When travelling through Italy, you may see signs for Sala Amica or Sale Amica. These are dedicated airport waiting areas associated with assistance for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. They can offer somewhere to wait away from parts of the main terminal, but their facilities and access rules vary from airport to airport.
Which Italian airports actually have a Sala Amica waiting room? This guide lists airports where the waiting room is confirmed to be a Sala Amica room in airport-published information, explains the locations where they are available and highlights the difference between an assistance waiting room and a dedicated sensory room.
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There is no single national directory guaranteeing that every Italian airport has a Sala Amica waiting room. Some airports provide equivalent special-assistance facilities under different names. The list below is therefore a verified selection, not an exhaustive list of every accessible airport waiting room in Italy.
Italian Airports With Confirmed Sala Amica Waiting Rooms
The following airports explicitly refer to Sala Amica waiting rooms on their own websites, service information or airport documents. Details can change, particularly after renovations, so check with the airport before your trip.
| Airport | What the Airport Confirms |
|---|---|
| Milan Malpensa (MXP) | Sala Amica lounges in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 |
| Milan Linate (LIN) | Sala Amica waiting rooms; two lounges referenced in SEA’s 2025 report |
| Milan Bergamo (BGY) | Sala Amica after security, first floor |
| Bologna (BLQ) | Three Sala Amica locations, before and after security |
| Catania (CTA) | Two rooms, in departures and the boarding area |
| Naples (NAP) | Two rooms, before and after security |
| Olbia (OLB) | Sala Amica near security, including an autism-oriented waiting area |
| Brindisi (BDS) | Courtesy Lounge / Sala Amica in the departures area |
| Salerno Costa d’Amalfi (QSR) | Two rooms, before security near check-in 55 and after security near gate A1 |
| Trieste (TRS) | Sala Amica in the public area of the terminal |
| Turin (TRN) | Sala Amica on the departures level; confirm status of an additional airside room |
| Genoa (GOA) | New Sala Amica opened in February 2026 |
| Venice Marco Polo (VCE) | Sala Amica identified on the airport’s published terminal map |
The evidence and official links for each location appear below. A room being listed does not automatically mean it is open at every hour, available to all passengers or suitable for every sensory need. Check directly with the airport and confirm wheter you need a seperate booking to use the Sala Amica waiting room.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
Milan Malpensa’s airport regulations identify a main Sala Amica lounge in Terminal 1, on the departures level near check-in area 3 and entrance door 13, with additional lounges in the boarding areas. They also identify a Sala Amica room in Terminal 2, on the ground floor after security.
SEA, the airport operator, reported completing a new Terminal 2 Sala Amica in 2025. This means older terminal maps or descriptions may not reflect the latest arrangement.
The Sala Amica lounge is open 24 hours a day and you can contact the airport about the Sala Amica room using the following details:
Telephone: +39 0274862243
Email: salaamica.hnd@seamilano.eu
Official sources: Malpensa airport regulations and SEA’s 2025 sustainability statement.
Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
Milan Linate also has Sala Amica waiting areas. SEA’s 2025 sustainability statement refers to a planned full refurbishment of two Sala Amica lounges, together with improvements to nearby toilet facilities.
Because renovations can affect access and room locations, confirm the current arrangements with the airport’s assistance service rather than relying on an older map. Current documentation states that one of the Sala Amica rooms is on the first floor next to check-in area 1.
Official source: SEA’s 2025 sustainability statement and the Milan Linate Airport Service Charter on page 5.
Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
Milan Bergamo Airport, also known as Orio al Serio, describes its Sala Amica on the first floor, after security. Lifts are available to reach it.
According to the airport, the area includes two accessible toilets, two separate waiting areas, vending machines and a space specifically intended for autistic people. This is one of the clearest airport-published descriptions of autism-related facilities within a Sala Amica.
In the video to the left you get a little preview of using the Sala Amica service in an Italian airport and you’ll see how the Sala Amica waiting room is in Milan Bergamo Airport.
Official source: Milan Bergamo Airport – How to Get Around the Airport.
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
Bologna Airport’s current dedicated-services page identifies three Sala Amica locations:
- One on the first floor, before security.
- One on the first floor, after security in the Schengen boarding area.
- One on the ground floor, airside near the boarding pier.
The airport’s autism travel guide describes a Sala Amica as a separate waiting room with comfortable seating, tables and a television, where the surrounding noise may be reduced compared with the main departure area. This is the airport’s description, not a guarantee of silence or access for every passenger.
Bologna Airport also reported completing a new Sala Amica facility during 2025, so ask which room will be available for your particular journey.
