How to fly to Italy

Greek theater in Taormina Sicily

Travelling to Italy involves either a long direct flight that takes about 8 to 8 1/2 hours from the U.S. East Coast, or a flight with connections that will take considerably longer.

Direct flights on the way back typically take about 10 hours as you are flying into the headwinds of the jet stream going in that direction.

Many flights with connections are cheaper than direct flights, usually due to very long layovers, very short layovers or bad flight times such as 6 am.

If you read our sticky post that provides you with tips for travelling to Italy, you’ll know about the 3-hour layover rule.

This rule suggests that you should never choose a flight with a layover of less than 3 hours as the risk significantly increases that you will miss your connection.

This is due to flight delays, the time to get through customs and security, and then navigating through massive airports.

If possible… avoid London Heathrow… getting through security there is a nightmare.

How much does it cost to fly to Italy?

How much it costs to fly to Italy depends on where you are flying to and from, and how much discomfort you can tolerate (the more you can tolerate, the cheaper the flight!).

For our most recent trip to Italy, we flew directly to Rome from Washington, DC (Dulles International).  Flying economy, we paid $800 roundtrip, plus luggage check-in fees.  So, the total was about $1,000 round trip.

Direct flights tend to be more expensive due to higher demand.

We do not have access to direct flights to Milan.  I’ve done a quick search for roundtrip flights there for May 2026 and the starting price is just under $600 round trip for economy seating.

Other major airports you may consider flying to, depending upon your trip, include Venice, Genoa, PIsa, Florence, Bologna, Naples, Bari, Palermo, and Catania.

The best way to do flight comparisons is to search for flights with one of the flight aggregators.

We’ve used CheapOair with success and they offer excellent customer service.

Best airlines when flying to Italy

The airline industry is more intertwined than ever, so it can be a bit more of a challenge when comparing airline service.

For instance, in my recent search of flights to Milan, you will see quotes for United Airlines, but the actual flight is provided by Lufthansa.

Yeah, that makes things a bit more confusing.

With that said, for our recent trips to and from Italy, we have flown with United, Lufthansa and British Airways.

So far, British Airways has provided the worst experience.

We actually received a partial refund for the trip where British Airways (to Sicily) was involved because we had significant delays going over and back.

Furthermore, with most flights to Europe using British Airways, you will have a connection in London Heathrow.  Due to our experience there, and observing those around us, we will avoid until further notice.

For our most recent trip, United did most things well.  They passed with flying colors in regard to getting us to Italy and back on schedule.  That is the most important thing.

For our first trip a few years ago, we enjoyed flying with Lufthansa, and the flights were on time, but our luggage did not arrive with us on the way over and back.

Pro Tip… get a luggage tracker when traveling by air… it gives you piece of mind and you will know shortly after you land whether or not your luggage arrived with you.

There are a number of other airlines that will get you to and from Italy from North America.  These include American, Delta, Air Canada, ITA Airlines (Italy), TAP Air Portugal, Aer Lingus (Ireland), Scandinavian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, etc.

Best time of day to fly to Italy

Another thing you should consider when choosing your flight to Italy is the time of day.

In our experience, some accommodations will work with you in case you arrive prior to a normal check-in time.

Normal check-in times for hotels and private homes are usually from 2 pm to 4 pm.

Thus, if you arrive at your destination city early, you may be stuck with your luggage for a bit, and that is no fun.

Flights to Italy from the east coast typically begin in the late afternoon, about 5 pm.

If you have a direct flight to say Rome from New York that leaves about 6 pm, you will arrive in Rome early in the morning the next day.

Therefore, you will want to work with your accommodation provider to at least get your bags stored so you can roam about for a bit before you get access to your room.

If you have a connecting flight, you will arrive later in the day.

Pro Tip: Don’t schedule any activities for the day you arrive, because you really have no idea when that will be.  Just plan on relaxing close to your accommodation so you can rest up for when the real fun begins!

Final Thoughts on how to fly to Italy

Flying to Italy is indeed a royal pain, but the payoff is definitely worth it.  These trips have been among our favorite trips for both of us in our entire lives, which is why we keep going back.

With that said, the flight can have a significant impact on your trip.

As mentioned, we had a significant delay on the way to Sicily in 2023.  Our flight out of Dulles was delayed by about an hour, which caused us to miss our connection in London.

As a result, we missed a day of exploring.  Instead of arriving in Palermo by noon, we didn’t get there until after 7 pm.

Thus, planning is key.  Don’t just go for the super cheap flight.

Ready to start planning your trip?  Start with the flight!  You can use the CheapOair flight checker below to find your best options.

Safe travels!