Flights to Sicily

The largest island in the Middle East is calling you! The southwestern end of the land of the boot offers a mesmerizing and long stretch of sea (more than 1,500 km of coast), over a high volcanic terrain route that will allow you to rest and relax in front of one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in particular. A vacation in Sicily includes sea weather- A refreshing middle school with a snowy peak, so you can go there for both winter vacations and luxury belly-back vacations.

When should you fly to Sicily?

The peak season in Sicily is July-August when most of the whale activities take place on the various beaches, but the most recommended season to book a flight to Sicily at good prices is precisely during the transition seasons and especially in the spring. The temperatures remain very pleasant for trips and allow for long walks on the beaches and in all the attractions of the island. You can visit the vineyards and the ancient sites, the authentic villages and the wide abundance of the rivers and streams.

How to get to Sicily

Sicily has two airports – Catania and Palermo. Arriving via the airport in Catania – Aeroporto di Catania-Fontanarossa is considered the more convenient of the two and is located on the eastern side of the island. The duration of arrival to Catania by direct flight is 3 hours and twenty minutes. Only a limited number of companies operate direct flights here (mainly El Al, Alitalia and Arkia), so the availability is low and the price is high.

The second airport in Palermo – Aeroporto Falcone e Borsellino. It is located on the west side of the island and does not include direct flights from Israel at all. Therefore, in order to reach each of the fields, it is recommended to use connection flights that include a stopover in Rome, Istanbul, Barcelona or Munich. Another option is to fly through neighboring Malta, which operates a regular flight line at low prices during the season.

Catania Airport

Located about 5 km south of the city of Catania, which is on the eastern side of Sicily. Getting there from the field is easy and convenient and takes about fifteen minutes by all means of transportation. Getting from this field to the hotel or the apartment is highly recommended by the AMT Alibus bus that connects the field to the city center and the train station in the city Catania. The line leaves the field once every twenty minutes and is active between 00:00 and 05:00. In addition, you can use additional bus lines that leave the field to other destinations on the Sicilian island.

Arriving at the “center of affairs” or at one of the two train stations closest to the field can also be done by taxi. However, this is the more expensive option that costs 35-45 euros, depending on the exact travel destination.

Important information for those returning to Israel via Catania Airport – the check-in counters open only two hours before the flight time (as opposed to three hours at most airports).

Palermo Airport

Located about 30 km west of the city of Palermo, which is on the western side of Sicily. The arrival is simple and ideal using the Autolinee Prestia e Comande bus line, which connects the field with the city center and runs every half hour. The line’s operating hours are 00:00- 05:00 from the field to the city, and the operating hours of the line from the city to the field are 22:30-04:00. The cost of the trip is 6 euros. In addition, you can use additional bus lines that depart from the field to other destinations around the island.

Another option is to use the Express Trinacria train which includes a journey of about an hour to the city center. Ticket cost: 6 euros. The line is active every day until 20:00.

Additional arrival options to Sicily

Car rental from the airport – a very popular option among those flying to Sicily is car rental at the airport. This is a very convenient solution for tourists who wish to travel to several destinations on the island. You will also be happy to know that the highways are advanced and of high quality, but getting to the villages and mountains is through narrow and winding roads.

Another interesting way of getting there is a ferry, for those of you who want to reduce costs and extend the duration of the journey along the Italian sea. You can land in Naples and use the ferry to the city of Catania. The cruise takes about 12 hours and costs 50 euros.

It is also possible to reach Palermo by ferry from the city of Salerno near Naples. The duration of the cruise is about 10 hours and the cost is 30 euros.

The port of the city of Messina (Porto di Messina) is considered the most convenient sailing route to the island due to its nearby location. The cruise passes through the special strait of Messina, which connects Sicily to the mainland (“the boot”).

A less popular but certainly existing option for sailing to the capital city in Sicily is to sail from the port of Genoa (Porto di Genova). Don’t give up booking a room on the ship, because the voyage takes around 20 hours.

For those who land in Rome – you can take a train from there to Naples or Messina and from there catch a ferry. From Rome you can also use the night trains – Inter City Notte (ICN) which have comfortable sleeping cars and leave the city every day at 21:30.

How to book a cheap flight to Sicily?

The summer season is the season when the number of tourists entering the city increases, so if you do not have an urgent need to fly to sunbathe or dive, it is better to do it in the months of April or September-October, which are also still considered pleasant for entering the water and taking trips to the island.

Since the main way to get from Israel to Sicily is through a connection, it is advisable to use the various low-cost companies that guarantee attractive and low prices, in exchange for the fact that your flight will be a little less comfortable. For example, the tourists who come to catch the perfect July-August sun will be able to purchase tickets for only 250 dollars – a much lower price than in September, which became much more popular due to the heavy heat load and stands at 500 dollars per ticket per person.

More affordable prices are recorded around March-April (about $300) and June (about $400).

If you prefer to arrive quickly and without a long and tedious journey, you will be happy to know that there is another option for Lowcost tickets through Air Malta. Neighboring Malta offers particularly attractive low prices, with the lowest price being €42, through Air Malta and Ryanair, on a fast route of about 6 hours with a wait for a connecting flight. The flight from Malta to Sicily takes only about 50 minutes.

Other companies that fly to Sicily are El Al and Arkia, Air Bulgaria (Charter), Turkish Airlines, Wise, Ryanair, EasyJet and other European companies that stop in other European capitals. The Lowcost companies and the known airlines usually focus on Italian cities, which of course shortens the route but slightly increases prices.

Arkie company operates a line of cheap flights during the tourist season (June-October) which includes one or two weekly flights. The price starts at $340 per person (round trip), without serving food and drinks, but with the option of adding a meal in advance for an additional fee and sending a suitcase to the trunk with a limit of up to 20 kg. Also, most seats can be upgraded on flights at a cost of approx. 35 dollars (varies from company to company) when the number of seats is limited.

Another and particularly prominent company in the Rome-Israel/Milan-Israel flight system is Alitalia – the country’s international airline. Alitalia’s prices are generally affordable and operate several Luocost routes, with a starting price of around 160 euros one way without luggage. The flight with Alitalia is carried out in two segments – both to Rome (three hours and 45 minutes) and to Sicily (about an hour and a quarter with landing at Catania airport). Alitalia operates a set of flights with a very high frequency, so there is a very high flexibility in prices, flight times and available seats on each of the flights.

Alitalia also allows flexibility in the type of flight ticket it offers, through 3 possible routes:

Economy Light – a low-cost flight ticket (although Alitalia is not a low-cost company in its being) without luggage and without reserving seats in advance.

Economy Classic – a tourist class ticket that includes sending a suitcase to the trunk (up to 23 kg), seat reservation and the option to make changes to the reservation against payment of a fee, but without the possibility of cancellation.

Economy Flex – a ticket for tourist class with flexibility that includes sending the suitcase and saving the seat, the possibility of making changes to the order without paying commissions.