Flying international out of Rome FCO question

[Delat]

Hoping somebody has travelled out of the Italy and can clue me in.

I’m flying American Airlines out of Rome FCO back to the US on Thursday with only carryon luggage. Is it like the US where I can get my electronic boarding pass via the AA app and go directly to the gate, or do I need to check in at the ticket counter? I’ve been googling and some sites mention having to go through passport control?

And recommended time to arrive before my flight? Currently planning to arrive 2.5 hours early, but some sites say to plan for 3-4 hours due to extremely slow security. Which raises another question - is there a separate (shorter) security line for first class?

@ch_br - any input?

 

[WildBoar]

I can't speak for this particular airport, as I have not flown in and out of Rome in 15+ years. But for international flights you do typically need to present your passport at a check-in point that is before you get to security. On international flights I have taken (not that many, but a few over the past year or so) boarding passes had to be printed at the airport.

 

[stringer]

Hoping somebody has travelled out of the Italy and can clue me in.

I’m flying American Airlines out of Rome FCO back to the US on Thursday with only carryon luggage. Is it like the US where I can get my electronic boarding pass via the AA app and go directly to the gate, or do I need to check in at the ticket counter? I’ve been googling and some sites mention having to go through passport control?

And recommended time to arrive before my flight? Currently planning to arrive 2.5 hours early, but some sites say to plan for 3-4 hours due to extremely slow security. Which raises another question - is there a separate (shorter) security line for first class?

@ch_br - any input?

I just flew back from Rome a few weeks ago. I was flying Delta. My partner's boarding pass came through electronically but I had to physically check in as her companion pass. But security was not bad on a Monday morning. Delta did have a slightly shorter line for Delta One, their first class. But I was really pleasantly surprised. We got there about 2.5 hours ahead of time and ended up sitting in the Alitalia Club for a long time.

 

[TB_London]

Unless you have checked luggage you can go straight to gate. You’ll have to go through security and passport control. Security will be taking out all liquids and electronics from luggage and emptying pockets, removing Watch and belt etc.

Then you’ll have duty free to buy overpriced liquids that you can’t take through security, and then gate and boarding.

2.5 hours is plenty, I used to be in and out of fiumicino and Ciampino regularly and never had any issue. If you pay attention and are prepared it’s quick if you have metal buckles and 30 bottles of liquids still in your bag then be prepared to spend a while getting through. Add in some belligerence and yeah 4 hours of fun awaits.

 

[Delat]

Awesome - thanks for the input guys, that’s a load off my shoulders. I had just realized last night that all my international travel for the past 20 years has been to Asia and I didn’t know how EU airports operated anymore!

 

[Delat]

Thanks guys, 2.5 hours turned out to be plenty. Although Rome FCO is pretty chaotic with poor signage and weird procedures. We tried the terminal door the taxi dropped us at but it was locked, next one was also locked. Third door was at a security checkpoint helpfully, but when we tried to go through we got turned away since we were flying on American and told to go to another checkpoint a good distance away.

But then we were blocked from walking to the checkpoint within the terminal for no apparent reason (just a rope barrier and security) and told to go back outside and use an exterior door further down to get back in. And of course there was no sign saying AA passengers had to use that specific checkpoint. The kicker being, both checkpoints ultimately let out into the same concourse area and all the same gates.

Anyway, made it through on time despite all the weirdness and happy to be back home.

 

[WildBoar]

We tried the terminal door the taxi dropped us at but it was locked, next one was also locked. Third door was at a security checkpoint helpfully, but when we tried to go through we got turned away since we were flying on American and told to go to another checkpoint a good distance away. But then we were blocked from walking to the checkpoint within the terminal for no apparent reason (just a rope barrier and security) and told to go back outside and use an exterior door further down to get back in. And of course there was no sign saying AA passengers had to use that specific checkpoint. The kicker being, both checkpoints ultimately let out into the same concourse area and all the same gates.

You just made the best summation of Italy I have ever seen Damn, I really need to get back there.

