Yet another record for Rome Fiumicino, and for Venice's Marco Polo Airport.
Rome Fiumicino is the Best European Airport
For the eighth time since 2018 and the fifth time in a row Rome Fiumicino has been named the best European airport in the category for airports handling over 40 million passengers, winning the ACI Europe Best Airport Award 2026. The award was presented during the Annual Congress held in Prague, where European airports were recognized for their excellence in staff performance, digital transformation and the sustainability of airport infrastructure. The winners were selected based on the assessment of an independent jury comprising eight institutional representatives from the aviation sector, including the European Commission, Eurocontrol, EASA, ECAC and the SESAR Joint Undertaking.
In 2025 Fiumicino topped 51 million passengers
This accolade follows on from the Best European Airport award won in February as part of ACI World’s Airport Service Quality programme, based on feedback provided directly by passengers, and confirms the strength of the "Fiumicino model," which, in 2025, topped the 51 million passenger mark for the first time. The Leonardo da Vinci is now looking to the future with a €9 billion Sustainable Development Plan, designed to meet an estimated traffic demand of up to 100 million passengers by 2046 and to further strengthen Italy’s connectivity. 
Venice's Marco Polo also got a Best Airport Award
It’s not just Rome, as Venice Marco Polo Airpors received the Best Airport Award in the 10–25 million passengers category. The award was presented to Monica Scarpa, chief xxecutive of the the airport’s operator SAVE Group. The airport was particularly commended for using the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst for lasting improvements in terms of operational performance, service quality and ESG impact. The judges noted how the airport not only delivered an exceptional service and experience during the Games, but also used them to integrate many new practices into its day-to-day and future operations, creating a long-term legacy of high performance and inclusive design.
