Naples to Chicago via Rome - layover and security

According to the Alitalia website your domestic flight has a minimum checkin time 35 minutes pre flight. I have found this to be plenty of time in Càgliari, Rome and Verona on my trip last fall. Check your bags in Naples and they'll be transferred to your ORD flight. Your arrival at FCO will be in terminal 1 and your departure in terminal 3 about a 10 minute walk. You'll go through security again in terminal 3.

May need Roberto - don't think that the prior posting is absolutely correct. You will need to go through immigration control (exit) in FCO. That may mean that you have to go to Terminal 5 and be returned to Terminal 3 for departure. But I don't know how that is handled exactly when connecting in Rome. If you started in Rome it definite would be Terminal 5 to 3. However, since you are already checked-in, and luggage checked, it should be just a walk through immigration so you have more than enough time.

Assuming for the moment you have to go through immigration in Terminal 5. You would walk outside of airport and follow signs (probably to your right) to the shuttle bus pick up point to Terminal 5. In T-5 you go through immigration and security and then shuttle bus back to terminal 3 but you are now behind security so it is just find you gate and wait.

1. The first leg (NAP-FCO) is a domestic flight. Alitalia requires that you have completed your check in and have the boarding pass in your hands at least 35 min prior to departure. Naples is not a large airport, but just to be safe make sure you are in line at the check-in counter at least 1 hour prior to departure (5:45 am in your case). Be aware that from the Amalfi coast to NAP is a long trip (1 to 2 hours depending on where you are exactly on the Amalfi Coast) and you will need a private car transfer service because at that time in the morning there are no buses or trains that can get you there on time. It wouldn't be a bad idea to stay in Naples itself on your last night prior to departure. The NAP airport is near the city center of Naples, and a taxi can get you there in 15 min.

2. Yes. You will check your bags in NAP all the way to ORD with Alitalia. You won't see your bags again until ORD.

3. Alitalia uses two terminals at FCO: T1 and T3. T1 is for domestic and Schengen flights. T3 for outside Schengen (like US). When you arrive at FCO you will transfer from T1 to T3. The NAP-FCO flight arrives at T1 while FCO-ORD departs from T3. It's a bit of a walk, all in the secure area, however before embarking to the US bound flights, you will need to go through security again as well as passport control. At passport control they will check your passport and stamp it with the exit date from the EU Schengen zone. Two hours are more than sufficient for the transfer.

Roberto, where would the passport control point be if transferring in Rome?

Terminal 5 in Rome is used only for flights departing on US carriers and El Al. It is used for security screening only; you are then bussed to Terminal 3 to actually board your flight.

However, that is not relevant to the OP, as long as you are flying Alitalia "metal." Alitalia flights to the US depart from Terminal 3, and do not use Terminal 5 at all. So, as Roberto says, you will go through passport control in Terminal 3.

Be aware that from the Amalfi coast to NAP is a long trip (1 to 2
hours depending on where you are exactly on the Amalfi Coast) and you
will need a private car transfer service because at that time in the
morning there are no buses or trains that can get you there on time.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to stay in Naples itself on your last night
prior to departure.

Just echoing this very good advice from Roberto as we had that issue. In hindsight, we wished we'd had stayed in Naples the evening before to be able to grab a little more sleep and eliminate the $$ for a private transfer.

Thank you everyone! I appreciate the insights and advice. I feel more confident about the layover time in FCO and our ability to make terminal transfers and go through additional security/passport control.

We will enjoy most of our last day in Amalfi and then spend the night at a hotel near NAP. The 0645 departure time will be brutal after our time in Italy.