Italy - Connection from Rome to Catania

I am planning a trip to Italy and will be arriving in Rome from Boston and then flying to Catania. How much time do I need to schedule between flights to pickup my luggage, pass customs, pickup my suitcases and get to the gate? I don't want to spend all day in the airport but also don't want to miss my flight to Catania. Thanks

I am planning a trip to Italy and will be arriving in Rome from Boston and then flying to Catania. How much time do I need to schedule between flights to pickup my luggage, pass customs, pickup my suitcases and get to the gate? I don't want to spend all day in the airport but also don't want to miss my flight to Catania. Thanks

do you have to pass customs and transfer luggage?

Yes, I do have to pass customs and transfer luggage.

I do this very, very often. I presume since you have to pass customs you are not on a single PNR or combined ticket combo of some kind. I am often like this as well.

Do you know which airlines you will be taking?
I often arrive via EWR on CO and then take AZ to CTA; you want a minimum of two hours for this. If you only have an American or Canadian passport the imm. line can be long depending on the timing of arrival so you must plan for worst case scenario. Customs, you might now, just involves walking the green line normally. CTA is actually worse, as extra schengen luggage comes out the bag belt on the end, and the x-ray almost everything if you don't have the green bag tags.

Stateside to a Wind or BluPan flight you might want 2 and half hours.

Is it possible, in a perfect world, to get from a Stateside connection to inter italy in less than two? yes, but not very easy or common.

To play it safe I normally give myself at least 3 hours for connecting. I am more worried about my inbound flight being late frankly. But I have dealt with other bufoonery before, like canx'd FCo-CTA flights, strikes, etc so the extra time helps, and whatever is left I use to eat :-)


Also note, Flights from FCO to CTA are notoriously late. Bring a book or some change for espresso.

I will be fling AA from Boston to Rome and not sure what airline I will be flying from Rome to Catania yet, but thanks for the info.

If A pax travels on Alitalia from the States and connects in FCO to an AZ domestic flight how much of a connection time would I need?