It is a joint civilian, commercial and military airport situated 6.5 NM (12.0 km; 7.5 mi) south southeast[1] of central Rome, just outside the Greater Ring Road (Italian: Grande Raccordo Anulare or GRA) the circular motorway around the city.

It also hosts a military airport and the headquarters of the 31º Stormo and the 2nd Reparto Genio of the Italian Air Force.

From here, on 10 April 1926, Umberto Nobile took off on the airship Norge, the first aircraft to reach the North Pole and the first to fly across the polar ice cap from Europe to America.

When the combat units moved out, Air Transport Command used the airport as a major transshipment hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel for the remainder of the war.

After the opening of Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino handled almost exclusively charter and executive flights for more than three decades.

There is also an additional smaller general aviation terminal, although private flights have now mainly been transferred to Rome Urbe Airport.

Passenger traffic in 2008 was 4,788,931 with a decrease of 11.31% compared to 2007 due to economic crisis and EasyJet gradually moving routes to Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport.