Quarantine-Free Flights to Italy Are Finally Here

Last week, we wrote about the Italian towns paying digital nomads to live there. This week, we're writing about how you can actually get to Italy from the United States—without having to quarantine.

As of May 16, Italy is finally welcoming non-essential travelers—in other words, vacationers—and isn't requiring any quarantine. But there's a catch. American travelers heading to the Mediterranean country must arrive on special "COVID-tested" flights currently offered by three airlines on the following routes.

• Alitalia: New York–Rome
• American Airlines: New York—Rome and New York—Milan
• Delta: New York—Rome, New York—Milan, and Atlanta—Rome

Note that only some flights between these cities on these airlines are COVID-tested, so pay attention to your booking! If you arrive via any other flight, you'll be subject to quarantine.

To take a COVID-free flight and enter Italy without restriction, passengers will have to test twice before arrival (a PCR test within 72 hours of the flight, then a rapid antigen test at the airport just before the flight) and once upon arrival at the airport in Italy (a rapid antigen test). Both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers will have to adhere to this strict testing policy. Provided all three test results are negative, travelers can move freely about the country.

Technically, all three airlines have been operating these COVID-tested flights for months. But until May 16, only essential travelers (not leisure travelers) could take them and enjoy the quarantine-free benefits. Now, however, Italy is ready to bring back tourism.

While these special flights are limited, for the time being, the airlines will likely add more soon as we move toward an even broader re-opening of Italy (and, in fact, the entire European Union) this summer.