Carmen
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-09-20
Living in Ticino means three airports within two hours – and none on your doorstep. Lugano-Agno is tiny, Malpensa is huge but across the border, Zurich is Swiss but far. Which one actually pays off? Depends where you're going. The honest comparison.
Malpensa: Ticino's real airport
Let's say it plainly: for most flights, Malpensa is the right choice. Barely an hour by car from Lugano, or the direct TILO train from Lugano and Bellinzona right into the terminal – and you get easyJet, Ryanair, ITA and all the intercontinental connections of a major hub. On European flights, Malpensa beats Zurich most of the time, often by 30 to 40 percent. Just watch night flights: the TILO doesn't run all night, check the last connection.
Zurich: when it's worth it
For long-haul with SWISS – New York, Bangkok, Singapore non-stop – Zurich remains the reference, and with the direct rail link from Ticino you're there in just over two hours with no customs or parking worries. The same goes for frequent business travellers: dense frequencies, reliable connections, and the late-night journey home always works. On an 800-franc ticket, Swiss convenience costs little.
And Lugano-Agno?
The home airport is living a second life with limited scheduled flights and plenty of private aviation. When there's a useful connection – typically to hubs like Zurich or Geneva – the convenience is unbeatable: check-in ten minutes before, parking at the door. But for the bulk of trips, the honest answer today is: Agno is the luxury plan B, Malpensa the everyday plan A.
The double-comparison trick
Prices between Malpensa and Zurich move in different markets: same destination, different days, differences of a hundred francs and more. Before booking, always compare both airports in the same search – ours does it in one go if you add several departure airports. And for the Ticino school holidays the golden rule applies: book early, because Malpensa fills up with Lombard families in the same weeks.