and we were covered except for the water which I needed to buy. The pigeons walking around inside the terminal really cracked me up. My little girl was worried about them and I told her they were waiting for their flight to Rome. I was more worried about getting a little pigeon present on my shoulder or head. (This did happen to me in Venice about 14 years ago.) I hate the boarding process in Italy because it is mass chaos. I always try avoiding Alitalia because they have no control over the passengers. We were on Iberia for this last flight heading to Madrid. When the gate agent opened the gate glass doors. We made our way to the front because I knew she was going to make an announcement that included me moving to the front. All of my fellow travelers were ready to kill us. They were waiting for the lady to tell us no but she simply smiled and said, "Come on in!" We were now in the new glass room by the jetway with one otero lady, while everyone else had to wait. We got some dirty looks. The best part was looking back and seeing an angry mob anoint 40 feet away being denied access. In fact, when we boarded the plane they were still held back. Thanks Iberia...you need to give some tips to Alitalia. Do not miss the beautiful active volcano of Mount Etna which is right next to the airport. Sometimes it is hard to see in the mist and the clouds but when you see the outline it is spectacular. If you travel to Sicily you only have a few options when arriving here. This is one of two great major airports in the island. You can also arrive via boat in Messina or a ferry from various islands like Malta. Do not miss Sicily because it's a site to see. read more
3 years ago
I brought a car seat all the way from the United States so my 2 year old could be safe. We flew business with ITA and they lost our car seat. We asked what we're supposed to do with a toddler and no car seat and they provided absolutely no solutions. They don't care about baby safety in this country at all. That should be the most important thing luggage handlers bring and yet they had no idea where it was and provided no solutions. read more
When we arrived in Catania from Rome it was a quick flight and late at night so we missed the views of the coast since it sits right next to the water. It wasn't too busy so it was easy to find the luggage carrousel and carts were available for a euro. After picking up your luggage you do have to put your bags on another screening test to pass through customs. I guess since Sicily is an island you have to go through customs again. That was a breeze. Once into the open terminal the airport is vast open and modern with overhead glass ceilings and some places to eat and shop for trinkets. There was not a line of taxis like you see in other main airports, in fact it was really sleepy upon exiting. Our ride could not even come up to the passenger loading/drop off area you had to walk across a grassy area thru narrow sidewalks to a nearby parking so that was a bit inconvenient since it was cold outside. The airport is next to the city of Catania and accessible to nearby towns. read more
10 years ago
Small airport. Maybe the ATM is working so you can pull out some euros. There's an easy bus outside if you ask around to get you to town. What else? Well, I guess if you got stuck there, that'd suck, but there is some food and some chairs and a little bit o' wifi. Bottom line: Small, simple, unexceptional. Welcome to Sicily! read more
10 years ago
I was worried flying into Catania's airport due to a last-minute need to check my bag. Fortunately, my bag surfaced at the end of my journey safe and sound, and I was on my way. I wish I had known about the airport bus transportation option, but as a Sicily newbie, I snagged one of the cabs to get to Catania's city center. Cost was 25 euro, which was apparently 7 euro too high, according to a guy working at my hostel. A few days later when I flew back out of this airport, the security line was massive. It took a while to get through it, so be sure to give yourself extra time. We also had to take a shuttle to the plane, and the line from the gate to the bus boarding area was long as heck. Not fun! Average airport all-around. Nothing special here. read more
Worst airport I've ever seen. Not a good first impression for visitors. Not enough gates connected to main terminal. Very small selection of dining options (which does represent the whole of Sicily). read more
12 years ago
I apologize if I have nothing good to say... they lost my bag, kept me hanging, and otherwise started my trip off on the wrong foot. After arriving from Rome, my bag was no where to be found. Not that it would be easy to tell, as there was a sea of bags all over the baggage claim area. I completed a lost bag notification, but was never notified of any recovery. If it wasn't for the folks at the conference advising me to go back to the airport to manually search for my bag again, I probably would have never recovered it. Otherwise, Catania is a small airport. It has a few offerings, which I can't remember as a spent the trip back ensuring my bag never left my side. read more
