New International Airport in Italy’s Amalfi Coast to Open this Summer
Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport is getting a long-awaited overhaul and will open for business in July
Photo: Courtesy of GESAC
Traveling to the Amalfi Coast, one of Italy’s most popular and exclusive vacation spots will become much easier this summer thanks to a newly revamped airport that will welcome its first international flights in July.
Located on the sun-drenched Sorrentine Peninsula in southern Italy, the Amalfi Coast attracts numerous travelers from around the world each summer. Its charming Italian villages and timeless, sweeping sea views have delighted millions of tourists for years, but it has always been notoriously difficult to reach by plane. However, that is about to change.
Photo: Amalfi Coast, Italy. Courtesy of Tom Podmore / Unsplash
As of July 2024, the Amalfi Coast will have its commercial airport, Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport (QSR), which will revolutionize travel to the region.
The airport is situated 45km south of the town of Amalfi and 21km away from the city of Salerno. The new international airport is built on an airfield that has served as a military airport, flying school, firefighting center, and private airfield over the last hundred years.
Photo: Courtesy of GESAC
In 2007, the airfield underwent optimization to prepare it for commercial flights, but it closed entirely in 2016.
This summer, however, Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport is set to start running international services, which will likely represent a significant tourist boost to a much-loved travel destination.
The runway has been extended to 2,000 meters (6,561 feet), and further renovations are in the pipeline. Work on a brand-new passenger terminal is underway, and major investment has been secured to continue developing the airport until 2043.
Photo: Courtesy of GESAC
Starting July 11, Spanish low-cost carrier Volotea will begin flights to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport from Cagliari (CAG) in Italy and Nantes (NTE) in France. Flights from Verona (VRN) and Catania (CTA) are scheduled to begin in September.
“We are very proud to be the first to announce the start of our operations at the Salerno-Costa D’Amalfi airport,” said Carlos Muñoz, President and Founder of Volotea. “The commencement of operations from Salerno represents a significant moment for the region and for Volotea, allowing us to further expand our offerings in the area.”
Photo: Courtesy of GESAC
The opening of Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport aims to reduce the number of passengers at Naples-Capodichino International Airport (NAP), which received an astounding 12.4 million passengers last year, causing congestion during the summer. The organizers hope the new airport will facilitate travel to the Amalfi Coast and alleviate the situation at NAP, which expects increased U.S. traffic with daily flights operated by Delta and United Airlines starting in May.
The journey from the new Salerno airport to Amalfi is expected to take around an hour, whereas the current drive from Naples International Airport can take up to two hours during the summer rush.
Photo: Courtesy of GESAC
When development is finished at Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport, it should have the capacity for up to 6 million passengers a year.
While the project has been lauded by the tourism and hospitality industries along the coastline, there are also long-standing concerns about the impact of swelling visitor numbers on the Amalfi Coast’s infrastructure and environment.
