ICAO: LIRQ
IATA: FLR
Official name: Florence Airport “Amerigo Vespucci”
Location: Peretola, north-west of Florence city centre
Operator: Toscana Aeroporti
Runway: 05/23, asphalt, approximately 1,560 m × 45 m
Traffic type: domestic and international scheduled flights, business aviation, general aviation
City connection: tramway line T2, taxis and urban road network
Overview
Florence “Amerigo Vespucci” Airport, commonly known as Florence Peretola, is the airport serving the city of Florence and one of the two main airports in Tuscany, together with Pisa.
Located in the Florentine plain, only a short distance from the historic city centre, the airport serves one of Italy’s most important cultural and tourist destinations, connecting Florence with many Italian and European cities.
Florence is a compact and very distinctive airport from an operational point of view. Its relatively short runway, its position within the plain, and the surrounding terrain make it a particularly interesting and sometimes demanding airport, especially in certain wind and visibility conditions. For this reason, Florence is mainly served by regional aircraft, business jets and narrow-body airliners suitable for short-runway operations.
History
The origins of aviation in Florence date back to the early decades of the twentieth century. Before the current airport at Peretola, the city’s first airfield was located in the Campo di Marte area.
As air transport developed and the need for a more suitable location became clear, the area of the Florentine plain between Castello and Sesto Fiorentino was selected. Peretola Airport was officially inaugurated on 4 June 1931. In its early years, it was little more than a grass airfield, used for both civil and military aviation.
Between 1938 and 1939, a more structured runway was built, giving the airport a more permanent layout. After the Second World War, the first passenger services began, although for many years Florence remained limited by its runway length and by the presence of Pisa Airport, which offered greater operational flexibility.
Over the following decades, Peretola was gradually modernised and developed into an important city airport, serving business traffic, tourism and point-to-point European connections. The airport is named after Amerigo Vespucci, the famous Florentine explorer, who was born in the Peretola area.
Operational characteristics
Florence is a small urban airport with a very recognisable layout. Its single runway, 05/23, is approximately 1,560 metres long, which is one of the airport’s most defining features.
This runway length limits the use of larger aircraft and makes operations particularly sensitive to weather conditions, wind direction, temperature and aircraft weight. The airport is therefore mainly used by regional jets, business aircraft and selected narrow-body airliners able to operate within these constraints.
The passenger terminal is compact, and apron space is limited. Boarding is generally carried out by bus or on foot, as the airport does not use jet bridges. However, its proximity to the city and direct tram connection make it extremely convenient for passengers travelling to and from Florence.
Passengers and traffic
In recent years, Florence Airport has recorded strong traffic growth. In 2024, the airport handled 3,516,925 passengers, an increase of around 14.3% compared with the previous year.
In 2025, the airport achieved a new record, reaching approximately 3.8 million passengers, with further growth of around 9.4%. This confirms the strategic importance of Florence Airport within the Tuscan airport system and its growing role as a gateway to the region.
Airlines and destinations
Florence Airport mainly offers domestic and European connections. Its route network includes major European hubs such as Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, London, Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Italian and seasonal destinations.
Airlines operating at Florence include, depending on the season, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Air Dolomiti, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Volotea, ITA Airways, Brussels Airlines, SAS, Eurowings, Aegean and other scheduled or seasonal carriers.
In recent years, Volotea has significantly expanded its presence at Florence, with additional routes and based aircraft, strengthening the airport’s role in point-to-point European traffic.
Role in the region
Florence Airport plays an important role for the city and the wider metropolitan area. It is the most convenient airport for visitors heading directly to Florence and serves a strong mix of cultural tourism, business travel, conferences and connections to major European hubs.
Despite its modest size compared with larger Italian airports, Peretola has high strategic value because it directly serves one of the world’s most famous cities and one of Italy’s most visited regions.
At the same time, the airport’s location is also the source of its main limitations. Future development, including the long-discussed issue of a new runway, has been the subject of technical, political and environmental debate for many years. Any expansion must take into account the complex urban and environmental context of the Florentine plain.
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✅ Required for Barelli airports featuring VDGS/StopBars/Hangar Doors
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Great to see Firenze in FS24! The airport looks excellent with good FPS. I will give it five stars if the developer adds a GSX profile since much of the parking is walk-in rather than bus.