Our Review of Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Our Review of Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

PROS

Location: Venice Airport is located 8 km (5 miles) and 4.3 nautical miles north of Tessera, in the Comune of Venice, close to Mestre. It serves as a crucial gateway to Venice and the surrounding Veneto region. The airport is well-connected to the city by road, making it easily accessible.

Modern and Clean Facilities: The airport has a range of stores, eateries, and lounges among its contemporary amenities. With features like VIP lounges, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a range of passenger services, it accommodates both business and pleasure passengers.

Focus City: VCE Airport is a focus city for easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air and Volotea.

Efficiency: Known for its efficient operations, the airport generally provides smooth baggage handling and relatively short waiting times at security checks, particularly during off-peak seasons.

Accessibility: The airport provides easy access from Venice and other surrounding areas. There are several ways to get to the airport, including buses, water taxis, and water buses (Alilaguna).

 

CONS

Seasonal Overcrowding: The airport may get quite busy during busy travel periods, which can result in lengthier wait times and a potentially stressful experience.  The airport’s capacity is sometimes stretched, especially during the tourist season.

Water Transport Complexity: Water transportation methods can be costly and time-consuming than land transportation, despite being distinctive and beautiful. Additionally, the planning becomes difficult since schedules and routes do not always match with flight timings.

Terminal Layout: The airport has a single terminal, which can sometimes feel congested, during peak travel season.

Immigration and Customs Delays: Prolonged queues may form at immigration and customs, especially during periods of high travel demand.

Language Barriers: While the majority of employees are fluent in English, certain customers may experience communication difficulties when interacting with specific service providers or transportation personnel due to language issues.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Single Terminal Layout: Venice Marco Polo Airport has one main terminal which handles both domestic and international flights. Make sure to check your flight details in advance to know your check-in and boarding locations, to avoid last minute rush.

Transport to and from Venice:  The airport is well-connected to Venice and surrounding areas via various transport options include, bus, taxis, ride-sharing, car rentals, and water transportation.  ACTV and ATVO buses provide regular service to Venice Piazzale Roma, Mestre, and other nearby locations.

Check-in Areas:  The check-in area of Venice Airport Terminal is located in first level of the terminal along with departure level. 

Boarding Gates:   Boarding gates 9-10, 12-11, 14-13, 53-52, 16-15, 55-54, 61-60, 62 and 63-64, are located in boarding area of the terminal. Boarding gates are separated between Schengen and Non-Schengen.

Shopping and Dining: There are several shopping options to choose from, such as duty-free shops, upscale boutiques, and establishments offering regional Venetian goods. There are several eateries and cafes that provide Italian and other cuisines to accommodate a wide variety of palates.

Family-Friendly Amenities: The airport has kid-friendly sitting sections, child care centers, and play spaces all around the terminal to accommodate families with small children.

Lounges:  There are several lounges available for passengers which include Marco Polo Lounge, VIP Lounge. These lounges offer relaxation, good food and more services to the passengers.

Accessibility Features: The airport is equipped with ramps, elevators, and dedicated assistance points to ensure a smooth experience for passengers with reduced mobility.

Additional Services: VCE airport provides free Wi-Fi all along the airport, self check-in’s for smooth traveling, charging points, lost & found service and more

Other Reviews

Sources Used

• Skytrax: Official airport ratings and detailed user reviews
• Google Reviews: Aggregated user feedback (summarized from search context and general knowledge)
• Tripadvisor: User experiences and ratings
• Yelp: Short traveler comments
• Sleeping in Airports: Traveler experiences, especially regarding overnight stays

Positive Aspects

• Cleanliness and Facilities: Many reviews, including on Yelp and Skytrax, note that the airport is generally clean and modern, with well-maintained bathrooms and a pleasant terminal atmosphere
• Lost & Found Service: Some travelers report excellent experiences with Lost & Found staff, highlighting efficient and helpful service in recovering lost luggage
• Accessibility: The airport is well-connected to Venice and the mainland via various transport options, and some travelers appreciate the unique experience of arriving by water taxi (though this is not always seamless)
• Business Lounge: The Marco Polo Lounge is praised for its comfort and the rare feature of an outdoor terrace

Negative Aspects

• Customer Service: Numerous reviews, especially on Skytrax and Tripadvisor, criticize inconsistent or poor customer service, with some staff described as unhelpful or even rude
• Signage and Organization: Many travelers complain about unclear signage, making it hard to find check-in counters, gates, or transport connections. This is echoed in both Skytrax and Tripadvisor feedback
• Crowding and Seating: Skytrax and user reviews mention crowding at gates and a lack of available seating, particularly during peak times
• Security and Queues: Long queues at security and passport control are a frequent complaint, with some travelers missing flights or having to rush due to slow processing and understaffing
• Food and Shopping: Food options are described as expensive and limited in variety, with few international brands available
• Operational Issues: Reports of closed gates and shops during early or late hours, and occasional operational confusion (e.g., unclear boarding procedures, delays in transport)

Google Reviews Overview

General Sentiment: Google Reviews typically rate Venice Marco Polo Airport around 3.5 out of 5 stars. Positive comments often mention cleanliness and convenience, while negative ones focus on poor organization, long lines, and staff attitude (this is consistent with the above sources and general review aggregation).

Skytrax Official Rating

3-Star Regional Airport: Skytrax awards Venice Marco Polo Airport a 3-star rating, citing recent improvements in decor and ambience, but noting issues with crowding, insufficient seating, long passport control waits, and expensive food options

Justified Overall Rating

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Justification:
Venice Marco Polo Airport offers a modern and clean environment with unique access options and some standout services (notably Lost & Found and the business lounge). However, the experience is frequently marred by poor signage, long queues, inconsistent customer service, and operational inefficiencies. These issues are consistently mentioned across Skytrax, Tripadvisor, Google Reviews, and other platforms. The 3-star Skytrax rating and the average Google user rating both support a score of 3.5 out of 5, reflecting a functional but often frustrating experience, especially during busy periods.

References:

• Skytrax user reviews and official rating
• Tripadvisor user feedback
• Yelp comments
• General Google Reviews sentiment (as summarized above)

 

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

• On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
• Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
• Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
• Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
• Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation

Some Stats

Annual Passengers Evolution

Airlines with more flight operations (last 3 months)

Airlines with best on-time performance at Venice Airport (last 3 months)

Routes with more flights from Venice Airport (last month)