Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is the main international airport serving Venice in northeastern Italy.
The airport sits roughly 12 km north of Venice city center, on the mainland, near the village of Tessera. This is why it’s sometimes called “Venezia-Tessera”.
VCE handled over 11 million passengers in 2024, making it the 6th busiest airport in Italy.
Major Airlines - easyJet, Ryanair, Volotea, Wizz Air
Low-cost carriers dominate Venice Airport in terms of the number of flights served. EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Volotea have many regional and short-haul flights within Europe. Together, they account for more than 1200 flights per month in the high season, more than 70% of all, and the bulk of destinations.
Several full-service international airlines fly to and from Venice, including Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways. They normally offer just 1 or 2 routes to their hubs in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
In total, Venice Airport is served by around 50 airlines. You can find an exhaustive list of airlines with scheduled flights to VCE here.
Terminal Layout and Gates
Venice Airport has 1 terminal split over three floors in the classic configuration:
The Ground floor includes Arrivals, baggage claim, access to ground transport, car rentals, and various services such as ATMs, lost & found, left luggage, etc.
The First floor is the one processing departures and includes around 70 check-in desks, the security screening, shops and cafés, and separated areas (including gates) for Schengen vs non-Schengen flights. Boarding gates are reached from here via escalators and stairs.
The Third floor houses offices for airport operators and airlines and is not accessible to the general public.
There are in total of 65 gates at VCE. Gates 1-8 handle non-Schengen flights, whereas Gates 22-29 and 42-49 handle Schengen flights.
Connecting Flights and Transit at VCE
Given the single-terminal design, there is no need to change terminals if you have connecting flights at Venice Airport.
However, no major airlines have a hub at VCE. This means that most transits are actually self-connections, i.e., two flights with different airlines or under different reservations. Low-cost carriers normally do not offer guaranteed connections. All of this is to say that you should allow extra time between your flights in case of delays.
After landing, follow the signs to “Transit”.
Security and passport control for non-Schengen flights can experience long queues during peak times.
For connections involving different zones (Schengen to non-Schengen or vice versa) or late flights, allow an absolute minimum of a 90-minute buffer. For domestic or inter-Schengen connections, 60 minutes may suffice if no delays and you are familiar with the airport.
Note that direct flights to the USA have a dedicated security checkpoint on the left of the check-in desks.
If you have a longer layover at VCE, it may give you enough time to get to the city and check out the sights. See the best things to do in Venice!
Wi-Fi at the airport
Free WiFi is available in all public areas of Venice Airport. To connect, select the “Venezia Airport Free WiFi” network. You will be automatically directed to a welcome splash page - follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
The connection lasts 6 hours, though if it’s not enough, you can simply reconnect afterwards.
Some restaurants and all of the lounges at the airport offer their own Wi-Fi networks to paying customers.
Restaurants, bars, and cafes at Venice Airport
There is a decent selection of cafés, wine bars, and casual dining, including many Italian restaurants and places to try local specialties.
Many open early, around 5:00 AM, and close as late as 11:00 PM, though nothing is fully 24/7.
Notable dining options include:
Bricco Bar & Pizza: Airside.
Culto Café: Airside.
Decanto Wine Bar: Airside.
Rustichelli & Mangione: Both landside and airside.
Pizzaria Emporio del Grano: Landside.
Lounges at VCE
There are 2 lounges at Venice Airport, and both accept passengers flying with any airline.
The Marco Polo Club (VIP Lounge) is located on the 2nd level of the Airside area. It is open from 05:00 to 22:00 daily. The day pass costs €50 per person and includes drinks (including alcoholic), snacks, Wi-Fi, satellite TV, charging points, and shower service available at certain times.
The Aspire Lounge aeroporto di Venezia is located on the second floor before the security checks. This is a brand new lounge (2025) which offers food and beverages, Fast Track access, free high-speed Wi-Fi, business areas, and other amenities. The entrance fee is currently set at €49. The Aspire Lounge is open from 8 AM to 8 PM.
Transport to and from the airport
Venice Airport is not on the islands that form the historic city. It is located east of New Venice (Venezia Nuova), touching the coast.
This allows VCE to be reached by water. The public Alilaguna water shuttles (aka Vaporetto) connect the airport to various stops in the Venice lagoon, including San Marco and other popular hotspots, depending on route (Blue, Orange, or Red). Tickets cost €15. Private or shared water taxis also operate directly from the airport.
Overland, the ATVO and ACTV buses go to key Venice points like Mestre train station, Piazzale Roma (the Old Venice city entrance), and others. Bus rides typically take 20-25 minutes from the airport to Venice (plus possible wait time). Fares are around €10.
Overland taxis make the journey to the Old Town in around 25-30 minutes, depending on traffic. The fare is around €45. Water taxis, as mentioned previously, line up on the opposite side of the terminal and take 45 minutes to reach most places in the Lagoon, charging around €110-€150.
Currently, there is no train going directly to the airport. To connect to the Italian network, take an airport shuttle bus to the Venezia Mestre train station. From there, you can take a 10-minute train to the Venezia Santa Lucia station in the Old Town on the islands or proceed to other destinations in Italy. Train tickets start at €2.
A direct rail link between VCE and Venice Mestre is currently under construction with an expected completion date in 2026.
Car rental companies, such as AutoEuropa, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Locauto Rent, Maggiore, and Noleggiare, are located on the ground floor of the Arrivals area. If you’re visiting Venice, renting a car is discouraged - only rent a car if you’re going to other places on the mainland.
Parking at VCE
There are 4000 uncovered and 2000 covered parking spaces provided by Venice Airport. They are spread over several parking garages/lots near the terminal:
P1: Covered short-stay parking. The first 10 minutes are free. Thereafter, the charge is €15 for the first 2 hours, €25 for up to 12 hours, or €35 for up to 24 hours of stay.
P2: Uncovered long-stay parking. The first 10 minutes are free. Thereafter, the charge is €15 for the first 2 hours or €30 for up to 24 hours of stay.
P3: Long-stay parking charged at €28 per day.
P4: Long-stay uncovered parking. €3.50 per hour or €28 per day.
SB: Short-term parking specifically for drop-offs and pick-ups. The first 20 minutes are free, with the following 40 minutes charged €3.50.
SP: Speedy Park just 3 minutes from the terminal building. The first 10 minutes are free. Thereafter, the charge is €15 for the first 2 hours or €30 for up to 24 hours of stay.
P6: Long-stay uncovered parking, which is available only for prebooking online. The daily parking rate is €18, maxed at €100 per week.
A much cheaper off-airport parking called “Marco Polo Parking” / Parcheggio Marco Polo is about 5 minutes from the terminal with a free 24/7 shuttle. Rates there are €3.50/day for basic parking.
Hotels near Venice Airport
Inside the airport, you can take a quick nap or spend the night in one of the pods provided by ZzzleepandGo Venice Airport VCE. While convenient, this accommodation option is lackluster and receives a lot of negative reviews for a lack of comfort.
Close to the airport, one of the best hotels is the Courtyard by Marriott Venice Airport. It is located just half a mile from the terminal and offers a complimentary shuttle, among other 4-star amenities like early-morning breakfast and parking.
A cheaper alternative is the Best Western Titian Inn Hotel Venice Airport, not too far away down the road, also in Tessera.
There are also hotels in Mestre or near Piazzale Roma. If you’re on a budget, consider staying in New Venice, as the price difference for hotels between the New and Old parts of town is significant.
Venice, Italy
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