Milan Malpensa Airport

MXP originated in 1910, as the Caproni brothers used the field to test their “flying machine,” the Cal biplane. Over the years, the field was used to test various aircraft. In due time both brothers established factories on site, with the airfield developing into the largest aircraft production center in Italy. During the 1920s and 30s, the airfield hosted two squadrons of the Italian Air Force. In September 1943, the airfield was taken over by the German Luftwaffe following the invasion of Northern Italy by Nazi Germany. Shortly after that, the Germans constructed the airfield’s first concrete runway. Following the culmination of WWII, the manufacturers and politicians of the region decided to restore the airfield. As the main runway had been heavily damaged during the German retreat, it was reconstructed and extended to 1800 meters, while a small wooden terminal was also constructed. On November 21st, 1948, official commercial operations began at Malpensa Airport. In 1950 the first long-distance flights from MXP took place via TWA to New York Idlewild Airport (now JFK). In 1952 the Municipality of Milan took over the airport’s operator, changing its name to Società Esercizi Aeroportuali SpA (SEA). Following the change in ownership, SEA decided to develop MXP as an international airport and intercontinental gateway. As such, a major development occurred between 1958 and 1962, including the extension of the two runways to 12,844 feet (the longest in Europe at the time), and the construction of a new terminal. However, by the early 60s, several major European carriers moved operations to Linate, Milan’s other airport, as it was much closer to the city center. Between 1960 and 1965, passenger numbers had almost halved, as MXP had only a few intercontinental links, charter flights, and cargo operations. This resumed for the following 20 years. As Linate Airport had limited possibilities for expansion, it reached capacity by the mid-1980s, serving seven million passengers a year. SEA concluded that the most viable option would be to develop MXP as the alternative. In 1985 a law was passed in the Italian Parliament, which went about reorganizing the Mial airport system. This led to MXP being designated the center of all services for northern Italy, whereas Linate was designated a domestic airport. The plan included the construction of a new terminal at Malpensa and the development of efficient connections to the Milan city center (this included railway access and the expansion of highways leading to the airport). The European Union recognized the importance of the project, contributing 200 million euros to the effort. Construction began in 1990, and the building was completed in 1998. On October 24th, 1998, Alitalia moved the majority of its fleet from Rome Fiumicino Airport to MXP, making it the airline’s main hub. This change was dramatic, as 488 daily aircraft movements and 42,000 passengers were added. By the end of the year, MXP had served 5.92 million passengers, a drastic increase of over 2 million passengers from the previous year. Passenger volume continued climbing, with close to 17 million passengers served the following year, and 23.9 million passengers served in 2007. Since the early 2000s, SEA has taken over airport security, ground handling, and ramp services. They are supervised by the Italian State Police, the Italian Military Customs Police, Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority, and the Italian Military Police. However, fortunes changed in 2008, as Alitalia decided to revert to Rome as its main hub, citing high operating costs at MXP. This brought about a 20% decline in daily movements, with only 19.2 million passengers served in 2008. The global financial crisis of 2009 (along with an increase in fuel prices) further reduced passengers to 17.6 million. In response to Alitalia’s shift, SEA began a campaign to market MXP, bringing about 34 new passenger and cargo routes from 2008 to 2011. Furthermore, easyJet made MXP its main base after London Gatwick, and it currently serves 70 destinations throughout Europe from Malpensa, whereas Ryanair announced plans to open an operating base at MXP. In December 2016, a new railway line connecting Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 was opened.

The airport is located 30 miles northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino River dividing Lombardy and Piedmont. 

• There are four VIP lounges at MXP, offering exclusive buffet catering, unlimited high-speed WiFi, and a dedicated staff. 
• There are two hotels at MXP - a Sheraton, intended for business and leisure travelers, and the Moxy Hotel by the Marriot hotel group in partnership with Inter Ikea Holding Group, featuring a young, dynamic design.  
• There are various FBOs at MXP, including Signature Flight Support and Universal Aviation.