Italy is now open for US travelers. The announcement comes after Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced that the country planned to reopen for tourism in the middle of May. The authorities aim to ensure safe travel in Italy with the rollout of a special “national green pass,” which will contain proof of vaccination and history of COVID-19 test results.
Photo: Jaroslaw Pawlak/Shutterstock
Italy Is Now Open for Tourism With Flight Options From the US
Along with Italy’s “national green pass,” Delta is making its quarantine-free flight to Rome and Milan accessible to all travelers who agree to the COVID testing requirements. Upcoming and current flight options include service between:
- Atlanta and Rome — five times a week
- New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Milan — daily
- JFK and Rome — three times a week
- JFK and Venice — starting July 2
- Atlanta and Venice — starting August 5
- Boston to Rome — starting August 5
In order to fly, all travelers must take a COVID-19 test 72 hours before departure as well as upon arrival into the country, regardless of their vaccination status.
“Until now, with Covid-free flights, it was not possible to come to Italy for tourism from non-EU countries. Now we’re reopening to this opportunity, which allows safe travel without quarantine,” said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on his personal social media.
Travelers coming into Italy from the US will be required to take a PCR test 72 hours before their departure, a rapid test prior to boarding their flight, and another rapid test upon arrival.
Italy relies on tourism to a large degree, which is why the government is eager to safely reopen as soon as possible instead of waiting for the broader EU-wide travel plan to be introduced.
The country is not alone in its efforts to expedite the restart of tourism. Greece, Iceland, Spain, and France are also planning to reopen sooner by creating their own versions of the pass in order to give a much-needed boost to their travel and hospitality industries which have suffered greatly over the last year and a half. 
A version of this article was previously published on May 5, 2021 and was updated on May 17, 2021, with more information.