Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) is the main airport of Bari, the capital of Italy's Apulia (Puglia) region.
The airport is 8 kilometers northwest of Bari's city center and is named after Pope John Paul II whose given name was Karol Wojtyła. Locally, BRI is known as Palese Airport after the nearby village.
In 2024, it handled over 7 million passengers, ranking as Italy's tenth busiest airport.
Major Airlines - Ryanair, Volotea, Wizz Air, ITA Airways
Bari Airport is dominated by low-cost airlines. Most of the scheduled flights at BRI are conducted by 4 low-cost European airlines:
Ryanair: Bari is a focus city for the Irish low-cost giant and with over 50 destinations, it’s easily the airline with the most flights at BRI.
Volotea: This popular Spanish airline focuses on seasonal flights to holiday destinations in Greece, Spain, France, and Croatia.
easyJet: Serves mostly seasonal flights to and from cities in Western Europe.
Wizz Air: Connects Bari to Eastern Europe.
Domestically, the flag carrier ITA Airways flies daily to Milan Linate (LIN) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO).
Some of Europe’s largest airlines also fly directly to Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport. These include Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air France.
See all airlines that serve Bari here.
Terminal Layout and Gates of BRI
Bari Airport has 2 terminals located in the same building:
Terminal 1 (Gates A) serves flights to domestic and Schengen destinations.
Terminal 2 (Gates B) handles all other international flights.
It’s a pretty compact airport and arriving 2 hours before your flight is recommended.
Connecting Flights and Transit
Bari is not a transit airport and does not have transit facilities. All flights are treated as point-to-point, so if you decide to connect flights at BRI, it will be a self-transit.
Any connections will require that you leave the airport, re-check your luggage (if any), and clear Security on your way in again to find your new gate.
The minimum connection time for flights within Schengen is 60 minutes. If one of the flights is outside of the Schengen Area, this jumps to 90 minutes.
Longer layovers may allow you to explore some of the best things to do in Bari.
Wi-Fi at Bari Airport
The airport provides free Wi-Fi for all passengers throughout the terminals.
To connect, select the “AdP_FreeWifi” network and you will be automatically redirected to the welcome page.
You can then authenticate using your social media account or create a new one.
The network is not limited in time.
Dining Options at Bari Airport
Bari Airport is on the small side and food options are limited but still enough to have a meal while waiting for your flight.
For fast food, you can have a burger from McDonald’s. Right beside it, Italian coffee is served at Lavazza.
The sit-down restaurants include Agora-Ristorazione, Bufala Dolce Nera SRL, and La Trulleria Ristorazione Tipica Pugliese all of which stay true to their Italian roots and serve fresh food typical in the country.
The Juice Bar sells exactly what the name suggests and, finally, the Peroni Bar serves beer on tap plus sandwiches and other bar fare.
Lounges at BRI Airport
Bari Airport features the newly refurbished VIP Lounge: a stylish, calm, and comfortable place to relax before a flight offering complimentary Wi-Fi, a food buffet, and drinks on demand.
Access is available via most lounge membership programs or by paying the entry fee upon arrival.
Transportation to and from Bari Airport
It’s quite easy to get from Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport to the city or other destinations in the surrounding areas:
Train: The Bari Metropolitan railway service (a popular commuter rail line) links the airport to Bari Centrale railway station in the city center. A one-way ticket from/to the airport costs 5.10 EUR.
Bus: AMTAB Line 16 provides a public bus service between the airport and central Bari. The Marozzi buses connect BRI to other cities and towns in the region, notably the UNESCO Heritage site Matera, as well as Altamura, Brindisi, and Foggia, just to name a few.
Taxis: There are always a few cars waiting outside the arrivals area, ready to drive you to your destination in Puglia. Apulia Taxi company has fixed rates. For example, a taxi to Piazza Libertà in the center of Bari costs 25 EUR.
Car Rental: Several car rental agencies operate on-site. Pick from international giants like Hertz and AVIS or local rental companies like Maggiore Autoservices and Loran Italian Rental.
Bike Rental: A fun alternative is to rent a bicycle from Puglia On Bike. Roads in Puglia are quite good and cycling is popular. Distances are manageable. You may opt to return the bike to their offices in Locorotondo and Monopoli.
See private transfer deals from BRI Airport.
Parking at Bari Airport
Three official car parks serve Bari Airport:
P1 (Short-Term): Located close to the terminal. Prices start from 3.90 EUR per hour.
P2 (Mid-Term): Situated just a little bit farther from the terminal with prices from 7 EUR per every 6 hours.
P3 (Long-Term): About 10 minutes on foot away from the terminal but the cheapest option for longer stays at 8.50 EUR per day.
Parking reservations can be made online for convenience, to guarantee a spot and the best rates.
Hotels near Bari Airport
There are no hotels within the airport grounds with the closest accommodation options being about 1-1.5 km away.
A good upscale option is Hotel Parco dei Principi Hotel Congress & SPA which offers a shuttle service to and from the airport. It features an excellent restaurant, fitness, and spa facilities, and meeting rooms and makes for a convenient stay near BRI.
A cheaper option is CoCo’s Rooms about 2 km away from the terminal building. Simple but comfortable rooms and helpful owners for a touch of Italian hospitality.
You will find a lot more hotel options in Bari's city center, about 8 km from the airport. Given the ease of travel, you may want to consider lodging there instead.
Bari, Italy
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