We will be staying at the Hotel American and will hire a private water taxi for the trip to the airport at the conclusion. How long before my flight leaves should we have the taxi pick us up? Is this the best way to go?(fastest,easiest)I'm not concerned with cost. Thanks.

The water taxi is really fast - it will only take fifteen or twenty minutes to get to the airport. Then you'll need to walk ten minutes to get from the water to the terminal. So, it'll be about a half hour total.

I think the water taxi takes more like 25-35 minutes. We used to take it all the time, but the walk to and from the terminal buildings have caused us to change our method of transportation. I do not walk quickly, and I do not want to have to schlep my bags if no one has left a baggage at the dock.
We now take a vaporetto to the Piazzale Roma, and then a land taxi to the airport where we are deposited right outside the terminal doors. If you do not want to walk from the Americana to the Accademia vaporetto stop,or spend 20-30 minutes on a vaporetto, you could take a water taxi to the Piazzale Roma. The cost of a water taxi, (about 50-55 Euro within Venice), and a land taxi, (25-30 Euro), would be no more and could be less than a water taxi all the way, (85- 90 Euro). Personally, I like that last vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal; it allows me to say goodbye to favorite places. Ruth

I have a question about getting to the airport too. Our flight leaves at 8:45am and we plan on taking the Alilaguna from the Zattere stop to the airport. I went on the Alilaguna website and it looks like there is a boat that leaves at 5:20am with about 5 stops before reaching the airport at 6:45am.Does anyone know how long the walk is from the Alilaguna to the actual airport terminal, I'm assuming it would also be about 10 minutes? I'm wondering if we need to take the very first boat at 4:20am to make sure we have enough time?
Suggestions? Thanks!

Hi Lisa, your walk is exactly the same as from the taxis, so it is about 10 minutes. I think you will be OK with the 5:20 AM boat.

Is there not still a shuttle bus running from the dock to the terminal, if one wants to do that instead of walk?

The free shuttle has been abolished.

There's a thread about it here:

http://slowtalk.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/862600685/m/...631012001#5631012001

I have ridden the Alilaguna to the airport twice from the Zattere stop. One time it took 70 minutes, the second time less. The only difference was the drivers as far as I could see. They drop you off at the old terminal and they now use the new terminal so it is quite a walk from there. However, there is a shuttle. Walk a short distance to find the sign (less than a block I would estimate). We decided to walk anyway. Allow 10-15 minutes either way.
I believe we left on the 8:20 for a 12:30 plane. If you get there early, enjoy the Brek restaurant at the far end of the terminal before you go to your gate. It has good food and wine and reasonable prices, not the rip-off prices Americans expect in an airport.