Naples Airport Closes for Month-Long €30 Million Runway Overhaul

Naples-Capodichino International Airport has suspended all commercial flight operations for the entire month of November 2026, initiating a major €30 million civil engineering project to reconstruct its primary runway infrastructure. The comprehensive shutdown, directed by airport operator GESAC, took effect on November 1 and will continue through November 30, with commercial airline services scheduled to resume on December 1.

The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC authorized the full month-long closure to enable continuous round-the-clock construction activity. By shutting down the single-runway airfield during November—historically the lowest-traffic period of the operating calendar—the airport management aims to avoid severe passenger disruption during peak Mediterranean summer and holiday travel periods.

Infrastructure Scope and Runway Rehabilitation

The core focus of the €30 million capital investment involves the radical structural rehabilitation of the airport's main runway pavement, connecting high-speed taxiways, and the complete renewal of aeronautical ground lighting systems. Heavy equipment teams and approximately 500 specialist contractors are operating 24 hours a day to mill, reinforce, and resurface the central asphalt layers to meet updated international civil aviation safety standards.

Beyond basic pavement resurfacing, engineers are modernizing drainage networks and integrating energy-efficient LED airfield lighting across the maneuvering area. In parallel with runway reconstruction, GESAC is progressing work on terminal infrastructure improvements, including dedicated passenger processing facilities for non-Schengen departures, expanding the airport's capacity to accommodate long-term international passenger growth across Southern Italy.

Traffic Redistribution to Salerno Costa d'Amalfi

To preserve essential air transport connectivity across the Campania region during the complete closure of Capodichino, airport authorities have temporarily redirected select scheduled services to Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport. Located approximately 60 kilometers south of Naples, Salerno recently reopened to commercial traffic following an extensive runway extension and terminal upgrade program.

A coordinated flight schedule comprising 15 domestic and European routes is operating from Salerno throughout November. Major low-cost and network carriers, including Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling, Transavia, and ITA Airways, have shifted key connections serving destinations such as Milan, Bergamo, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and London. Both passenger terminals at Salerno, including dedicated international facilities, have been activated to support the temporary surge in regional movements.

Intermodal Logistics and Passenger Connectivity

To support affected travellers navigating the temporary operational relocation, regional transport authorities and GESAC have deployed coordinated ground transport options connecting metropolitan Naples with Salerno Airport. Dedicated express shuttle buses operated by Busitalia Campania run directly between Naples Central Station at Piazza Garibaldi and the Salerno terminal, synchronized with scheduled airline arrival and departure banks.

In addition, fixed-fare intercity taxi agreements have been instituted to offer predictable ground transit costs for arriving and departing passengers. Normal operations at Naples-Capodichino are projected to restart at full capacity on December 1, delivering an upgraded runway asset equipped to support the airport's ongoing traffic recovery, strict noise compliance, and long-term operational resilience.