Da Vinci International Airport (now known as Rome Leonardo Da Vinci Fuimicino Airport) is the second largest gateway in Europe that services a total of 30+ million people annually. The airport opened in 1961 with only two runways replacing the Ciampino airport that was designated for domestic and charter flight operations.



Alitalia Airlines that operates out of Rome invested heavily into the installation of a third runway to handle the increased airline traffic at the airport. Da Vinci airport is approximately 21 miles from the city of Rome by car and as of October 2006 any patron who uses a taxi to and from the airport pay a fixed rate of 40 euros which is in U.S. Dollars is $58. That rate is pretty high because American cabs usually charge a fixed rate depending on the area serviced and it's most often half that amount for a single trip.

Travelers have the option, if they want to save money on cabs and driving, to use thei train system and taking a 30-minute ride to Rome and disembark in downtown Rome at Termini Station. Da Vinci Airport has had only five documented incidents in December 1973, December 1985, April 1986, October 1988, and September 2005 out the airport's entire 47 and a half years in operation.

Rome Airport has four main terminals. In total, Rome International Airport has 122 air carriers with at the time of writing a possible two new airlines being added to the service roster. Da Vinci Airport has more air carriers than Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles the 3 busiest airports in the United States combined. Rome Airport offers travellers a wealth of shopping experiences, with a choice of over 140 outlets throughout the airport offering a varying range of products (designer clothing , perfumes , jewellry , food).

Most offer vast discounts for things that would be expensive to purchase back in the United States since items brought from overseas is taxed up to as much as $500. This is why many Americans who travel through Da Vinci Airport request that things they purchase through the duty free stores to ship them to their house so they can bypass the security check due to restrictions on the quantity of specific items like liquor and perfume because of the current regulations of people flying with liquids in their luggage which was applied to aviation policy after 9/11.