3 years ago
If I could I'd give them an absolute zero. Never in my life have I had such a terrible experience. The system, the staff so unprofessional, unhelpful and rude. We were denied boarding and we were literally standing at the gate waiting for the crowd to diminish and they just told us the gate was closed and we have to buy a new ticket. Not to mention that their English is atrocious and the fact that the airport doesn't even have functional WiFi. read more
8 years ago
Lousy airport. Long lines, disorganized staff. Bathrooms smell like piss. No water fountain. You cannot fill water bottle, only buy for high price. No healthy options for food. Passport agents on long breaks right before international flights. When it rained, water literally was pouring through the cieling in many spots. Many flights delayed multiple times. Not enough seating. VIP lounge outdated. As my last memory of Italy, you remind me not to come back! read more
This airport is crazy. Arrive early if you need to park. Also always pay a few extra euro and get speedy boarding if you fly easyJet or RyanAir. Its worth being able to skip the crazy disorganized lines. Three stars because there isnt anything nice or superb about this airport. Its just an airport. They do have amazing wine to buy but you expect that it italy. You can also eat really well. read more
A very small airport that once you land you can quickly find your way to any transportation you seek with taxis waiting outside as well as the alibus to take you to the city centre. Value 3/5 atmosphere 3/5 service 3/5 quality 3/5 12/20 read more
This airport is completely forgotten. The standard is lousy. The toilets are disgusting. No trolleys. Overcrowded. Could one imagine that people traveling through this place are guests, visitors to the island? Is there a management? Quit a few things need to be answered. read more
5 years ago
Catania airport, together with EasyJet, is a match made in Dante's Inferno. From the laberinthine entrance, with more car parks and car rental returns than I have ever seen; to the security access, check in and air traffic control, all with zero communication and organisation. This airport finds a problem for every solution. Avoid at all costs. read more
Look... If there is an airport where the ground staff make me sit down (8months pregnant) while they do a security check? If there is an airport where...we are last to check in, and I'm bold enough to ask "Is the plane full? If there is an extra seat...can we take that row? I'm kinda super pregnant and don't feel great..." Was expecting nothing and than? Transavia staff placed us in the first row! With an extra seat! Thaaaaaank you sooooo much!!! Time? Take extra time. This airport is not super fast ;-) We needed about 1.5 hours. PS in Amsterdam we had to pay extra for the luggage, here? He didn't care. "How many suitcases do you want?" read more
10 years ago
Location isn't bad as it's on the outskirts of Catania. If you have Google Maps I recommend getting data service, so you can...4GB for 10 Euro. I say that because the signs getting there aren't the best, and I'm pretty sure Catania and Sicily think that having an array of 1 lane bridges going every which way somehow makes them a modern metropolitan city. News flash: complicating everything about your roads unnecessarily just ensures you stay a 3rd world country. Now if you have GPS and Google Maps or Waze or another map app and feel completely compelled to go to Sicily for some strange reason, you will need a car for sure. Luckily, the car rentals are close by if you can find them...again use GPS. Don't go to the counter and try to rent it, unless you enjoy spending 2-3x as much for the same car. If your money is burning that much of a hole in your pocket, let me know, and I'll help you out. Yes, you will need a rental car...you are not on the Mainland, dear friend. What Metro? So after reading reviews, I'm very thankful that I mailed my checked bag home versus rolling the dice at the Catania Casino...I mean Airport. I've never heard of a tiny airport losing so many bags. So after dropping off the rental car, we made our way to the terminal with every Sicilian male over the age of 10 looking like they've never seen a female before. At this point I was so fed up with the Sicilian men staring, I started staring them down every time I saw them doing the elevator eyes BS. Even 70 year olds with their wives here have no sense of decency. It doesn't matter how modestly a woman dresses. These men are stuck in the Dark Ages...complete with their man purses. Interestingly, we breezed through security...never were asked for photo ID. Seriously. Checked our boarding passes and that's it. For whatever reason, even though we paid additional for assigned seats and pre-boarding with EasyJet, their Sicilian personnel turned it into the normal Italian cattle car free for all with everyone trying to board at the same time and no pre-boarding except for families. At least that's what it looked like...couldn't really tell because they spoke no English. Thought English was the international language of flight? And I thought EasyJet was British? Off we went down the stairs outside to busses to take us to the aircraft and then back up the stairs into the cabin. I'm not sure what people in wheelchairs would do here...? Overall, yes, I met some nice Sicilians but found that to be more decent customer service. Customer service outside of hotels and restaurants was terrible by any standard. By and large, I found the way their men treat women to be repulsive. Trash and graffiti were everywhere. The food was adequate but rather disappointing in most cases. The best beaches were in the West...and by best, I mean that relatively. US beaches are nicer. Wait, almost any beach is nicer. read more