Official sources: Bologna Airport – Dedicated Services and Autism – A Journey Across the Airport.
For wider information, see our special assistance at Bologna Airport guide and Bologna Airport disabled facilities guide.
Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA)
Catania Airport confirms two Sala Amica waiting rooms: one in the departures hall, opposite the GH and Aviation Services ticket counters, and another in the boarding area.
These rooms are part of the airport’s service for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. The airport does not describe both rooms as dedicated sensory spaces, so ask about their suitability if you need a particularly quiet environment.
Official source: Catania Airport – Passengers With Reduced Mobility.
Naples International Airport (NAP)
Naples Airport confirms two staffed Sala Amica waiting rooms: one in the check-in hall before security and another after security. They are intended for passengers receiving special assistance while waiting for boarding.
The airport’s 2025 service charter also describes dedicated facilities and toilets associated with the rooms.
Naples advises passengers using special assistance to arrive at the time communicated by their airline and, in any event, at least two hours before a domestic or Schengen flight and three hours before a non-Schengen flight. Follow the airport’s latest instructions for your booking.
Official source: Naples Airport – Special Assistance.
Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB)
Olbia Airport describes a Sala Amica in the departures area near the security checkpoints. The airport states that it opens two hours before flight departure and provides staff assistance, accessible toilets, flight information monitors and a television.
Notably, Olbia says the room includes a waiting area designed for autistic passengers, with attention to sounds and colours. The airport also offers autism familiarisation information and visits.
Official sources: Olbia Airport – Special Assistance Waiting Room and Olbia Airport – Autism Travelling Through the Airport.
Brindisi Airport (BDS)
Brindisi Airport refers to a Courtesy Lounge, also called Sala Amica, for disabled passengers in the departures area. It is operated by specialised staff. The airport also mentions tactile guidance to assist blind and partially sighted passengers in reaching the room.
The airport’s published regulations describe the lounge as being on the landside of the terminal, meaning before security.
Official source: Brindisi Airport – Special Assistance.
Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport (QSR)
Salerno Airport’s special-assistance guide identifies two Sala Amica lounges on the ground floor:
- Before security, near check-in desk 55.
- After security, near gate A1.
The published guide lists qualified staff, accessible toilets, flight monitors and drinks or snack vending machines.
Official source: Salerno Airport – Special Assistance Guide (PDF).
Trieste Airport (TRS)
Trieste Airport confirms a Sala Amica in the public area of the terminal. It is a dedicated meeting and waiting room for passengers with reduced mobility and has a telephone or assistance call facility.
Trieste also describes separate assistance waiting points near boarding gates. These are not necessarily enclosed Sala Amica rooms, so distinguish the main room from other reserved seating areas.
Official source: Trieste Airport – Passengers With Reduced Mobility.
Turin Airport (TRN)
Turin Airport’s published PRM information identifies a landside Sala Amica on the departures floor.
A 2024 airport consultation document also described an additional airside Sala Amica near gate 14 as nearing completion, with work expected to finish by the end of that year. Current airport guidance on the Turin Airport website does describe two Sala Amica waiting areas as being available.
Official source: Turin Airport – PRM Consultation Document (PDF) and the Courtesy Rooms page of Turin Airports website.
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA)
Genoa Airport announced the opening of a new Sala Amica in February 2026. The airport describes a dedicated space for passengers requiring assistance, with a dedicated check-in service, access to Fast Track, video and audio systems, multimedia tablets and an accessible toilet.
The airport also states that new mothers wishing to breastfeed can use the Sala Amica free of charge. This is a specific local arrangement, not a general rule for Sala Amica rooms across Italy.
The Genoa Airport Service Charter from 2020 includes a map that points out where to find the Sala Amica room. Confirm the details of the waiting area before you travel if you will rely on using that space during your time at Genoa Airport.
You can contact Genoa Airport with the below details:
E-mail: info@airport.genova.it
WhatsApp: +39 329 6569494
Official source: Genoa Airport – Announcement of the New Sala Amica.
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)
Venice Marco Polo Airport’s published terminal map includes a Sala Amica symbol. This confirms that the airport has identified a room by that name in its official mapping.
However, the map is dated 2023. Confirm the current location, eligibility and access arrangements directly with the airport before travelling.
You can contact Venice Marco Polo airport using the below information:
Telephone number: +39 041 2609260
Email: info@veneziaairport.it
Official source: Venice Marco Polo Airport – Terminal Map (PDF).
For assistance arrangements at Venice, see our special assistance at Venice Marco Polo Airport guide.
What About Rome Fiumicino, Rome Ciampino and Other Italian Airports?
