FCO Rome Airport Departure

[maggietaggie]

I will be flying solo to Rome.  I have never departed from FCO before only have arrived there and have flown out elsewhere.  
This will be my first trip flying solo and I am a tad anxious about departing from FCO airport.  How difficult is it to navigate entry to airport and on to gate.  Flying Delta.  Just would like to ease my mind a bit.  Thank you in advance for any responses.  

[dpaige2023]

We need to catch a 3:40 PM flight the same day we get off the cruise ship. Anyone know of a short tour we could take to see some of Rome before we head to the airport? One that could take us from the ship, drive us around the city and then take us to the airport? I hate to leave Rome without seeing anything.

[cruisemom42]

@maggietaggie  It's pretty much like any large airport. 

 

I'm assuming your flight is international. Delta uses Terminal 3 at FCO, so that's where you should ask to be dropped off.

 

Once you walk inside Terminal 3, you will see several aisles of check-in counters for various airlines. Overhead there are monitors that show you which check-in counters to go to for your specific Delta flight (they are listed in order of departure time, then look for your Flight number, keeping in mind that if your flight is codeshared with one of Delta's codeshare partners (e.g., KLM, Air France) it will rotate through those as well...)

 

When you have that info, just navigate to the check-in area for your flight. Usually the counters for an overseas flight open about 2.5 to 3 hours before the flight is scheduled to depart. 

 

If you already have obtained your boarding passes through online check-in or the app, you'll just need to get into the right line for luggage check (assuming you have luggage). Delta has the self-service kiosks in the same area, so you can obtain your boarding pass there as well. They are the same as in the states and will have an English option. 

 

If you can't get a boarding pass in advance, you'll have to get into the main check-in line, which can get long. Delta has personnel who are there to both assist passengers (in case you have questions about which line, etc.) and also to "gatekeep" and ensure that passengers don't get in the premium class line unless qualified by cabin class or frequent flyer level.

 

Once you've dropped your luggage and have a boarding pass, you'll be directed by signs and personnel to the security area. (It's not difficult to navigate, they channel you pretty well). Security is just like every other airport. Usually lines move pretty well but can get quite long on a morning when several ships' worth of passengers are leaving, all around the same time.

 

After security, you are again channeled to Immigration, where you will get in a line to have your passport stamped. 

 

From here, you'll need your gate number, indicated on your boarding pass. There are several arms that branch off for the various E Gates (used by International flights). Some require a bit of a walk.

 

The International departures area is pretty nice at FCO. There are shops (including luxury brands), cafes, etc. Seating at the gates is pretty decent. Just keep an eye on the check-in area or your app for any last-minute gate changes. 

 

Boarding for really large aircraft can start up to an hour ahead of the flight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by cruisemom42

[cruisemom42]

21 minutes ago, dpaige2023 said:

We need to catch a 3:40 PM flight the same day we get off the cruise ship. Anyone know of a short tour we could take to see some of Rome before we head to the airport? One that could take us from the ship, drive us around the city and then take us to the airport? I hate to leave Rome without seeing anything.

 

Keep in mind that you should plan to be at the airport by around 12:40 pm if flying internationally. It takes about 30-45 minutes to get to the airport from the center of Rome, so you'd need to depart the city by noon.

 

Also, it takes an hour plus to get to Rome from the port, especially in the morning. If you get off the ship at 7:00 am, I wouldn't count on being "in" Rome until 8:30 am.

 

A good transfer company like Rome Cabs or Rome In Limo can arrange a quick driving tour with 1-2 photo stops, but you won't have time to see much.

 

If, as you say, you hate to leave Rome without seeing it, why not book a night or two there before flying home?

 

 

[dpaige2023]

Yes, I’m thinking of doing that unfortunately my return flight is already booked. I’ll find out if I can change it.

[maggietaggie]

Thank you for such a detailed response.   Much appreciated !

[ninjacat123]

@cruisemom42 Thank you for the overview of FCO!  I just pulled up FCO's map and info which helped but it made a difference having your walk through!

[gail-s]

Cruisemom hit the nail on the head. We had a direct flight home on Delta and thought that everything went smoothly in FCO.  At first I didn't think I was going to need the Fast Track that I had purchased, but the line to check our bags was pretty long so we ended up using it. It moved us through quickly.  You need to look for the sign as you're going through the xray machines and hop in the correct row.  We typically book Delta through Amex and end up with priority boarding, so getting on the plane was very easy as well.  Hope you have a great trip. 

[dpaige2023]

As an update to my post, we decided to stay an extra day in Rome.  I still plan on taking a tour when we get off the ship but at least we can take more time wait until the next day to head to the airport.

[cruisemom42]

33 minutes ago, dpaige2023 said:

As an update to my post, we decided to stay an extra day in Rome.  I still plan on taking a tour when we get off the ship but at least we can take more time wait until the next day to head to the airport.

 

That's great!

 

I'm sure it's a decision you won't regret. 😀