 

[MarcelNL]

You just made the best summation of Italy I have ever seen Damn, I really need to get back there.

indeed, I was reading that post thinking 'so what is the issue here, business as usual so far'

 

[TB_London]

Hahahaha the full Italian experience

 

[ch_br]

Hoping somebody has travelled out of the Italy and can clue me in.

I’m flying American Airlines out of Rome FCO back to the US on Thursday with only carryon luggage. Is it like the US where I can get my electronic boarding pass via the AA app and go directly to the gate, or do I need to check in at the ticket counter? I’ve been googling and some sites mention having to go through passport control?

And recommended time to arrive before my flight? Currently planning to arrive 2.5 hours early, but some sites say to plan for 3-4 hours due to extremely slow security. Which raises another question - is there a separate (shorter) security line for first class?

@ch_br - any input?

Sorry, dunno how I missed this.

I cannot say, my Italian adventures did NOT include Rome.

I saved that for another time... YTD lol.

Looks like you had a great time and were zipping all over!

Its just a shame you didn't rent and older Alfa and drive along the Amalfi coast or the Italian Riviera or a few days! Spring is the perfect time.

 

[Delat]

Its just s shame you didn't rent and older Alfa and drive along the Amalfi coast for the Italian Riviera or a few days! Spring is the perfect time.

An Alpha would’ve been so cool! I was actually supposed to get an Audi for driving around Tuscany but ended up in a crappy Jeep Compass. What a serious letdown - I mean who wants to drive around Italy in an American car? But the Jeep ended up being pretty useful on some of the rougher dirt roads and narrow tracks where I had to practically pull over into a ditch to let oncoming traffic pass.

 

[WildBoar]

The first time I had a rental car when I went to the Amalfi Coast I had a blast -- even though the car was a large Volvo sedan. But the second (last) time I had a smaller, more fun car. And the freakin' road was closed south of Praiano the 4 days we were there I had been looking forward to it for months.

On a side note, nothing is more fun then driving down a twisty road in a spirited manor and all the sudden the corner of a building is sticking 3-4 feet out into the road.

 

[Delat]

Yup on a lot of the roads the navigation route looked like a Mario Kart track. Would’ve been fun in an Audi A3, not so much on basically a two-way road that’s effectively a single lane in a tall SUV with skinny tires of dubious traction, non-linear throttle, weird steering, and overly sensitive auto high beams that refused to stay on due to reflections from trees.

First time in my life I’ve voluntarily stuck close to speed limits out of fear for my life I’m sure all the Italians passing me were thinking, “Damn American tourists!”

 

[MarcelNL]

Yup on a lot of the roads the navigation route looked like a Mario Kart track. Would’ve been fun in an Audi A3, not so much on basically a two-way road that’s effectively a single lane in a tall SUV with skinny tires of dubious traction, non-linear throttle, weird steering, and overly sensitive auto high beams that refused to stay on due to reflections from trees.

First time in my life I’ve voluntarily stuck close to speed limits out of fear for my life I’m sure all the Italians passing me were thinking, “Damn American tourists!”

View attachment 245574

let me tell you they did !

same thing in Austria on winding narrow mountain roads, the locals call it chasing 'pifker' (German tourists).

thing is, driving in a 'more sporty way' on that type of road is only possible when you know the road well, know where to look for traffic from the other side etc.
I've once driven half of the usable surface off 4 new tyres in one trip through the Austrian alps where I know the road well enough to chase locals...it's brutal, and FUN

 

[MarcelNL]

a couple of years ago we were driving home from a vacation in Tuscany somewhere in northern Italy doing 140 km/h when I saw a rock the size of a softball hurtle towards me coming out of nowhere as if it was a meteorite, it hit the left window right next to my ear and all I could thinks was 'keep the wheel straight, don't suddenly brake" while I saw the window shatter and scatter over the road beside me and behind in slow mo....

when you can, do get the laminated glass option for side windows..