Best Airports in Italy 2026: Cagliari Tops the AirHelp Ranking
Cagliari Elmas airport ranks as the best airport in Italy for 2026 according to the AirHelp Score, outperforming terminals like Milan Linate and placing 71st globally out of 279 evaluated airports. The ranking assesses airports based on flight punctuality, passenger experience, and terminal comfort using data gathered between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026.
Cagliari Elmas Leads Italian Airport Rankings
The AirHelp evaluation awards Cagliari Elmas a total score of 7.78, driven by an 8-point rating for punctuality where only 19 percent of flights experience delays and roughly one percent face cancellation. The hub scores 7.5 for passenger experience and 7.4 for facilities and comfort. Bari Karol Wojtyła secures second place nationally with a score of 7.75, ranking 82nd worldwide. The Apulian airport attains an 8.1 rating for passenger experience, representing the highest customer perception among the three Italian podium finishers while handling an annual traffic volume exceeding 7 million passengers.
Milano Linate takes third place in Italy with an AirHelp Score of 7.74, placing 87th globally. Linate earns 8 points for punctuality and 7.7 for passenger experience following recent terminal renovations. Globally, Tocumen International Airport in Panama City leads the worldwide index with 8.48 points, followed by Fortaleza-Pinto Martins in Brazil at 8.42 and Cape Town in South Africa at 8.36. The methodology assigns 60 percent of the total score to flight punctuality, while passenger experience and terminal amenities each account for 20 percent.
Bergamo-Orio Al Serio Ranks Lowest for Punctuality
At the opposite end of the national evaluation, Bergamo-Orio al Serio ranks 256th globally with an overall score of 7.03. Punctuality at the hub drops to 6.9, with more than 30 percent of flights registering delays and 10 percent facing cancellations. Services and comfort at Bergamo receive a 6.8 rating.
Mariana Giuliano, a passenger rights specialist and consultant for AirHelp, explained that while punctuality remains a primary baseline, overall satisfaction depends heavily on how easily passengers find their way through terminals, the clarity of information, and available waiting amenities. Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia, stated that achieving high marks for passenger experience reflects ongoing regional infrastructure investments aimed at positioning local transport as a strategic economic lever.
The evaluation model demonstrates that physical terminal size does not dictate performance metrics. Facilities with organized passenger flows frequently outperform international hubs when schedule adherence and terminal amenities align efficiently.