Italy’s EES queues are running long

Italy’s airports are still feeling the switch to the EU Entry/Exit System, which went fully live on April 10, 2026 and replaced passport stamps with biometric checks for non-EU arrivals and exits. The process is slower than officials promised, honestly and travelers at Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Pisa and Florence have reported one- to three-hour waits.

The first registration asks for a passport scan, a face photo and four fingerprints, then the system records your entry or exit digitally. Repeat trips should be faster, but the first pass is the pain point, weirdly, because kiosk glitches and manual checks are still slowing the line.

Who’s getting caught in the delays

This hits U.S. and UK travelers, digital nomads, expats and other non-EU visitors, so it’s not just a tourist problem. Residents with a valid permesso di soggiorno should be exempt, though many are still being routed through slower queues because e-gates can’t read the card and that’s causing real confusion at the border.

The bad part is missed flights. Ryanair left 122 passengers behind on one Milan Bergamo route, EasyJet had similar trouble in Milan and corporate travelers are starting to feel the hit, which, surprisingly, could matter for business trips as much as vacations.

What to do before you fly

Arrive at the airport three hours early, not the old 90-minute window, because the new checks can eat time fast and airlines are getting stricter about what counts as a delay they’ll cover. If you’re a resident, carry your permit and be ready to ask for a supervisor if staff push you into the wrong line.

Use newer self-service points where you can, keep your registration QR code handy after your first EES scan and don’t count on free rebooking if you miss a flight because of the queue. That’s the real risk and it’s annoying.

Read our full Italy guide for the complete picture.