Sleeping in Malpensa Airport

Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) is one of the easier large airports to spend a night in, because both terminals stay open on the landside around the clock and the shuttle between them never stops. It is still an airport: the seating has armrests, the cleaners work through the night and the airside areas empty after the last departures. This guide sets out what is open, where the sleep pods are, and when one of the two in-terminal hotels is the better choice, as of September 2026.

What stays open overnight

The landside halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are open 24 hours, with the Malpensa Express stations closed between the last train around midnight and the first around 5:30 am. Security and the airside areas close after the last evening departures and reopen before the first morning flights, so an overnight is spent landside near the check-in halls. A few cafés and vending machines serve through the night, more at Terminal 1 than at Terminal 2, and the Sheraton’s Monterosa Bar inside Terminal 1 serves food until 1:00 am and the Moxy’s grab-and-go at Terminal 2 all night.

The free terminal shuttle runs every 30 minutes between 10:45 pm and 5:15 am, and the coaches to Milano Centrale keep a reduced overnight service, so a passenger stranded at the wrong terminal is not stuck.

Where to lie down

Seating in both terminals is mostly bench rows with armrests, so a stretched-out sleep means the floor or the few armrest-free benches, which regulars find on the upper level of Terminal 1. The terminals are cool at night, and the public areas are patrolled, so luggage stays with you.

The ZZZleepandGo sleep pods on the departures level of Terminal 1 are the airport’s own sleeping option: four cabins of about 3 sq.m. with a bed, Wi-Fi, a flight status screen and sockets, bookable by the hour at about €9, for a day at €34, or overnight from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am at €61. Four pods for an airport of this size means they are often full; book online before landing. The pods are landside, so they work for arrivals and departures alike.

When a hotel is the better choice

For a night that is more than four or five hours, a room costs little more than the pods and comes with a shower and a proper bed. Inside Terminal 1 the Sheraton is reached by an indoor walkway from the arrivals level, has a 24-hour front desk and room service, and sells day rooms as well as nights. At Terminal 2 the Moxy is across the road, with check-in at the bar and food at any hour. Neither needs a shuttle, which matters at 1:00 am.

For a lower price a shuttle ride away, the Idea Hotel runs its shuttle 24 hours and the Crowne Plaza and TRIBE run theirs by reservation through the night. The day rooms guide covers daytime rest between flights, and the lounges guide the showers and quiet rooms once airside reopens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Malpensa Airport open overnight?

Yes. The landside halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 stay open 24 hours, and the free shuttle between the terminals runs all night every 30 minutes. The airside areas close after the last departures and reopen with security before the first morning flights, so overnight passengers wait landside.

Are there sleep pods at Malpensa?

Yes. ZZZleepandGo operates four pods on the departures level of Terminal 1, each with a bed, Wi-Fi, a flight screen and power sockets, at about €9 per hour, €34 for a day or €61 for an overnight from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am. With only four pods they sell out; book online in advance.

Which hotel is closest for an overnight at Malpensa?

The Sheraton is inside Terminal 1, reached by an indoor walkway; the Moxy is across the road from Terminal 2. Both have 24-hour reception and food available around the clock, and for an arrival after midnight and a flight before 7:00 am they are the only options that need no shuttle.

Information last verified: September 23, 2026