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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Venice Marco Polo Airport

Venezia (VE), Veneto (Italy)

IATA: VCE ICAO: LIPZ

Longest Active Runway

10,827 ft

3,300 meters

Field Elevation

7 ft

2 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

45.5053°, 12.3519°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#410 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#655 of 7558

Top 8.7% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Italy)

#5 in IT

#5 of 50 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+8.3%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Venice Marco Polo Airport's longest active runway measures 10,827 ft (3,300 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #410. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #655 worldwide (Top 8.7%) and #5 nationally in Italy.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Venice Marco Polo Airport combines commercial heavy-transport functionality with a fragile coastal lagoon ecosystem. The 10,827 ft primary runway 04R/22L handles transcontinental summer flights to North America and the Middle East, while parallel 04L/22R acts as a departure reliever and taxiway buffer. High ambient humidity in the Po valley basin demands CAT IIIb all-weather autoland capabilities during winter radiation fog.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways: primary 04R/22L (10,827 ft / 3,300 m) and closely spaced secondary 04L/22R (9,121 ft / 2,780 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Inaugurated in 1961 on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon, replacing the cramped historical Venice Lido airfield. Named after legendary Venetian merchant Marco Polo; completed extensive terminal and apron upgrades in 2017.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Premier international long-haul aerodrome in Northeast Italy, complementing Treviso Airport (TSF, 11 NM north) which caters strictly to ultra-low-cost point-to-point traffic.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Directly borders marine lagoon waters at 7 ft MSL; airport infrastructure includes specialized dock facilities for water taxi transfers to central Venice and aquatic emergency rescue craft.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile (ENAC) · ENAV Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP Italia)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Venice Marco Polo Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 7 ft (2 m MSL) in Venezia (VE). Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

2 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Premier international long-haul aerodrome in Northeast Italy, complementing Treviso Airport (TSF, 11 NM north) which caters strictly to ultra-low-cost point-to-point traffic. Within a 100 NM radius, the facility coordinates airspace flows with 2 qualifying commercial aerodromes, with Verona Villafranca Valerio Catullo Airport (VRN) located 62 NM away.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 10,827 ft (3,300 m)

Venice Marco Polo Airport's active flight strips comprise 04R/22L (10,827 ft), 04L/22R (9,121 ft). With a longest active threshold of 10,827 ft (3,300 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
04R/22L	10,827 ft (3300m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
04L/22R	9,121 ft (2780m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Verona Villafranca Valerio Catullo Airport (Caselle (VR))	`VRN`	62 NM (114.8 km)	10,064 ft	✅ Lighted
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (Zgornji Brnik)	`LJU`	98 NM (181.5 km)	10,827 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/vce.json ↗