I'm looking at flights to Puglia in March and so far it looks like an overnight flight, landing at FCO at 7:15am would have a 2 hour 10 minute layover. Both flights would be on ITA, but is that enough time? I've only flown into/out of FCO a few times, but seem to remember that it's a big airport.
My other option is a 6 hour layover, so I'd probably end up just spending the night in Rome and heading to Bari the next morning on a train.
Thanks for any helpful input you can offer!
Also, I've never flown with ITA. Does anyone know how they compare with other airlines such as TAP or United?
If your flights are on one ticket/itinerary then you should have plenty of time with a 2 hour+ layover. If they are booked separately the experience could be vastly different depending on variables such as checked bags vs carryon and accessibility to the ITA ticket counters.
I flew on ITA last year from FCO to Eastern Europe and I was very impressed with the entire experience including checkin counter, gate experience, onboard attentiveness, flight, disembarkation, and in luggage retrieval. My flight on TAP was more than 15 years ago so no applicable information to provide. I’ve never flown United.
We struggled with these same choices when we went to Italy in April, for travel throughout the Basilicata and Puglia regions. We were going to be arriving at FCO on an American Airlines flight, and while I could find flights on other airlines to take us to Bari, the choices weren't great. One was departing about 2 hours after our arrival and I worried about missing that flight if our AA flight got in late. But I didn't want to hang around the airport for 6 hours waiting for the next flight out. We weren't planning to stay in Bari, we were just planning to fly there as a quick way to get across to Puglia. We intended to have a rental car and our plan had been to book one for pick up at the Bari airport.
The plan we ended up with worked very well for us. We nixed the idea of flying to Bari and rented a car at FCO. Leaving the airport was easy driving. Knowing we'd be tired from the missed night of sleep, we didn't plan a big first day of driving. We drove for under an hour, to Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope's summer palace is located. It was a delightful town for a low key day and overnight stay, then we drove the next day to Matera. It was a really beautiful drive. We stopped along the way to see the Abbey of Montecassino. (It was Easter Sunday and we were able to attend Mass there.) For us, six hours of beautiful scenery while driving was a way better plan than sitting in FCO for six hours waiting for a flight!
If you're going to have a rental car in Puglia, you could consider a similar plan.
We took the Rick Steves Best of Sicily tour after Puglia. We returned our rental car at the Bari airport and flew on ITA to Palermo, with a plane change at FCO. Our choices were 50 minutes of layover time at FCO or 2 hours and 50 minutes. By mistake I picked the short layover. I realized my error right away and could have canceled and rebooked but we decided to go for it after I researched how far apart our arrival and departure gates would be. We only had a couple minutes walk from one to the other. If we'd missed the connection, there were many later flights to Palermo on ITA that day. The flight from Bari took off 15 minutes late but we still had ample time to make our connection. Our checked-though luggage made it too! (Our bags were carry-on sized for AA but didn't meet carry-on size restrictions for ITA.)
You, of course, will be changing from an ITA international arrival gate to an ITA domestic departure gate, and will need to go through passport control and security. I'm not sure how much time that transfer will involve but an airport map may help you figure that out. We've flown into and out of FCO a half dozen times and have never experienced any problems navigating that airport. The lines for check in, passport control and security have always been short for us. Others have had different experiences, but we've just been lucky, I guess.
Along with Vickie’s choices, I have been to the Puglia area twice in the last two years. Both times I flew into Rome, stayed at the nice Hotel Mecenate Palace across the street from Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where the pope was recently buried. It’s just a 5-minute walk from Roma Termini - very handy for arrival & departure. I took the 10am Frecciarossa train, so I didn’t need to rush & could have a relaxing breakfast since they have a huge buffet & the rooftop dining looks out over the basilica. (There’s also an 8am fast train.). Those choices will get you to Bari at 12:30 or 2:30pm. In May this year I got off at Barletta to go to beautiful Trani to begin my time in Puglia.
Maybe I should add that I like to have 1-night either going or coming back from the Puglia region to stay in Caserta to enjoy the huge palace & expansive gardens of Reggia Caserta. It’s just a 1-hour Frecciarossa train from Rome.
...and will need to go through passport control and security.
You should not have to go through security when navigating to your connecting flight if on one ticket.
Well the good news is that the return flight has an almost 3 hour layover at FCO, so that won't be a problem, and from reading your responses, it sounds like 2 hours should be adequate on my way over since I'll book it all as one ticket and I will do carryon only, assuming of course that they don't force me to gate check.
I looked at the carryon sizes for ITA and I'm 0.2 inches over on width with the luggage I'd intended to take (its 13.8 and mine is 14). That's so insignificant that I can't imagine it would matter, but it is a hard case, so no flexibility even for such a tiny amount if they make me put it in the sizer. I tend to be a rule follower if for no other reason than I'm traveling alone, so any consequences of my actions are squarely and solely on my shoulders. Now I'm wondering if I should just use a back pack rather than a wheeled bag.
I truly appreciate everyone that replied. It helps so much to hear from more experienced travelers!
That is tons of time. No problem. Relax!
I'm traveling alone, so any consequences of my actions are squarely and solely on my shoulders.
Did you note the ITA weight restriction for carry-on luggage? May be more significant than a fraction of an inch...
I often travel solo, and hate being burdened with luggage while navigating terminals, so I always check my carry-on size bag. And one consideration when connecting in European hubs, i.e. Amsterdam: the smaller planes - especially regional jets - are often parked out on the tarmac, and you are bused to and from the plane, and must carry your luggage on and off the bus and up and down the stairways to the plane.
It looks like ITA uses A320s for the FCO to Bari route, so it's not a regional jet - and I don't know whether mid-range single aisle planes are boarded at FCO directly from a gate, or from a bus. But something to consider...
I did notice that the weight for carryon is rather low, but I pack with a plan so that's not a worry for now, and of course I'll weigh it before I leave home. I do not like checking luggage. I like having my things with me in transit and I don't like the time spent watching the luggage go round and round, looking for mine. I fly through Lisbon a good bit and they also bus you out to the tarmac. I'm fortunate that I have no problem managing my own luggage, but I appreciate you pointing that out. :)
