While in Rome I will be staying at an airbnb near the Piazza Novana. My flight back to the US departs at 7am. I was planning on booking a taxi departing from there early in the morning, 3:30am.
Recently, I saw replies to a question posted on an Italy Travel Facebook Group asking about getting to the airport for an early international flight. The majority of the responses were to stay near the airport to avoid traffic.
I hadn't even considered staying near the airport the night prior to my departure. The airbnb I am staying at has arranged early cabs for their previous guests and would do the same for me.
I would think that at 3:30am there would be no traffic issues, but could be completely wrong.
I'd welcome input on this.
Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23547 posts
Whoe -- slow down. 3:30 is way too early to get to the airport. The check-in counter probably will not open until maybe 5.30 or later. BUT -- need a little more information. My guess is that your 7am flight is not a direct flight back to the US but a connecting flight to another airport in Europe. In correct, you only need to be at the airport by 5.30. Please confirm your return schedule. Most direct flights to the US from Rome leave closer to noon and early afternoon.
The run to the airport at that time of morning will be 30 minutes or less. Traffic will not be a problem. Contact the airline and see what time the check-in counter opens. No point in being there before the counter opens.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1524 posts
My family booked a driver to the Rome airport yesterday morning at 5:00am (because there were six of us including kids) for a 9:00am flight to Boston. It was 120 euro. We did indeed arrive at the airport half an hour earlier than we had figured, and indeed the Delta check-in area was not open for business until about 7:00am. No traffic at 5:00am, but you never know. When it's just the two of us, we take the train to the airport, and we figure door of our apartment to boarding gate is about 4 hours.
Your 7:00am flight does sound like it goes to somewhere in Europe first.
Posted by
Connecticut
680 posts
For a 7 AM flight and a drive of almost an hour to the airport your plans to depart at 3:30 AM is on target. Checkin counters at FCO open about 2 hours (or more) before flight departure. Lines began forming long before that. If traveling in first, business or priority class that should be no issue. You’ll have lots and lots of time on hand. For economy there are many more passengers and the process could take up most of that early arrival time. However, anything can occur along the way to make this a more challenging or an easier process. Like you I saw in a post earlier this year to allow 4 hours for FCO. No way was I going to arrive that early. Instead I went with a two hour before arrival and sailed through from curb to gate with plenty of time left on hand to browse.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15829 posts
7:00 am means a flight within Europe. There are no US bound flights that early. So you are probably going to some other European hub (probably the LH flight to Frankfurt, which happens to depart around that time) and from there take the US bound flight.
For a European flight you need to arrive at the airport about 90 min prior to departure, and the taxi ride at that time of the morning is no more than 30 - 35 min.
Take the taxi at 4:30 from Piazza Navona and you'll have plenty of time to spare.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23547 posts
Stay with Roberto's information. He is knowledgeable and accurate.
Posted by
OP
79 posts
Thank you. Yes, my flight departs from Rome to Istanbul as the connecting airport for my flight back to the US.
I didn't want to spend my last night in Rome at the airport.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7895 posts
I didn't want to spend my last night in Rome at the airport
And nor would I. Sounds like you have plenty of good advice, so go with a taxi.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15829 posts
Since you are flying to IST, which is outside the European Schengen zone, then get to the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7645 posts
For those early flights, I’ve done it both ways - hotel at the airport or take an early taxi from downtown Rome.
The early taxis to the airport gave us a variety of rides! One drove like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Another was a professional, calm experience.
Since I have three flights to arrive back at Idaho, I appreciate any extra sleep I can have my departure morning, so I stay at the Hilton at the airport where I can just walk to the terminal. But it sure is nice to walk around Rome your last evening if you can stay in central Rome!