Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla

Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (IATA: BRI, ICAO: LIBD) is the main international airport serving the city of Bari, the capital of Italy's Puglia region. It's official name is Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, named after Pope John Paul II (born Karol Wojtyła). It is also locally known as  Palese Airport  after the nearby neighborhood .  Locatied approximately  8–12 km northwest of Bari city center , easily accessible by road, rail, and bus .  it handled  over 6.4 million passengers in 2023 , making it one of Italy’s busiest regional airports . Terminal and Facilities Single Terminal : Divided into  Arrivals (ground floor)  and  Departures (first floor) . Despite its compact size, it offers: Dining : Restaurants, a pub, and a wine bar . Shopping : Duty free for non EU passengers, local souvenir shops . Services : Free Wi Fi, ATMs, currency exchange, baggage wrapping, and a chapel . Accessibility : Fully equipped for disabled passengers, including lifts and designated parking . There's transportation Links   by: Road : Connected via the  A14 motorway  and Bari’s ring road . Rail :  FM2 metropolitan railway  links the airport to Bari Centrale station in  ~15 minutes  (fare: €5) . Bus : AMTAB Line 16  to Bari city center (40–60 min journey) . Tempesta shuttle  to Bari Centrale (30 min, €4) . Pugliairbus  for regional connections to Brindisi, Foggia, and Taranto . Taxi : Fixed fare of  ~€25  to central Bari (15–30 min) . Serves  domestic and European routes  with airlines like Ryanair, Volotea, Lufthansa, and British Airways. Key destinations include: Domestic : Rome, Milan, Palermo, Catania . International : Munich, Paris, Valleta, London, Istanbul, and seasonal flights to New York . Single Runway : 07/25,  3,000m long , asphalt surface, capable of handling wide body aircraft . Operational Hours : Open 24/7, with a control tower operating continuously . Parking  has multiple options: Short term (P1/P1AB) : €2.80–3.80/hour, free for first 15 min . Long term (P3/P3A) : €7.50/day, capped at €45/week . Notable Features Military Civilian Use : Originally a WWII airfield, now jointly used for civil and military flights . Climate : Mediterranean, with hot summers and mild winters .

This is the main airport serving the city of Bari and the region of Puglia. If you are planning a tour of puglia this is the ideal airport. It’s a bit small considering the number of the tourists visiting the region, and hence can get busy. The airport has all the basic amenities for travelers. The food was a let down especially compared to the fantastic food you get outside. Airport has good connectivity via bus and train. Highly recommend the train as it’s only 5euros and takes just 10 minutes to reach the city. It’s extremely difficult to find a taxi so if you are planning to take one please plan ahead. Uber is very expensive. You are better off calling the local taxi companies who can then send a cab.

Abysmal state of the bathrooms, almost no stall has a working lock on the door, two were overflowing, no toilet seats at all. In the only one that had a working lock someone had smoked, I believe overriding the sensor with a toilet paper (see photo) . The air vent probably has never been cleaned given the thickness of dirt in it, which occupied about half of the diameter.

I’ve been traveling through this airport at least once a year for the past 12 years, and it’s been great to see how much it has improved over time. The addition of new toilets has made a noticeable difference in comfort and cleanliness, and I was very happy to see WiFi finally introduced—it makes waiting times far more convenient. The staff have always been efficient and courteous, which is something I really appreciate as a regular traveler. Overall, the upgrades show that the airport is listening to passengers’ needs, and it’s encouraging to see the progress year after year.

Regional airport in Southeast Italy. Customs is fast and efficient. Plenty of car rental agencies on sight.

Great airport at all! It have 1 terminal and quite much gates. Good baggage check. The staff is great. The second floor after the baggage check don’t have much shops but the 2 duty free’s are great! Yes, good airport at all!

The airport experience was generally smooth, and everything went well—until a duty-free staff member soured our mood with his poor attitude. We initially went to the self-checkout counter, but he abruptly stopped us and insisted we use the staffed checkout instead. When we moved to the correct counter, he continued to be annoy, saying, “NUMBER 2, NOT NUMBER 3!” I asked why we couldn’t use the self- checkout, and he dismissively replied, “It’s self-check,” then handed us the receipt with a lazy, half-raised hand—just holding it there, waiting for us to take it. What a way to treat travelers!

Small but modern airport. 10 minutes free parking for drop off and collect. Fast and friendly service. Small retail offering. Nice business lounge/ workplace. Encountered fast and friendly service. Efficient bag drop off service.