Catania Airport Arrivals (2026): Terminal and Meeting Points

Every arriving passenger at Catania Fontanarossa comes out through Terminal A, the main building, where arrivals and baggage reclaim sit on the ground floor. Since 30 May 2026 waiting and parking are banned outside the official car parks, so a chauffeured pickup normally means meeting in the arrivals hall and walking a short distance to a short-stay car park.

At a glance

• Arrivals for all airlines, easyJet included, are handled in Terminal A, on the ground floor.
• Under ENAC Ordinance 01/2026, parking and waiting are banned at all hours outside car parks P1 to P6.
• P1 and P3 are the short-stay car parks, and P1 is about 50 metres from Terminal A.
• Non-EU passport holders register fingerprints and a facial image under the EU Entry/Exit System on their first entry.
• At peak times, allow extra margin before booking anything time-sensitive on the day you land.
• During Etna ash events, flights can be diverted to Palermo or Comiso, so share your flight number, not only an arrival time.

Terminal A and Terminal C: which one matters on arrival

Catania has two terminals in use. Terminal A, named after the composer Vincenzo Bellini, opened in 2007 and handles commercial flights, including non-Schengen services. Arrivals, customs, the baggage belts and the car rental desks are on the ground floor, with check-in and departures on the floor above.

Terminal C opened in 2018 in part of the old Terminal B and serves easyJet departures to Schengen destinations only. This is the source of a common confusion: travellers flying easyJet sometimes expect to land "at Terminal C" and arrange to be met there. They will in fact come out in Terminal A, and the meeting point should be set accordingly.

If you are planning a pickup, our Catania Airport chauffeur service page is the place to start.

The new road rules around the terminal

Ordinance 01/2026 of ENAC, Italy's civil aviation authority, issued by its eastern Sicily office, has reorganised traffic around Fontanarossa since 30 May 2026. The main points, as reported by local press at the time, are these:

• a speed limit of 30 km/h on the airport roads open to the public, lower where signed
• a parking ban, in force at all hours, everywhere outside the official car parks P1 to P6 and the other designated areas
• P1 and P3 designated for short stays, P4 and P6 for long stays
• a barrier-controlled lane on the arrivals side, reserved for specific authorised categories of vehicle and checked at the gate
• regular patrols by the municipal police at the most congested points

For anyone being collected, the consequence is simple: the kerb directly outside the arrivals doors is not a place where a private car can wait for a delayed flight or a slow baggage belt. The authorities have also said the layout would be monitored and might be adjusted, so the signage on the day prevails over any guide, this one included.

Where you actually meet your chauffeur

In practice the sequence is usually the same. You clear passport control if your flight is non-Schengen, collect your bags from one of the eight belts and walk out through customs into the arrivals hall. Your chauffeur is waiting there with a name board, helps with the luggage and walks you to the car, parked in a short-stay area. P1, the closest, is roughly 50 metres from the terminal according to airport guides.

A few details worth settling in advance:

• Agree in writing on a specific meeting landmark, such as the exit from the baggage hall, rather than a vague "outside".
• If someone in the party needs assistance, vehicles carrying passengers with reduced mobility have a separate allowance under the ordinance, limited to the time needed to board and load. Mention it when booking so the car can be positioned correctly.
• Share the flight number rather than a landing time. A professional service follows the flight and adjusts, while a fixed time leaves no room for a diversion or a long baggage wait.
• If a bag is missing, report it at the lost-and-found desk in the Terminal A arrivals area before leaving the baggage hall, and let your chauffeur know so the onward plan can be adjusted.

Passport control and the Entry/Exit System

Travellers from the EU and the Schengen area on Schengen flights walk straight to the baggage hall. Everyone else passes border control first, and since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational. Non-EU nationals on short stays, which includes visitors from the UK and the United States, have their passport data, fingerprints and a facial image recorded at the border on their first entry. Children under 12 are photographed but not fingerprinted. No advance registration is required.

Italian national press reported in April that waits at EU borders were regularly reaching two hours at peak periods. For a first entry under EES, avoid scheduling a lunch reservation or a ferry too tightly on the day you land. Verify current guidance with your airline before you travel.

When the plan changes: Etna, air traffic and strikes

Fontanarossa sits at the foot of Etna, and ash emissions periodically lead to partial or full restrictions on flights. It happened in August and again on 28 and 29 September 2026, when the airport suspended operations before reopening once the alert was lowered. In those situations airlines may divert flights to Palermo or Comiso, which changes the drive entirely. Our Etna ash contingency guide explains how to plan for it.

Disruption is not only volcanic. On 16 October 2026 a fault in the national air traffic network caused delays and cancellations at Catania, and further air transport strikes are announced for November, covered in our strike update. In every case, give your chauffeur the flight number and a way to reach you on landing.

Onward drive times from the airport

The airport lies a few kilometres south of Catania, next to the city ring road. As prudent estimates by private car in normal traffic:

• Catania city centre: approximately 15 to 25 minutes
• Taormina: approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, longer with motorway works on the A18
• Ortigia, Syracuse: approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes

For specific routes, see our pages on the drive from Catania Airport to Taormina and to Syracuse and Ortigia. If you are landing late in the evening, our guide to a late-night arrival with a Taormina hotel booked covers the extra points to check.

Frequently asked questions

How many terminals does Catania Airport have?

Two are in use. Terminal A handles arrivals and most departures. Terminal C is used only for easyJet departures to Schengen destinations.

Where do I meet a private driver at Catania Airport?

In the Terminal A arrivals hall, after customs. Since the May 2026 ordinance private cars cannot wait at the kerb, so the chauffeur meets you inside and walks you to a short-stay car park.

How long does passport control take at Catania?

It depends on how many non-Schengen flights land together. Under the Entry/Exit System, first entries for non-EU travellers take longer, and peak waits of up to two hours have been reported at EU borders.

What happens to my pickup if Etna closes the airport?

Flights may be delayed, cancelled or diverted to Palermo or Comiso. A chauffeur tracking your flight number can redirect, but the new drive time depends on the diversion airport.

Can I be dropped off directly outside departures?

The departures ramp is still reached by car, but waiting and parking are banned outside the official car parks. Follow the signage on the day and verify current arrangements with the airport operator, SAC.

Travelling with GIORIZZ

GIORIZZ covers Catania arrivals with its own Mercedes-Benz fleet and its own chauffeurs, for transfers to Taormina, Syracuse and the rest of Sicily or for a chauffeur at your disposal by the hour. English is guaranteed on every service, and other languages are available on request.

Request a quote or explore our Catania Airport service and hourly chauffeur service.