Silvio Berlusconi. Photo: Shutterstock Milan's main airport, Malpensa Airport, will be named after one of the most recognizable and controversial figures in modern Italian history, Silvio Berlusconi, starting today (September 25, 2026). The official name is "Milan Malpensa International Airport - Silvio Berlusconi". The official airport code, MXP, will not change.
This morning, the airport held a festive ceremony to unveil the sign bearing the name of the late Prime Minister, who served three terms as head of the Italian government.
Milan-Malpensa Airport in Italy. Photo: ShutterstockThe move followed the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, ENAC, decision in 2024 (about a year after his death) to commemorate the prime minister in his name. In April 2026, the Lombardy Regional Administrative Court approved the decision, after appeals filed by the municipality of Milan and local authorities in the region were partially rejected.
Berlusconi, who died in 2023 at the age of 86, was much more than a prime minister. He was a billionaire, a media mogul, the longtime owner of the AC Milan football team, and a three-term prime minister of Italy. He was a central figure in Italian politics for nearly three decades, and his influence extended far beyond politics.
But alongside his many supporters, Berlusconi was also one of Europe's most controversial figures. His career was marked by legal cases, accusations of corruption and conflicts of interest, and scandals surrounding his private parties, dubbed "bunga bunga." Some cases ended in acquittals, while in others he was convicted. Even after his death, some of the legal proceedings related to his affairs continued.
For the millions of passengers who pass through "Malpensa-Berlusconi" every year, the name of one of the most prominent and controversial Italians of recent decades has become an integral part of the airport's name.