Connecting through Milan is one of the handiest ways to save on tickets toward Italy, southern France and the Mediterranean. Milan is served by two airports β Malpensa (MXP), a large international hub, and Bergamo-Orio al Serio (BGY), a low-cost center for Wizz Air and Ryanair β and it's exactly this competition that keeps fares down.
π Why Milan
- Bergamo Airport (BGY) is one of Wizz Air's and Ryanair's largest European hubs β dozens of cheap routes fan out from here
- Malpensa (MXP) connects to major carriers (ITA Airways, the Lufthansa group) reaching farther destinations too
- Direct flights from Tbilisi to Milan exist β from there, a single connection reaches Barcelona, Nice, southern France or North Africa
- Italy's domestic network from Milan is frequent and cheap β Rome, Naples and Sicily are an hour away
πΈ How connecting saves money
Low-cost carriers fill their planes at their own hub and sell tickets cheaper as a result β flying via Milan can sometimes save $55-150 round trip compared with a direct flight.
The same logic works for the Vienna and Budapest hubs too. Compare the options in the Travel365 price calendar β switching hubs can bring meaningful savings.
β±οΈ Connection times and practical details
- The minimum safe connection time at MXP and BGY is ~1.5-2 hours within a single airline β see the MCT guide
- MXP and BGY sit ~50 km apart β if you've booked separate tickets, transferring between them needs at least 3 hours
- Getting from Milan's airport to the center is easy β bus or train
- If your layover is 5+ hours, use the long-layover tips and see the city center
ποΈ If you have time: Milan in a day
- The Duomo β Milan's Gothic cathedral, the city's main symbol
- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II β an elegant 19th-century shopping arcade
- Santa Maria delle Grazie β home to Leonardo's 'The Last Supper' (book tickets in advance)
- For a full plan see the Milan city guide
Tags
#Milan#MXP#BGY#connecting flight#Wizz Air#cheap tickets#layover#Italy
