How to get to Florence airport at 4:30 AM? (October 2017)

My guess is a taxi would cost close to the same. I would just relax about it. It's $20 apiece. Not worth giving you so much anxiety.

this site shows a taxi is 37E

https://www.taxi2airport.com/en/prices/4c98fbdddd209a83be5a7233488819c8

Lane, you're absolutely right about the anxiety being pointless. I just feel like an idiot reserving a hotel so close to the airport only to find out it costs about the same to get here as it would from city center. Thanks.

Joe, Thanks for the link. Does look like the cab would cost about the same as the shuttle service. This will teach me to have early-morning flights when transit isn't running!

Relax.
The Florence airport is so close to the city center (15 min top by taxi) that there is no reason to stay in Via Baracca where you are staying, unless you enjoy staying in one of the least desirable neighborhoods in Florence. The mayor just passed a city ordinance banning street prostitution in the city so by that time at least those will be gone in that area. Nevertheless I would stay in the city center.

The flat fare taxi ride from the city center to the airport, at night (22:00-06:00) is about 25€ (€25.30 to be exact) plus 1€ per bag.

The airport is small and has only half a dozen departures (all on small regional jets) before 9 am. It also opens its doors at 5am, and all you need is to be there one hour prior to departure, so being there at 04:30 is not a good idea, you won't be able to check in that early.

The distance from your current hotel is indeed only 3 min drive, but it's not easily walkable, so don't attempt it. It's not a pedestrian friendly area near the airport and there is a freeway starting there.

Roberto, thank you so much--I've only flown into Milano before, so I had no idea that the Firenze airport would be closed until 5AM!

My friends told me they had a very difficult time getting a taxi from Firenze city center to the airport--during regular daytime hours!--which is why I ended up booking an airport hotel. I thought it would be easy/cheap to get to the airport since we would be so close (wrong!).

We will be arriving in Firenze 16 Oct from Volterra, so not much time for anything other than dinner before a short nap and then heading to airport for our early departure.

But of course we would rather stay in city center than a sterile airport hotel. If I cancel my airport hotel and stay at a BnB in city center, what is the best way to be assured that my taxi arrives? Should I call in the early evening and reserve it? Or should I call just call an hour prior to when we should leave? Is there a reliable way to reserve online that won't overcharge me? I've always used public transit and have never used a taxi in Italy, so am unsure.

Thank you very much for your help!

I would trust your hotel to make the taxi/driver arrangements the following morning. (tell the hotel a day or 2 prior of course so they can pre-arrange)
They will know someone to use that is reliable and the driver/company won't want to disappoint the hotel since it will mean future business.

Definitely stay in the city center and enjoy another night in Florence.

Your hotel can call the taxi for you.
They can do so on the morning of departure or even book it the night before. I never had to wait for longer than 5-10 min for a taxi in Florence in the hundreds of times I've used a taxi in Florence, both as a visitor or as a resident in the city.
You are actually more likely to get a taxi faster in the city center than where you are staying. From the city center the taxi driver is guaranteed a flat fare of €25+, which is a decent amount of money for a 4 mile trip (15 min top). From your hotel, which is outside the city center (just 1 km from the airport) he can only charge by the meter, and he won't be able to make more than 10€. So guess which customer the taxi driver is happier to pick up.
The first flight is at 6:15, so the check in counters don't open before 5:00. Planes are small due to the short runway, so you'll be at the gate in no time. The airport is smaller than some American homes.

You can phone the day before you leave - or have the hotel phone for you - to taxi centrals 055-4242 or 055-4390 and reserve a taxi for the following morning at 4:45am. The taxi will be waiting for you a couple of minutes in advance. It is true that in Florence in bad weather or traffic conditions it may be difficult to find a taxi on the spot, but I never had a reservation made a day in advance dropped.

I also have my hotel or B&B book a taxi the night before. Never had a problem.

Thank you all so much for your help. I've cancelled our reservations at the airport hotel and we have a cute AirBnB in the city now. I'll reserve a taxi when we arrive in Firenze. and now I know that I don't want to get to the airport before the doors are unlocked at 5:00 AM! I really appreciate all of your comments and information and feel much better about not missing our early-morning flight. Thank you!