Naples International Airport is closing entirely for a month. From 1 to 30 November, Italy's busy gateway to Campania will shut its runway for what the operator GESAC calls "radical and scheduled" renovation work — a €30 million (roughly £25 million) resurfacing project, plus redevelopment of the connecting roads, involving around 500 people. The airport says the closure is needed to meet safety regulations and secure long-term operational standards.
If you have a November trip to Naples, Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast booked, the good news is there's a fallback. Some flights will shift an hour south to Salerno Costa d'Amalfi e del Cilento airport, which serves 15 domestic and international routes during the closure. On the domestic side, Ryanair will fly to Bergamo and easyJet to Milan Malpensa. Internationally, nine destinations are being served from Salerno, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Casablanca and Dubai. Both of Salerno's terminals will be open, with the General Aviation Terminal handling routes to Casablanca, Dubai, Sharm el-Sheikh and Madrid.
Getting between the two cities won't be too painful. Special buses will run in both directions between Naples Piazza Garibaldi and Salerno airport, and there will be extra buses between Salerno airport and Salerno's railway station. Fixed-fare shared taxis are also being laid on between the airport and the main railway stations in Naples and Salerno. If your final destination is Naples itself, factor in roughly an hour of road travel on top of your flight time when planning your first day.
It's not just Italy. On the Greek island of Chios, the only airport — Chios Island National, also known as "Omiros" — will close from 15 November 2026 until 15 March 2027 so the runway can be extended and upgraded. Greece's Civil Aviation Authority says the work is timed to avoid disruption to the 2027 tourist season and to help the airport cope better with winter weather. Chios is reachable by ferry from Piraeus and nearby Aegean islands in the meantime.
The takeaway for travellers: if your winter plans touch Naples or Chios, check your booking now. Airlines will contact affected passengers, but rebooking, rerouting through Salerno, or switching to a train (Naples is well connected on Italy's high-speed network) may all be options. Travel insurance and flexible fares are worth having when an entire airport pauses operations.
Story via The Independent Travel.
