SAS Route Network in Italy: 12 Airports and Complete Destination Guide

SAS, Scandinavian Airlines, is going through a period of profound change. It remains, however, an important carrier on the European stage for convenient travel to and from Scandinavia. It also still is a very good travel option, often with competitive prices, for flights to the US. Specifically for those US travelers hopping over to Europe, Italy is often a must visit destination. So, which airports does SAS serve in Italy and which have the most Scandinavian Airlines flights?

SAS Scandinavian Airlines Network in Italy: Complete Airport List

When talking about flights to Italy, SAS certainly isn't the first carrier that pops into most people's mind. Despite this, Scandinavian Airlines operates flights from all 3 of its hubs (Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo) to 11 Italian destinations. Most are flights with a clear leisure focus. That said, business traveler oriented services are also very prominent, particularly to Milan and northern Italy. Scandinavian Airlines' 12 Italian destinations are:

• Milan Malpensa (MXP)
• Milan Linate (LIN)
• Genoa (GOA)
• Venice (VCE)
• Bologna (BLQ)
• Pisa (PSA)
• Florence (FLR)
• Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
• Naples (NAP)
• Bari (BRI)
• Catania (CTA)
• Palermo (PMO)

As you may have noticed, while there are 11 SAS destinations in Italy, 12 airports are actually served. Both Milanese airports have flights operated by Scandinavian Airlines. All flights to Italy are operated utilizing narrow-body aircraft.

All SAS Destinations in Italy: Weekly Frequencies & Flight Schedule

Milan Malpensa Airport is the Italian airport with the most SAS flights, both a daily and weekly basis. Milan's intercontinental hub has up to 38 combined weekly Scandinavian Airlines flights to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. On top of those 38 flights there are additional 8 weekly flights to Milan's other airport, the Linate City Airport.

The second most served airport is Rome Fiumicino, with traffic undoubtedly more oriented toward tourism than business travel. Specifically, Rome has 18 weekly flights to the three Nordic capitals. Most services are to Copenhagen, as it is the airline's primary hub.

All these flights are operated using narrow-body aircraft from the SAS fleet. Most on A320s and A321s, while in some cases even Embraer E195 or CRJ900. The aircraft is chosen based on the Italian airport's capabilities and expected passenger volumes.

Geographic Coverage: SAS Routes Across Northern, Central & Southern Italy

Scandinavian Airlines' Italian network features a balanced geographic distribution covering the entire national territory. Northern Italy dominates with 5 airports served (Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Genoa, Venice, and Bologna), followed by Central Italy with 4 (Pisa, Florence, Rome Fiumicino, and Naples), while the South and islands have 3 airports (Bari, Catania, and Palermo).

This network strategy allows Scandinavian Airlines to capture both business traffic from the industrial triangle in the North and tourist traffic to art destinations in Central-Southern Italy and the major islands.

However, two events could significantly modify SAS's flight strategies in Italy:

• SAS's transition to SkyTeam and ITA Airways' entry into Star Alliance.
• The Air France KLM Group's investment in Scandinavian Airlines.

These changes in European civil aviation's structure could see SAS being more aggressive in Italy during certain seasons to steal market share from the Lufthansa galaxy on routes to the far north of Europe.

SAS Fleet on Italian Routes: Aircraft Types & Passenger Capacity

All these flights are operated using narrow-body aircraft from the Scandinavian Airlines fleet. In some cases, larger aircraft like the A320 and A321 are used, while in others, the Embraer E195 or even the CRJ900 are deployed. The aircraft is chosen based on the Italian airport's capabilities and expected passenger volumes.

Technical Specifications: A320, A321, E195 & CRJ900 on Italy Routes

Airbus A320 Family:

• A320neo: New generation aircraft with more efficient engines
• A321: Stretched version for high-density routes like Milan-Copenhagen
• Capacity: 150-220 passengers depending on configuration

Embraer E195:

• Use: Secondary routes and connections to airports with infrastructure limitations
• Capacity: 118 passengers in standard SAS configuration
• Advantages: Greater operational flexibility at smaller airports

Bombardier CRJ900:

• Characteristics: Ideal for seasonal routes and niche markets
• Deployment: Connections to destinations with limited demand
• Capacity: 86 passengers in typical configuration