Which Sicilian Airport? Catania, Palermo, Trapani or Comiso

Sicily has four commercial airports, and the right one depends on where you sleep on the first night. Catania serves the east: Taormina, Etna, Syracuse and Noto. Palermo serves the capital, Cefalù and the north-west. Trapani is the gateway to Marsala, Erice and the Egadi Islands, while Comiso, the smallest, sits closest to Ragusa Ibla and Modica.

At a glance

• Catania (CTA) is the busiest airport in Sicily, with about 12.4 million passengers in 2025. Choose it for Taormina, Etna, Syracuse and Noto.
• Palermo (PMO) had a record 9.2 million passengers in 2025. Choose it for Palermo, Monreale, Cefalù and the north-west.
• Trapani (TPS) handled about one million passengers in 2025 and lies roughly 15 km from both Trapani and Marsala.
• Comiso (CIY) is about 15 km from Ragusa, with 32 weekly flights announced for winter 2026/27, to Italian cities and Malta.
• Agrigento sits between the two large airports, at roughly 170 to 180 km from either.
• Flying into one airport and out of another often saves a day of backtracking.

Catania: the default for the east

Catania Fontanarossa lies about 4 km south-west of the city and is run by SAC, the company that also manages Comiso. Assaeroporti figures reported in February 2026 placed it fifth in Italy for 2025 traffic, with about 12.4 million passengers, which means the widest choice of direct flights on the island. Geography does the rest: the airport sits at the foot of the Ionian side, with Taormina to the north and Syracuse to the south.

Indicative drive times in normal traffic:

• Taormina: approximately one hour.
• Syracuse: about 65 km, roughly 50 minutes to an hour, with slowdowns possible on the final stretch on weekday afternoons.
• Noto: a little over 90 km, approximately 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes.

For arrivals on this side of the island, our Catania Airport chauffeur service covers pick-ups at the terminal, and the Catania Airport to Syracuse transfer handles the most requested southbound route.

The caveat is Etna. In August 2026 volcanic ash forced repeated suspensions at Catania. Reuters reported that Palermo absorbed 190 flights originally due at Catania over a few days, and that Comiso also took traffic before briefly suspending its own flights because of ash. Our Etna ash contingency guide explains how to plan around a closure.

Palermo: the capital and the north-west

Falcone Borsellino Airport, at Punta Raisi in the municipality of Cinisi, is about 35 km west of Palermo and is managed by GESAP. According to figures published in February 2026, it had its best year on record in 2025, with 9.2 million passengers, around a third of them on international flights.

Because the airport lies well outside the city, reaching central Palermo is a journey in itself, while the coast towards Trapani starts almost at the terminal. Indicative drive times in normal traffic:

• Central Palermo: about 35 km, typically 35 to 50 minutes depending on traffic on the city approaches.
• Cefalù: about 98 km, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, up to 1 hour 30 minutes in July and August.
• Agrigento: about 180 km, approximately 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes.

Our Palermo Airport chauffeur service and the Palermo Airport to Cefalù transfer cover the main arrivals from this side. For a stay in Taormina, Palermo is rarely the practical choice, as we explain in Palermo or Catania Airport for Taormina.

Trapani and Comiso: the smaller gateways

Trapani-Birgi "Vincenzo Florio" is managed by Airgest for civil traffic and shares the airfield with an Italian Air Force base. It handled just over one million passengers in 2025. Airgest gives distances of about 15 km to both Trapani and Marsala, 23 km to the summit of Erice and about 50 km to San Vito lo Capo, which makes it the natural choice for western Sicily and for the ferries from Trapani to the Egadi Islands. See our Trapani Airport chauffeur service.

Comiso, named after Pio La Torre, is about 15 km from Ragusa and is also run by SAC. For the winter season that began on 25 October 2026, SAC presented 32 weekly flights: Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate with Aeroitalia, Milan Malpensa with Wizz Air, and twice-weekly links to Pisa, Naples, Venice and Malta funded by a regional tender, with Turin and Bologna returning over the Christmas holidays. For a stay in Ragusa Ibla, Modica or Scicli, a convenient flight into Comiso shortens the arrival day considerably. See our Comiso Airport chauffeur service.

Both terminals are small and quick to leave. The trade-off is a thinner schedule that changes by season, and fewer same-day alternatives if a flight is cancelled. Check the airline's own timetable before building a trip around a specific day.

At the kerb: the rules are different at each airport

The larger Sicilian airports set their own rules for their internal roads through ordinances of the regional ENAC directorate, and those rules change more often than most travellers expect. Palermo is the clearest example. The ordinance in force is ENAC 05/2026 PMO, signed on 2 October 2026 and effective from 5 October, which replaced two earlier versions issued this year. It sets limited-stay zones of 15 minutes in front of departures and arrivals, monitored electronically and enforced by the municipal police of Cinisi, and bans stopping outside designated areas at all hours. Stalls for licensed chauffeur vehicles are placed in three separate spots: 22 facing the former cargo yard, 5 on the exit road from the west gate and 20 in the P2 car park.

In practice, the car meeting you at Palermo is not parked outside the doors. The usual pattern is a meeting with a name board at the arrivals exit, then a short walk to one of those areas. At Catania, local press reported a new internal road layout in 2026, with reserved lanes and round-the-clock checks by the municipal police. Two habits help everywhere:

• Share your flight number when you book, so the pick-up follows the actual landing time rather than the scheduled one.
• If your flight is diverted, send the new airport and arrival time as soon as the airline confirms them. A diversion from Catania to Palermo turns a one-hour transfer into a cross-island drive.

Combining airports on one trip

A question that comes up again and again on travel forums is whether to fly into Palermo and out of Catania, or the reverse. For a trip that covers both ends of the island, it usually makes sense. Travellers on these forums suggest searching multi-city itineraries rather than two separate one-way tickets.

Some combinations that work well:

• West to east: arrive in Palermo or Trapani, spend the first nights in the west, finish in Taormina or Syracuse and leave from Catania.
• South-east loop: arrive in Comiso for Ragusa Ibla and Modica, continue to Noto and Ortigia, and leave from Catania.
• North coast: arrive in Palermo, stop in Cefalù, continue east towards Taormina and leave from Catania.

The transfer days in between become part of the trip rather than dead time, with stops planned along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Which Sicilian airport is closest to Taormina?

Catania. The drive takes approximately one hour in normal traffic. Palermo is on the opposite side of the island.

Which airport is best for Syracuse and Ortigia?

Catania, about 65 km away, roughly 50 minutes to an hour by car. Comiso is an option for Noto and the baroque towns, but Catania usually offers more flights.

Which airport should I choose for Agrigento?

Agrigento is roughly 170 to 180 km from both Catania and Palermo airports, so the choice usually comes down to flight times and where the rest of the trip goes.

Is Comiso Airport open in winter?

Yes. SAC announced 32 weekly flights for winter 2026/27, mainly to Italian cities plus Malta. Verify the current timetable with the airline.

What happens if Etna closes Catania Airport?

Flights may be cancelled or diverted, mostly to Palermo, sometimes to Comiso. Keep your chauffeur informed of the new airport and arrival time.

Travelling with GIORIZZ

We meet arrivals at Catania, Palermo, Trapani and Comiso with our own chauffeurs and Mercedes-Benz fleet, and we plan each transfer around your flight number and the rules in force at that terminal. If your flight is diverted, tell us as soon as you know, and we will rework the plan wherever possible. Request a quote or explore our hourly chauffeur service and our Sicily tours.