Opening hours: the terminal is not open all night
The Naples airport terminal operates from 04:00 to 22:30. The airport is closed from 22:30 to 04:00 except when flights are delayed, and official information states clearly that passengers cannot spend the night inside waiting for a flight.
Two consequences worth planning around:
- Arriving very early does not help. For a 06:20 departure the doors open at 04:00, and that is the earliest you can be inside.
- A late landing means leaving. If you touch down at 22:50 with an onward journey in the morning, you need a bed: see hotels near Naples airport.
Before security: what is where
Check-in and bag drop. Desks are in the departures hall. Airlines set their own limits, and many close bag drop 40 minutes before departure and the gate 20 minutes before. Those two numbers, not the boarding time on your pass, are the ones that catch people out.
Luggage storage. The airport has left-luggage services, both near the terminal entrance, about 150 metres away by the motorcycle parking, and inside the terminal on the first floor by the security checkpoints. Fees are around €10-12 per day depending on the service level. It is what makes a same-day visit to Pompeii or a walk around Naples possible between two flights: the routes are in Naples airport to Pompeii and Naples airport to the city centre.
Car rental desks are on the first floor of arrivals. The cars themselves are about 700 metres from the terminal, reached by a free shuttle every 15 minutes from 07:30 to 23:30 that leaves from the Pick-up area outside arrivals. Sixt has a desk on the ground floor of arrivals with cars in the P3 car park.
Taxis wait in front of arrivals, on the city's fixed fares: €21 to the central station, €24 to the port. The Alibus shuttle to the city leaves from outside arrivals as well, at €5.
Security: how to be quick
Standard European rules apply: liquids in containers of up to 100 ml inside a transparent one-litre bag, electronics out of the bag unless the lane says otherwise, jackets and belts off. Rules on liquids and laptops change from time to time and vary by lane, so follow the signs and the staff on the day rather than what you remember from your last trip.
Three habits that save ten minutes:
- Pack liquids in the outer pocket of your cabin bag, so you do not empty everything onto the tray.
- Empty your pockets into your bag before the queue, not at the tray.
- Travel in the middle of the day if you can. Between June and August, and especially from 05:00 to 08:00, the queue is at its longest: Naples handled over 4.3 million passengers in three summer months in 2025.
After security
The departures area has the usual mix of bars, restaurants and shops, including duty free for non-EU flights, and there is a lounge for travellers with the right card or a paid pass. The exact line-up changes as concessions come and go, so the reliable source is the official airport website.
Two practical notes. Prices airside are airport prices, so a bottle filled after security costs nothing while the same water in a shop does not. And the walk to the gate is short at Naples compared with larger hubs, but the gate areas are small: when three flights board together, seats run out.
Wi-Fi, charging and staying connected
The airport provides free wi-fi. Connect before you settle down, because the sign-in page is easier to deal with sitting still than while queuing. Charging points exist but are not everywhere: if your phone is your boarding pass, your ticket and your transfer booking, arrive with a charged battery and a power bank rather than relying on finding a socket.
Lost property and delayed baggage
These are two different problems with two different procedures.
Baggage that does not arrive on the belt. Report it before leaving the baggage hall, at the desk of the ground handler that works for your airline. You will be given a P.I.R. report with a reference number: that number is what tracks the search, and the contacts on it are the ones to call. Do not leave the hall first and try to sort it out later, because the process starts there.
Items lost inside the terminal. Naples airport runs a lost property service and uses an online tool where you describe what you lost and are notified if it turns up. Report it as soon as you notice, with as much detail as you can give: colour, brand, contents, and where you last had it.
Assistance for reduced mobility
Assistance is arranged through your airline, when you book or at least 48 hours before departure. The airline informs the airport, and the service covers meeting you on arrival, help through check-in and security, and priority boarding.
Two practical points: arrive half an hour earlier than you otherwise would, because the service is collected at dedicated desks, and in the Multipiano car park there are 44 free reserved spaces for disabled travellers, the closest parking to the terminal.
Travelling with children
The terminal is compact, which helps. Strollers can normally be used up to the aircraft door and are collected on arrival, but confirm with your airline. Bring what you need for the queue rather than counting on the shops: food and drink for children can be brought through security within the usual rules, including formula and baby food, and staff will inspect them separately.
For a dawn flight with small children, the two decisions that matter are made the night before: sleep near the airport and book the transport to the terminal, so that nobody is looking for a taxi at 04:30.
Money, cards and tax free
Cards are accepted everywhere in the terminal, including on the airport buses through the driver, but a few euros in cash still help for a ticket bought at a kiosk or a coffee at a small bar. Cash machines are available landside.