8 years ago
The only reason I gave it any stars is because yelp requires it! Worst airport in the world! Show up about 4 hours prior to your departure not the normal 2 hours. None of the ticket agents seem to know what they are doing...va bene! Stood in line for British Airways for about 45 minutes before the ticket people checked in one person and that is with three desks open! Can't bag on BA because they have to work with the local "talent" or lack there of. Flights are almost always late which jams you up at your destination. What's with the buses to the plane/gate? Can you say "third world"? If you do not have to fly into Catania...don't! It's a sh*thole city anyway!!! read more
6 years ago
Worst airport ever! So slow at doing anything. Be prepared to cue, and then cue, and then cue and just when you think you've made it you can cue some more. read more
9 years ago
Feels like complete chaos and no order anywhere. No lounge, no priority check in and limited services in the common areas.
One of the worst airports I've ever flown from. On your first step you feel as if you've just entered a cattle container that someone is trying hard to fill up to its limits. Both, the check in desks and the security checks are squeezed in one little space which create a great chaos. You're lucky, if you got some snack and did the duty free shopping before the passport control 'cos you won't have a chance for it on the other site. We were waiting for 2 hours for our flight without any access to cafe, hot drinks or food other that sweets from the duty free shop, which was highly disappointing. We were hoping to buy some pistachio liquors or typical Sicilian sweets, but most of the stuff is just the same crap you can find on any European airport. Not to mention that the shop assistant didn't want to accept my boarding pass on the mobile, even though I was only buying a bottle of water! read more
13 years ago
Not a big airport but none the less , the upkeep and facility was very clean and simple! I can't read or understand Italian but the signs all around made it easy to understand where everything was! read more
11 years ago
Always pretty quick check ins. Security is always super fast and easy too. Airport staff is kind, but staff in the shops and cafes are very rude! read more
11 years ago
I have had some bad experiences with Airports in the UK and was expecting much worse from this Airport. I was extremely surprised. It was fast and courteous service upon arrival. My bags didn't take long to show up and the staff smiled. You don't see that very often in the UK. On departure I was able to drop my bag off in minutes not hours and security was considerate even when I forgot to take off my metal belt. The layout of the airport is good and even had a relaxing cappuccino before boarding. Super experience overall. read more
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More info about Aeroporto di Catania
Via Fontanarossa 20
95121 Catania
Italy
Directions
095 340710
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.aeroporto.catania.it
Hours
What time does Aeroporto di Catania open?
Aeroporto di Catania opens at 6:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
What time does Aeroporto di Catania close?
Aeroporto di Catania closes at 11:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Mon-Sun 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Other Amenities
Does Aeroporto di Catania have free WiFi?
Yes, Aeroporto di Catania has free WiFi.
Aeroporto di Catania Reviews in Other Languages
Review Highlights - Aeroporto di Catania
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
3 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
14 years ago
La lounge di Alitalia è completamente da rifare. Illuminazione che ti brucia la testa, sedili delle poltrone sfondate, bagni non curati. insomma basta poco. Alitalia's lounge is totally out of order. Light like oven, armchairs broken, rest rooms dirty. What a pity read more
9 years ago
Sicuramente uno dei migliori aeroporti del sud Italia partenze dirette per varie zone dell'Europa. I servizi sono discreti e riescono e gestire io normale flusso. La sorveglianza c'è, ho visto carabinieri militari e servizi di vigilanza armata. read more
9 years ago
Bravo meglio troppo bella ciaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo






