Airports such as Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino provide assistance services for disabled passengers, but we were unable to confirm if they have dedicated Sala Amica waiting areas.
That does not mean these airports lack accessible waiting facilities. They may use different names, operate open assistance areas or provide other arrangements. Similarly, an airport participating in ENAC’s autism travel initiative does not automatically have a Sala Amica room.
For a broader directory, see our Italian airport special-assistance contacts.
Are Sala Amica Rooms the Same as Sensory Rooms?
No. Sala Amica generally means a dedicated assistance waiting room rather than a purpose-built sensory room. It may be quieter than the main terminal, but it can still have announcements, televisions, other passengers and staff activity.
Some airports explicitly describe additional autism-oriented facilities. For example, Milan Bergamo mentions an area specifically for autistic people, while Olbia describes a waiting area designed with attention to the sensory needs of autistic travellers. Those features should not be assumed at every Sala Amica.
If you need a low-stimulation environment, ask whether the room has dimmable lighting, a separate quiet area, controllable television sound, limited occupancy or space for a companion. Do not rely on the name alone.
For more general guidance, see our guide to travelling with autism or an autistic child.
Who Can Use a Sala Amica?
Sala Amica rooms are generally associated with the airport’s assistance service for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. Eligibility and the way passengers are escorted to the room differ by airport.
An autistic passenger may be able to use a Sala Amica as part of arranged special assistance, but access is not necessarily automatic. Ask the airport and airline about the traveller’s individual needs, whether a companion can enter and whether a particular room is available before or after security.
For general advice, see our airport special assistance for hidden disabilities guide.
How to Request Sala Amica Access
- Request assistance through the airline: explain the support required, ideally at least 48 hours before departure.
- Check the airport’s assistance page: identify the relevant meeting point and ask whether Sala Amica access is part of the service.
- Confirm the terminal and location: some airports have rooms on both sides of security, while others have only one.
- Describe sensory needs: if the passenger needs a quieter environment, say so rather than waiting to find out on the day that the room is not quiet.
- Ask about companions: confirm whether parents, carers or other travelling companions may enter.
- Check timing: ask when the room opens and how staff will notify the passenger when it is time to board.
Do not assume that holding a Sunflower Lanyard, a disability card or a medical letter automatically guarantees access to every Sala Amica. The airport’s local assistance arrangements apply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sala Amica Waiting Rooms
Are Sala Amica Rooms Only Found in Milan?
No. There are rooms under the Sala Amica service at several Italian airports, including Bologna, Bergamo, Catania, Naples, Olbia, Brindisi, Salerno, Trieste, Turin, Genoa and Venice, as well as Milan Malpensa and Linate.
Does Every Airport in Italy Have a Sala Amica?
No. Not every Italian airport has a waiting room with this name. However, many airports provide special assistance using different facilities or terminology.
Are Sala Amica Rooms Free to Use?
They are generally part of the airport’s disability assistance arrangements rather than commercial lounges. EU Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 requires qualifying airport assistance to be provided without additional charge. Ask the airport about access conditions.
Can Autistic Travellers Use Sala Amica?
Potentially, depending on the airport’s assistance arrangements and the traveller’s needs. Some airports specifically describe autism-oriented waiting areas. Contact the airport or request assistance through the airline before travel.
Can Family Members Enter With the Passenger?
Rules differ by airport and room. Olbia explicitly refers to accompanying people being able to remain in its waiting room until boarding, but this should not be assumed elsewhere.
Is a Sala Amica Always After Security?
No. Some airports have rooms before security, others after security, and several have both. Check the location for your particular terminal.
Can I Book a Sala Amica Without Requesting Assistance?
Do not assume so. These are assistance facilities, not ordinary bookable lounges. Contact the airport for its specific procedure.
Are Sala Amica Rooms Guaranteed to Be Quiet?
No. Conditions vary and may change during the day. Ask about noise, lighting and occupancy if sensory accessibility is important.
Official Airport Sources About Sala Amica Lounges
- SEA – Milan airports, 2025 facilities update
- Milan Bergamo – Sala Amica
- Bologna – Dedicated Services
- Catania – Special Assistance
- Naples – Special Assistance
- Olbia – Special Assistance Waiting Room
- Brindisi – Special Assistance
- Salerno – PRM Guide
- Trieste – Passengers With Reduced Mobility
- Turin – PRM Facilities
- Genoa – New Sala Amica Announcement
- Venice – Terminal Map
Airport facilities and names were checked against published airport sources in November 2026. Some maps and documents are older; confirm the room’s current location, availability and access conditions with your departure airport.
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