Rome Ciampino (CIA/LIRA) is the second airport in Rome (after Fiumicino), which absorbs most of the traffic coming from low-cost companies, such as Ryanair and Wizzair. In 2017 it managed almost 6 million passengers, nowadays it handles about 3,8 million a year. Till the early 2000s, Ciampino was a military base which opened up to the public. Still today it is home to the 31st flight squadron (with Italys F50, F900, A319 and brandnew Gulfstreams) and a fleet of fire-fighting Canadair CL-415 aircraft. Due to noise problems, the airport was forced to limit its daily traffic to a maximum of 100 daily aircraft movements.

The traffic consists of Ryanair and Wizzair flights, private jets (from Piaggio180s up to B737 BBJs) and Italian government airplanes. In addition, also foreign militaries regularly stop at CIA to pick up/bring stuff, fuel or during their stay on missions like the Open skies mission. Plus from Monday to Friday every morning between 6AM and 8AM the cargo flights arrive like DHL or UPS.

This guide is written by Matteo Buono and Severin Hackenberger. Last Update: July 2025 – Spot 5 by Tim-Patrick Müller

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
15/33	1.780 m (5.580 ft)
Terminals	There is one terminal for all pax flights.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed in any spot.
Car/Public Transport	The car is recommended if you want to move quickly for the various spotting points.
Restrooms	Nothing directly at the locations. Only at spot #3 within the hotel.
Drinks/Food	There are some restourants and supermarkets in Ciampino city
Hotels	There are no big hotels around the field just some small B&B and guest houses.
Season	All the year but better light in the summer mornings and evenings due to the north south direction of the runway.
Security	Ciampino is a military airport, and it is not the best airport for plane spotting, because on the one hand there is the police who send you away as soon as he sees you photographing, and on the other there are the gypsies who try to steal your photographic equipment. There is a camp in the northwest, be careful especially there! My advice is to go only if you know for sure that an interesting plane arrives or depart, position yourself just before it is coming, and as soon as photographed go away.
Runway Usage
15/33	Mainly runway 15 is used both for take-offs and landings. Runway 33 is rarely in use and just in case of strong north wind

	Spot #1 – Railway – RWY 15 Line up and landings
WHERE	This is the best spotting point as the planes are quite close, and you also have buildings / hangars for the background. You have to go up to the knoll close to the railway at the via de Ciampino. Parking directly at the location is not recommend even if there is a small gap next to the ramp. Maybe okay for one shoot but if you stay longer it is better to park in the city as marked on the map and then walk for 5 minutes to the location. By foot you can take a train to the “Ciampino” station and walk from there to the spotting location.
WHAT	All line up, takeoffs and landing on RWY 15 plus the ramp in the back.
TIME	From sunrise till noon all year round.
MISC.	At this spotting point you are very visible to the police and military, who could send you away, or even check your IDs. No ladder is needed to clear the fence. Be careful with the trains passing by behind you diretly!
FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm B763: 70mm / 20mm P180: 330mm

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	Spot #2 – Leroy Merlin – RWY 15 landings
WHERE	This location is within a industrial area north of the city of Ciampino. It’s near the “Leroy Merlin” shopping center. Just park somewhere along the via John F. Kennedy and start your session from there.
WHAT	All landings on RWY 15.
TIME	From sunrise till noon all year round.
MISC.	It is the quietest spotting point in Ciampino as you have no problems with the police there. A McDonalds is not so far.
FOCAL LENGTH	B738: 200mm C295: 300mm

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	Spot #3 – Abandoned Hotel – RWY 15 landings
WHERE	When the sun has turned around just continue from #1 and pass the approach until you see a abandoned hotel. Just stay at the locked gate of the former entrance of the motel.
WHAT	All landings on RWY 15.
TIME	From afternoon till sunset all year round.
MISC.	BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GO THERE! The point is located near a Gypsy camp, specifically in the parking of a Motel. It is dangerous because often the gypsies, when they see your photographic equipment, try to steal it, and they could even have knives with them. Being the only point to photograph the landings of RWY 15, I advise you to go there, but taking out the equipment only a few seconds before the plane that interests you arrives, and immediately after having photographed it go away.”
FOCAL LENGTH	B738: 210mm A319: 240mm AN30: 300mm

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	Spot #4 – Appia Antica – RWY 15 Departures
WHERE	Turn of Highway SS7 to the west into the street Via Capanne die Marino. After a few meters, there is a gated entrance to the east to Appia Antica. Park you car next to the entrance and spot from there.
WHAT	All departures from runway 15. Arrivals onto 33 are mostly too low behind the trees.
TIME	From afternoon till sunset all year round.
MISC.	Nothing nearby. Be aware not to block the entrance.
FOCAL LENGTH	B788: 240mm B738: 350-500mm

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	Spot #5 – Hardware Store – 33 Arrivals
WHERE	This spot is located just at the entrance of the hardware store “Orsolini Ciampino” along highway SP217. Park your car there, then simply position yourself close to the entrance and spot onto the arrivalpath. Train station Casabianca is also not far away on the other side of the arrivalpath.
WHAT	From here you can nicely spot aircraft arriving onto runway 33.
TIME	From afternoon till sunset all year round.
MISC.	There is a hardware store nearby where you can park and may find some drinks/restrooms. For the rest you need to drive to the nearby shops/restaurants. Note that there is a trainline crossing on the opposite site of the arrival path: once that is closed, cars/trucks will queue up sometimes till up to the hardware store producing heat which can cause some heat haze towards the arrival path unluckily.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm

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