7 th - bus iest ▁air port ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁It ▁covers ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ 1 6   km ▁and ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁poly math ▁Leon ardo ▁da ▁V inci ▁who , ▁in ▁ 1 4 8 0 , ▁designed ▁a ▁flying ▁machine ▁with ▁wings ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁proto ▁hel ic opter . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁During ▁construction ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁Cal ig ula ' s ▁Gi ant ▁Sh ip ▁were ▁found . ▁ ▁The ▁air port ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁with ▁two ▁run ways , ▁replacing ▁the ▁smaller ▁Rome ▁Ci amp ino ▁Airport , ▁which ▁remains ▁in ▁service ▁for ▁some ▁low - cost ▁air lines ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁domestic ▁and ▁char ter ▁operations . ▁ ▁Despite ▁being ▁officially ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁Leon ardo ▁da ▁V inci – F ium ic ino ▁Airport ▁had ▁actually ▁been ▁in ▁use ▁since ▁ 2 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁to ▁help ▁rel ieve ▁air ▁traffic ▁that ▁was ▁con gest ing ▁Rome ▁Ci amp ino ▁Airport ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁home - car rier ▁Al ital ia ▁inv ested ▁heavily ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁air port , ▁building ▁hang ars ▁and ▁maintenance ▁cent res ; ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁period ▁a ▁third ▁run way ▁was ▁added ▁( 1 6 L / 3 4 R ).