Malpensa Express Round trip

Seems like you can buy it on-line only. I have no experience with it. I just buy a ticket when I get there. The one time I did have an opportunity to get a round trip (i did not buy it), wouldn't ya know it, it was a strike day when I returned and had to take the bus instead.

Maybe this online offer shaves literally a few euros off the Malpensa Express ticket price, but if you can't use it on any departure, then it seems to me not worth the bother. Trains leave every half hour and tickets are easy to buy there.

"I see a lot of people advising against purchasing a ticket from MXP to Milano Centrale before actually arriving at the airport."

I can't recall seeing much discussion of this particular, cheap train. What's more often discussed are the trade-offs of booking ahead for nonrefundable tickets with greater advance-purchase savings on longer-distance trains. But buying those tickets upon arrival is still a more fool-proof plan than counting on your flight to arrive on time. Full-fare tickets won't break the bank in Italy - they're priced around $50-60 in 2nd class for the distances that visitors typically buy, such as Milan-Florence, Milan-Venice, or Rome-Florence.

If you're carrying a smartphone around with you, download the Trenord app. You can buy your ticket on the app. You'll see specific times, but as long as you have a valid e-ticket, the conductor won't care if you're a little earlier or later. I think there's a 4-hour window, but it's been a year or two and I don't remember that detail. When--or if, because sometimes they don't get around to everyone--just show the conductor your phone.