A friend and I are arriving in the Rome airport from different airlines, but within an hour of each other. Where is a good meeting place?

I was thinking that perhaps all the US arrivals have to go through Customs and maybe we should plan on waiting for each other just after we get out of the Customs area. what do you think?

You have to go through immigration, and it doesn't take long at all. There are more than one immigration and customs area... I think there are 6(?) terminals. The longer wait is usually for the luggage to show up. And that can be in different parts of the airport, or different terminals.
The place I recommend is where public transport is available, unless you are both taking the fast train into Rome. If you are, that makes a good easy-to-find meeting place. Look for the elevators so you don't have to lug your luggage. It's smaller and less busy than other places. There's an ATM, a ticket machine, a ticket office, a cafe.
If not, the doors that lead out to buses, etc., have a large area of red metal seats next to them, there is an info booth next to it, and the left luggage facilities are just beyond. There's a nearby cafe where you can get something to drink if you have to wait. It's the place where most tour groups gather, too. I have never arrived at that terminal, but there is a busy arrival exit and dogana there. Thing is, I usually arrive from another European city, so I always go into the newest terminal and have to walk to this red-seat area, because it is the place from which the bus to my town leaves.

There is also a caffé in the little train station. It is small, so you'll find each other. It fronts onto the station with glass, so you can watch the people out there. It has seats.
Ideal if you're taking the train into Rome (or the other, much less used, but very efficient, trains to Orte and Umbria, or to Magliano Sabina, or to Tuscany via either Orte or Rome-Tiburtina); but you don't need to have a train ticket to sit there, it's open to the entire public. Across the platform, about 20 meters away, is a very well-stocked newspaper kiosque, where you can also buy such things as the FS train schedule books for all of Italy, etc.

To get there, it's across the car dropoff street, and up a short story by escalator or elevator. Close and convenient.

Bill
Gazetteer of Italy

[This message was edited by Bill Thayer on 05 January 2004 at 02:00 PM.]