Venice - best area for transport connections to VCE for early morning flight

If you do a search on "flying from Venice" in the search bar above, you should find lots of info.

Pretty much boils down to there is no cheap way for early AM departure. Just some that are less expensive

Staying in the original hotel one more night, then going to airport area hotel may be the easiest budget friendly option

The best option it does not matter where you stay but is not the budget option.
That is to take a private water taxi from your hotel to the airport.

It is a very nice and relaxing way to reach the airport in the early morning, I guarantee you that. I would try to work it into the travel budget personally rather than the other options which to me are not very appealing.

I would not call a water taxi from Piazzale Roma to the airport a very good option for a number of reasons. It is about 120 EUR or so for an early departure, will take longer, and will drop you at the airport dock which is about 600 meters from the airport entrance, although I understand there is a moving sidewalk now for part of the way.

The No 5 bus does its first run at 4:35 am from Piazzale Roma Monday through Saturday and takes 23 minutes, drops you right at the airport entrance and costs 7 or 8 EUR. On Sunday, first run is at 5:40 am, and it is the second run M-S.
The ATVO bus goes at 4:20, 5:00, 5:40, etc, takes 20 minutes and costs 8 EUR.

Finally a regular land taxi will cost about 25 EUR and get you there in 15 to 20 minutes.

And there is nothing wrong with the Piazzale Roma area and see no reason to move to hectic and inconvenient San Marco area. Easy to walk there or take the vaporetto.

Sam is right.

You should stay put in the hotel near Piazzale Roma, and forget about moving to San Marco. Also if you have lots of luggage, it's not convenient to move around Venice with suitcases.

Then on the morning of your flight take a land taxi (car with wheels) from Piazzale Roma to the airport. It might cost a bit more than 25€ nowadays but not much more, therefore for 2+ people is not even much more expensive than the bus.

Before making any decision, find put what "near" Piazzalle Roma means -- flat walk to the bus station, or short walk up and over a high bridge or one stop on vaparetto.

I really appreciate all of this great info - thank you! I think we'll stay put in a hotel we've book near Piazzale (?) Roma. We can easily catch an early bus to the airport from there. The walk to the site will do us good after being on a bus for 2 weeks! Again, thx so much!

Obviously travelers can make their own decisions about where to stay and what their budget is.
My opinion is I would NOT stay near Piazzale Roma ; you are too far from the sites of Venice staying there ; if your only reason to stay there is ease of reaching the airport for an early flight or to save on said transportation than I don't agree with that decision unless your budget cannot afford a water taxi as I suggested.
With the water taxi you can easily and quickly reach the airport from most any location so it eliminates that as a criteria when choosing a hotel.

Due to cost it is not for everyone but if you are staying in the San Marco area or anywhere else in that vicinity ; it is the fastest way to get to the airport, there are no schedules to worry about, it is luxurious and extremely enjoyable so a great way to leave or enter town. I would rather take a private water taxi than a gondola ride if budget only allowed for 1 or maybe go with a lower cost hotel room since in Venice you will be out and about not in your room much anyway.
If you have 3-4 people in your party the private water taxi becomes more affordable than if you are only 1 or 2.
The walk from the dock they drop you off at to the terminal is an easy one, even with luggage but it is important for travelers to know the boat does not bring you directly to the terminal.