Flights to Milan — What to Expect
Milan is served by two main airports: Milano Malpensa (MXP), about 50km northwest of the city and the main international hub, and Milano Linate (LIN), just 7km east of the centre and mainly handling short-haul European routes. A third option, Orio al Serio (BGY) near Bergamo, is the low-cost favourite — Ryanair's Italian base — and sits about 45km from Milan. Most travellers flying from London, Amsterdam, Paris or Madrid will find flights to Milan on carriers like British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, ITA Airways and Vueling. From within Italy, ITA Airways and low-cost carriers connect Milan to Rome, Naples and Palermo regularly.
Flights from London to Milan typically run between €60–€180 return depending on the season and how far in advance you book, with easyJet and Ryanair often coming in cheapest if you're flexible on airport. From Amsterdam or Paris, expect similar ranges. Milan flight deals pop up most reliably in late January through February and again in October, when the city empties out between fashion and design seasons. Booking 6–10 weeks out tends to hit the sweet spot — too early and prices haven't dropped, too late and you're paying peak rates.
Best Time to Visit Milan
April through June and September through October are the standout windows. Spring brings mild temperatures between 10–22°C, the city's parks come alive, and you can actually get into the Duomo without queuing for an hour. Milan Design Week in April and the Salone del Mobile furniture fair draw creative crowds — exciting if that's your scene, pricier on accommodation if it's not. Fashion Week runs twice yearly (February and September), compressing hotel availability significantly around those dates.
Summer — July and August especially — is genuinely rough. Temperatures regularly push past 30°C with high humidity, many locals leave the city, and some restaurants and smaller shops close for August. If summer is your only option, June is manageable. Winter is underrated: crowds thin dramatically, you'll find Milan flight deals more easily, and the city's Christmas markets and aperitivo culture make December genuinely atmospheric. Snow does fall occasionally in January and February, which looks spectacular against the Duomo's marble but means shorter museum hours and some outdoor attractions running reduced schedules.
Getting Around Milan
From Malpensa, the Malpensa Express train runs direct to Milano Centrale and Cadorna stations in about 50–75 minutes (€13 one way). Taxis are fixed-rate at around €100 to the city centre — convenient but not cheap. From Linate, the M4 metro line now connects directly to the centre in around 30 minutes for just €1.70 — a proper game changer since it opened. From Bergamo (BGY), Autostradale buses run to Milano Centrale in about 60 minutes for roughly €10 each way.
Within Milan, the ATM metro system (four lines) is clean, frequent and affordable at €2.20 per single journey or €7.60 for a 24-hour pass. Trams are slower but more atmospheric, and the city has expanded its cycling infrastructure significantly — BikeMi bike-share works well for flat central neighbourhoods. Taxis are metered but pricey; Uber operates in Milan in limited form. For day trips to Lake Como or Bergamo, Trenitalia regional trains from Centrale are your best bet.
Where to Stay in Milan
Brera is the neighbourhood most visitors fall in love with — cobblestone streets, independent galleries, good aperitivo bars — but you pay for it, with mid-range hotels starting around €130–€180 per night. Navigli, the canal district in the southwest, offers a younger, grittier atmosphere with better value and the city's best nightlife strip. For budget travellers, Porta Venezia has decent hostels and B&Bs from €30–€60 per person, with easy metro access. Splurging? Quadrilatero della Moda (the fashion quadrilateral around Via Montenapoleone) puts you among the luxury boutiques and five-star hotels like the Bulgari and Four Seasons, where rooms rarely dip below €400.
Top Things to Do in Milan
- The Duomo di Milano: The Gothic cathedral is genuinely jaw-dropping up close — book rooftop access online in advance for the best views across the city toward the Alps on clear days.
- The Last Supper (Cenacolo Vinciano): Leonardo da Vinci's mural in Santa Maria delle Grazie requires advance booking weeks or months ahead. Groups are small and timed — absolutely worth the planning effort.
- Pinacoteca di Brera: Milan's finest art gallery, housed in a 17th-century palace in the Brera district, with Raphael, Caravaggio and Mantegna in the permanent collection.
- Navigli canals at aperitivo hour: From around 6–9pm, bars along the Naviglio Grande offer free nibbles with drinks. This is how Milanese actually socialise — join it.
- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: The 19th-century iron-and-glass shopping arcade connecting the Duomo to La Scala is worth walking through even if you can't afford anything inside Prada or Louis Vuitton.
- Day trip to Lake Como: Trains from Milano Centrale reach Como in 30–40 minutes. Varenna and Bellagio require ferries but reward you with the lake scenery you've seen in every Italian film.
Practical Travel Tips
Visas: EU passport holders enter freely. UK citizens can visit Italy for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa under the current post-Brexit arrangement — no visa required, but from 2025 the EU's ETIAS pre-travel authorisation system applies, so check current requirements before booking. Currency is the euro (€); ATMs are widely available and give better rates than airport exchange desks. Tipping is not obligatory in Italy — rounding up or leaving 10% at a restaurant is appreciated but not expected. A coperto (cover charge of €1–€3 per person) often appears on restaurant bills automatically. Milan is a safe city by European standards; the main nuisances are pickpockets around the Duomo and Central Station, so standard urban awareness applies. Tap water is safe and free — ask for acqua del rubinetto to avoid being sold bottled water you don't need.
FAQ — Flights to Milan
How much do flights to Milan cost?
Return flights to Milan from major European cities typically range from €60 to €200, depending on the airline, season and how far in advance you book. The cheapest Milan flight deals usually appear in winter (January–February) and mid-autumn (October–November). Travelling during Fashion Week or Design Week adds a premium — sometimes 30–50% above normal rates.
Which airlines fly to Milan?
From the UK and Europe, easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, British Airways, Vueling and ITA Airways all serve Milan across its three airports. Ryanair predominantly uses Bergamo (BGY), easyJet splits between Malpensa and Linate, and British Airways flies into Linate from London Heathrow. Long-haul connections come through Malpensa with carriers including Emirates, American Airlines and Lufthansa.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Milan?
January and February are typically the cheapest months for flights to Milan, followed by November. Summer — particularly July and August — sees elevated prices alongside the heat, and the weeks around Fashion Week (February and September) or Salone del Mobile (April) push prices up sharply. If your dates are flexible, mid-week departures on Tuesday or Wednesday consistently undercut weekend fares.
How long is the flight to Milan from London?
Flights from London to Milan take approximately 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes depending on the route and wind conditions. From Amsterdam it's around 1 hour 50 minutes, from Paris roughly 1 hour 40 minutes, and from Madrid about 2 hours 30 minutes. Milan sits in northern Italy, making it one of the more accessible Italian cities from northern and central Europe compared to Rome or Naples.