Milan Malpensa Airport, located in Milan, Italy, is one of the most important airports in Europe. It serves as a major gateway to the city of Milan and is home to several international airlines. The airport was originally constructed in the late 1950s as a military airfield, known as the Milan-Malpensa Air Base. It was then chosen by the Italian government in the late 1960s as one of two major international airports in the Milan metropolitan area, the other being Linate Airport.

The airport was officially opened in 1973 and was named after the nearby town of Malpensa, which is located in the province of Varese. The airport has earned its name from its location in the Lombardy region, as the Italian word for "peninsula" is "Malpensa". This name was selected to reflect its position as a gateway to the northern Italian region of Lombardy.

The airport code for Milan Malpensa Airport is MXP, and it was assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 1978. The code is derived from the first two letters of the Italian word for "Malpensa", along with the first letter of the Italian word for airport, which is "aeroporto".

Milan Malpensa Airport is currently one of the busiest airports in Europe, with over 30 million passengers passing through the airport each year. It has two major terminals, and its two runways are capable of handling up to 70 aircraft movements per hour. The airport has around 500 flights per day, operated by several major international carriers, such as Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, Air France, and Alitalia. The airport also serves as a hub for low-cost carriers, such as EasyJet, Transavia, and Wizz Air.

Due to its strategic location and excellent infrastructure, Milan Malpensa Airport has become one of the most important airports in Europe. It serves as a major gateway to the city of Milan and the Lombardy region, and it continues to be a major hub for international air travel.