Non-EU residents can claim a VAT refund on shopping done in Italy: the paperwork must be validated before you leave the EU, and the desks and operators change, so allow extra time and check the current arrangements on the airport website if you are carrying refundable purchases.
The timings that actually matter
| Step | Allow |
|---|---|
| Baggage reclaim on arrival | 20-30 minutes in busy periods |
| Bag drop before departure | Closes about 40 minutes before, airline-dependent |
| Gate closing | About 20 minutes before departure |
| Security in summer or early morning | 20-40 minutes |
| European flight, total | Be at the airport 2 hours before |
| Long-haul flight, total | Be at the airport 3 hours before |
| Car park with a shuttle | Add 20-30 minutes |
Full details on reaching the terminal, fares and night rules are in our Naples airport guide. If you run a car park, a guesthouse or a transfer service around the airport, see the partner page.
Food, drink and the last hour
The honest summary of eating at Naples airport: it works, it costs airport prices, and the choice is wider before security than after it. If you have an hour, the landside bars are calmer; if you are already through, plan to sit down early rather than at the gate, because seating fills as three flights board together.
Two local habits worth borrowing. Coffee standing at the bar is quicker and cheaper than sitting down, as it is across Italy. And a sfogliatella or a pizza fritta bought in the city on the way beats most things you can buy inside, if your route passes a bakery.
For anyone flying early, remember that the terminal opens at 04:00: the first bars open with it, but not everything is running at that hour. If breakfast matters to you before a 06:00 flight, ask the hotel for a bag to take away rather than counting on the airport.
Delays, cancellations and what you are entitled to
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, two things run in parallel.
The airline handles rebooking and assistance. Under EU passenger rights rules, for flights departing from an EU airport you are entitled to assistance such as food and drink appropriate to the wait, and to rebooking or a refund when a flight is cancelled; compensation may also apply depending on the cause and the length of the delay. The airline, not the airport, is responsible for all of it: go to its desk or its app, and keep the boarding pass and receipts.
The airport keeps operating around the closure. Flights delayed past 22:30 are handled as exceptions, but a cancellation late in the evening means leaving the terminal: at that hour the priority is a room nearby rather than a queue, and many travellers book online while still in the queue.
Arrivals: the first fifteen minutes
Landing at Naples is usually quick, because the terminal is small and the walk from the aircraft is short. The sequence is passport control for non-Schengen arrivals, then baggage reclaim, then the exit into the arrivals hall where the taxi rank, the Alibus stop and the car rental desks are.
Two things to sort before you walk out. Check the belt number on the screens rather than following the crowd, and agree the plan for getting into the city while you wait, so that you leave the hall knowing whether you are taking the €5 bus, a €21 taxi on the fixed fare, or a driver who is already waiting with your name. Deciding it at the exit, with bags in hand and offers coming at you, is how people end up paying more than they planned.
If someone approaches you inside the hall offering a taxi, the answer is the official rank outside: licensed taxis are white, have the CP licence number displayed, and apply the fixed fares to the city.
Frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours of Naples airport?
The terminal operates from 04:00 to 22:30. The airport is closed between 22:30 and 04:00 apart from delayed flights, and passengers may not stay inside overnight.
Is there luggage storage at Naples airport?
Yes. There are left-luggage services near the terminal entrance, about 150 metres away by the motorcycle parking, and inside the terminal on the first floor by security, at around €10-12 per day depending on the service.
Does Naples airport have free wi-fi?
Yes, the airport provides free wi-fi in the terminal.
What do I do if my baggage does not arrive?
Report it before leaving the baggage hall at the handling agent's desk for your airline, and keep the P.I.R. report: the reference number on it is what tracks the search.
I left something in the terminal. What now?
Contact the airport's lost property service and file a report online with a detailed description as soon as you notice, including where you last had the item.
Where are the car rental desks?
On the first floor of arrivals. The cars are about 700 metres away, with a free shuttle every 15 minutes from 07:30 to 23:30 from the Pick-up area outside arrivals.
How do I request assistance for reduced mobility?
Through your airline, when you book or at least 48 hours before departure. Arrive half an hour earlier than usual, because the service is collected at dedicated desks.
How early should I arrive at Naples airport?
Two hours before a European flight and three before a long-haul one, plus half an hour in summer and at peak times, plus 20-30 minutes if you are leaving a car in a car park with a shuttle.
Page updated on 18 settembre 2026. Fares and timetables change: always double-check on the official channels before you travel.