We are traveling for leisure. Italy may be ready to welcome back Americans with limited restrictions this summer. I have messaged them on Twitter today and just got a response that maybe they need to fly into NYC earlier and go get tested there somewhere. Read below for the details. Their website does not state that and their partner GoHealth Urgent Care does not have a facility near part of my family. @Ben Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. In a bid to revive the country’s hard-hit tourism industry before the summer holidays, Italy announced Saturday it will allow travel in and out of the … In my experience, the answer is yes. He travels about 400,000 miles a year, primarily using miles and points to enhance his first class experiences. My arrival with AA was pretty easy. @ Jeff, … Both Delta & AA pricing on our dates are reasonable at this time. Digging through the applicable decreto, it looked like it simply approved more quarantine-free flights, without overturning the actual requirements (travel only for essential business, family, etc.) The EU expected reciprocity from the US and took a door in the face. In addition to the five Americans, others on board were from Italy, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Germany. I showed up at JFK with only a PCR test taken 54 hours earlier (which would have been perfect for the Delta flight.) (I’m a EU resident and returned to the U.S. to get vaccinated.). Now I’m freaking out that we won’t be able to travel and I’ll lose my booking fee. “Essential travel is allowed and includes students, businesspersons, EU residents and relatives of Italian citizens,” officials point out. As of today (May 16, 2021), Americans are allowed to visit Italy for any reason, including tourism. American is offering quarantine-free flights to Italy. thanks, Chris. With these quarantine-free flights, you have to get tested three times: If you test negative all three times, you don’t need to quarantine. My wife and I are already booked on United Polaris departing EWR on June 29 and arriving MXP on June 30 using business saver award miles with plans to drive to Lugano, Switzerland immediately upon landing. Is there any other info you can provide on the next round of loosening measures? @ Dan — Rules are really complicated nowadays, eh? Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. I imagine if someone ineligible to enter Italy does arrive, Italy has to go through the legal channels and pay to have them deported. Both of us travellers are fully vaxxed by the way. We are both fully vaccinated. (Delta gives it to you before boarding.). The CDC website warns Americans not to go Greece, Italy, Spain or even the United Kingdom, where more than half of the population has already … @ michelle — That’s correct as of now, though hopefully that changes soon. Otherwise, you risk being at the back of line to clear the Italian health screening part of the arrival process (which is before immigration. The move is aimed to revive the country’s hard-hit tourism … As of today (May 16, 2021), Americans are allowed to visit Italy for any reason, including tourism. This site is for entertainment purposes only. We rescheduled our May 2020 Italy trip for September 2021. @Angela, if it wasn’t clear, I was on the plane when I wrote my last note. Now the EU is putting pressure on Italy, Greece and Spain not to open up to American and British tourists. – There are rapid tests available at JFK Terminal 5 for free, but it’s a little chaotic. Italy opens to Americans, but only on select flights. Their VeriFly testing isn’t available for Italy and LetsGetChecked doesn’t come back in time as AA Italy flights require you to test within 48 hours, instead of 72 like Delta. Last month, tourism officials in Spain expressed optimism that the country would be ready to host worldwide travelers by June 2021, Reuters reports. to simply stop them at the departure airport instead. To use the support rep’s words “All we want to see if a negative test”. @ Al Dente, I’ve done this COVID corridor flight twice already on Delta (JFK-MXP) and the rules for getting the 3 tests were pretty clear. @Al Dente – the virus has an incubation period of 2-to-14 days, so everyone could, theoretically, test negative to get on the plane but, over the course of the flight, be exposed to the virus is a passenger starts shedding it onboard. This shows again and again that the current COVID-19 rules have nothing ro do with Public safety. Full Details: Breeze Airways Tickets Now On Sale, Best Airline Credit Cards for Miles & Points, Italy opens to Americans, but only on select flights, Expect Italy to open up on a widespread basis soon, Eastern Airlines’ Strange Habit Of Canceling New Routes, Italy’s Neos Launching Milan To New York Flights, Report: American AAdvantage Will Make It Easier To Earn Status, Extend Upgrades, European Union Opening To Vaccinated Travelers, US & Canada Border Closure Extended (Again), Fragile Hong Kong & Singapore Travel Bubble “Pops” Again, New Record: FAA Fines Abusive Passenger $52,500, Our Awesome Coronavirus-Era Vacation In Maui, https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2021/American-Airlines-Welcomes-All-Customers-on-Quarantine-Free-Flights-to-Italy-OPS-DIS-05/default.aspx, Garuda Indonesia Plans Major Restructuring, May Halve Fleet, Report: FAA To Downgrade Mexico Aviation Safety Rating. I have to admit I’m enjoying having Europe largely free from American tourists. If an American arrives in Italy through one of these flights, can they then roam other areas of Schengen? She was supposed to leave April 1st but was pushed back by the airline to May 8th with changes to itinerary. Despite the current roadblocks to European travel, the latest developments are encouraging and would suggest that vaccinated and COVID-free Americans could be allowed to venture across the pond by the peak summer travel period. If all clear, then you can check your bags and get your boarding pass. She ended up being stranded at the airport for 3 days: no cell phone access where she was, she had to beg and plead in order to convince a rep from Alitalia to call me in Southern CA, so he could tell me what was required for them to allow entrance into the country__I told him to email the specifics they needed so I could forward it to our dad, so my sister could arrive to her final destination as soon as possible; it took a day to get the necessary notarized papers from his doctor stating he needed help on the farm because of his health situation then, to the proper authority at Alitalia. My husband and I are flying to Naples via Newark —> Munich on Lufthansa airlines in July. Our original booking was with AA so we had to use them, even though Delta is way more organized. We purchased these tickets and now I am finding that the only test we can take is the one rapid test they offer through a partner GoHealth Urgent Care. – It can be a rapid OR a PCR test. 1. The reason is very simple and you should mention it, I guess. Some European countries are finding temporary solutions to reopen to American tourists, such as Italy and Greece. It doesn’t matter what brand or whatever it is. This is great, I’ll fly Emirates to JFK then connect to Italy on one of these flights. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Italy … Hope it was a good flight. “Let us … Armenia. In mid-May tourists can have the Italian pass... so the time has come to book your holidays in Italy,” Draghi said after a May 4 meeting of G20 tourism … ), If you'd like to participate in the discussion, please adhere to our commenting guidelines. I got to the testing facility before most other passengers because I knew the drill. Your email address will not be published. However, your article has calmed me down by saying the rules will become even looser in the next few weeks. No date has been announced yet for when Italy will reopen to US tourists. I do see the Italian government says the airline is supposed to provide you with it, except the Digital Passenger Locator Form. Lastly, the rep informed me that flight AA 236 is indeed a COVID-tested flight – useful to verify since they don’t actually spell flight numbers out like Delta does. AA just wants to ensure you’ve done it, and the QR code tells them you have. My wife and I just re-routed our travel plans from Greece to Italy based on this news from Delta/AA. There’s a line for that hurdle before you go through immigration. From the baggage claim, you have to walk most of the length of the airport on the lower level. @ben small typo in the first section, Delta has quarantine free flights from JFK to Milan and Rome and from Atlanta I suppose? It’s crazy that the requirements are different for the two airlines. – AA requires a test 48h prior to departure. Delta lets you test anywhere and bring your results but that doesn’t help, as these are basic economy tickets but they should have disclosed this information upfront. What I didn’t understand is we were all tested minutes before boarding and still had to wear a mask except for when eating. The first one is the 72 hour PCR (you’re on your own for that). My first flight of two was the inaugural flight, and no one told me to get tested at MXP. Italy reopened to travellers from Europe on Wednesday, three months after the country went into coronavirus lockdown, but few arrivals dimmed hopes of reviving the key tourism … @Ben, I would correct the part of the article where you mention “Personally I don’t really get the point of these flights”. According to the US embassy and consulate in Italy , non-essential travel such as travel for tourism purposes to Italy from the U.S. and most non-EU countries is prohibited. Would be the simplest solution. Those who were allowed to enter Italy from the United States (like European Union passport holders and those traveling for essential reasons) were subjected to a 14-day quarantine, unless they took one of these flights. “Essential travel … @Chris – Thanks! 🙂. E.g. 2. Table of Contents What is a Covid-tested flight? So because *some* countries partially opened to the US, the US not immediately welcoming everyone from Europe is somehow hypocritical…? She eventually received a partial refund from AA, however, Alitalia refuses to refund their portion of her plans, as they say they are not responsible! It’s actually three tests you need, not two. AA says you have to have the test within 48 hours of departure, not 72. (That’s how it worked on Delta.) Currently there are three airlines offering these (other flights, even in these markets, aren’t eligible): Prior to this change, Americans weren’t allowed to enter Italy for tourism. Taking these flights requires getting tested twice before departure and once upon arrival. According to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the country is fine tuning the details to provide clear rules so vaccinated tourists can visit Italy without too much trouble. If my wife and I showed up to JFK without any prior testing (we’re both fully vaccinated), could we hypothetically get everything we need at the airport or on the flight? US travelers have TWO options to enter Georgia: 1- If vaccinated, they can … I got to the airport (prepared to pay) 4 hours early and had time to spare. How you get the test seems to be up to you. A few words of clarification from an EU resident – as long as you’ve entered Schengen Zone, be it via Italy, Greece or Iceland you’re free to roam it and to move on to other Schengen countries. Having taken the Delta flight 4 weeks earlier, I figured I could always go to terminal 4 and pay at the rapid testing facility Delta uses. Very good fares for Premium Economy one way. The Eu’s green pass should be available by then, so you should be fine. Yes, however this is dependent on country of residence and a 5 day minimum quarantine period applies to most arrivals. We are traveling with family and there is not a location anywhere near them (3 1/2 hour drive away). Required fields are marked *. They should be following US entry requirements. He was told he needs a document to re enter the USA after our 3 week holiday. What documents does he need to present, @Linda, in my experience he should just need a COVID test and and his visa, but I would also check with the airline. Be sure to get to the testing facility as fast as you can, since the line gets long pretty quick. Since my sister’s return, she has fought with the airline companies for, at the least, a portion of a refund__not only due to her not reaching her destination through Alitalia, but because NONE of the airlines were restricting her travel plans from the beginning, until she reached London, and there were no accomodations available! Forgot to add: in general, I have found that the best source of information on entry rules & restrictions (and to a lesser extent any quarantine requirements) is the website traveldoc DOT aero. Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure. @Angela @Chris thank you both for sharing your research/experiences with flying AA on these COVID tested flights, it has been a huge help! @Chris – Also, did they give you the paperwork to fill out or did you print it at home and fill it out? According to the US embassy and consulate in Italy, non-essential travel such as travel for tourism purposes to Italy from the U.S. and most non-EU countries is prohibited. Italy, facing its worst recession since World War II, reopened its borders to international travelers Wednesday as part of a larger effort to draw in tourism …