As Americans begin to address their dying-to-scratch-it travel itch, my inbox is starting to fill up with “I want to go to Italy, where should I go” type messages. I have a moment of pause thinking—you can’t come here, foreigners still cannot, but all the same I reply with a smile & passionately-lengthy list of must-sees/must-dos & I babble on & on about you simply must try restaurants, cafes, gelaterias, pizzerias, etc.
While one may think that these past 13 months of Italy being completely shut down to outside tourism is a boon for those lucky enough to reside within her closed walls, it is -- & it isn’t. It is when one can walk right up to Rome’s Colosseum & over Florence’s Ponte Vecchio with no head spinning lines or selfie-taking crowds whatsoever, but it isn’t when there’s a heartbreaking & eerie silence at these world-renowned sites. Worse still, is the desperation of the Italians themselves – be they hotel, restaurant or shop owners.
I will never forget visiting Alberobello this past October (a wonderful, small town in Puglia/southern Italy & home to the awesome, conical “trulli” dry stone huts) & as my son & I wandered down the couple of main streets in il centro (the center), one person after another thrust olive oils, I heart Italia magnets, hand-stitched linens & so on toward us, the look in their eyes begging us to please purchase something, anything; & the same occurred with restaurant owners. The utterly dizzying fluctuation of Covid-fueled “colors” throughout Italy (from yellow/good to orange/bad to red/worst) have had restauranteurs open, shut, open, shut, open, shut, shut, shut, shut their doors for endless months—as a matter of fact, we haven’t eaten dinner in a restaurant (indoors or out) since early October 2020. Just take a moment to absorb that. These folks haven’t fed tourists in over a year (& foreigners spend the prettiest penny on eating & drinking lavishly during their Italian holiday) & they haven’t even fed their fellow townspeople the most celebrated, & lucrative, meal – dinner – in 6.5 months. They’ve hobbled along (if their business has survived!) on in-person lunches (which, 90% of the time have been forbidden) & to-go orders. I’ve really tried to support local Florentine eateries but there’s only so much lukewarm pizza & pasta in a cardboard box one can handle. There are now protests as restaurant owners insist government allow them to open, but to date their efforts have yielded no change. There’s also the recent fun of Europe’s battle with Covid Wave III as the UK & Brazilian variants spread more feverishly then their predecessors & an inexcusably slow vaccine rollout – yes, it’s good times here, indeed. But, all of this boils down to an excruciatingly desperate need for things to go somewhat ‘back to normal’; the Italian economy needs it, the people need it— financially, mentally & emotionally. Thankfully, two companies are trying to make this happen…
In December 2020 Delta Airlines in partnership with Alitalia released ‘quarantine-free’ flights. Essentially, travelers can visit either Italy or the US with no requirements to quarantine so long as they meet the program’s requirements of:
a) choosing/booking a “Covid-tested” flight
b) following all of the mandated Covid testing
c) receiving “negative” results from all of the mandated Covid testing
I had a few friends utilize the program during our children’s December & February breaks, opting out of Italy’s red zone/sit at home order for these vacations. I (unenthusiastically) joined the crowd recently – opting to spend Caiden’s (red zone) spring break within the non-confines of the United States, disinterested in squandering yet another holiday watching movies, playing games & taking long walks. And while it was disappointing to leave the place I would have much preferred to stay at & explore, I was very impressed with the Delta Covid-Tested Flights & hold tremendous hope they will be rolled out much more broadly soon (for now, you still need a valid reason to enter Italy—i.e. student, work, health care personnel, returning to your residence).
In a nutshell, here’s the scoop with the program:
- For now, it appears the Covid-Tested Flights run once a day, occasionally twice a day & sometimes not at all on certain dates. You must look for the blue “Covid-Tested” banner on the upper left side of each flight option—only booking a “Covid-Tested” flight allows you to skip Italy’s mandatory 2-week quarantine!
- Italy to the US flights depart out of Rome Fiumicino or Milan (only) & arrive anywhere Delta flies. However, choosing a Covid-Tested Flight means you will transit through New York City (JFK) or Atlanta (ATL) prior to landing wherever you’re going.
- US to Italy flights depart from any airport where Delta flies but, again, you will transit through New York City (JFK) or Atlanta (ATL) before flying onto Italy.
Going from Italy to the US
- We needed to take a PCR test within 48 hours of our departure time (at our expense). It was not easy to find a place that could turn around results so quickly, but the nursing staff at Caiden’s school, ISF (International School of Florence), helped us figure out where to go & what to do (Helab at Piazza della Liberta was the facility they recommended/that we used).
- We needed to check in about 3 hours before our departure time & I can verify that our negative PCR results were checked SIX times by SIX different staff members at the Rome Fiumicino Airport.
- We had to fill out paperwork attesting that we did not have Covid or symptoms of Covid & we were not in proximity of anyone who had Covid. Our particular flight transited through NYC so we had to fill out similar paperwork for the State of New York. We also had to complete tracking information for the duration of our US stay.
- There were no additional steps that needed to be taken & upon arriving at SFO we departed the airport & integrated, without quarantine, into the crisp San Francisco night.
Going from the US to Italy
- Interestingly, this was more complicated & entailed more effort & steps. The same PCR test was required (again, at our expense & we did this at a private US facility – CVS to be exact) but this time our test had to be completed within 72 hours of departure. And – I need to share this & be EXPLICITY clear because both the Delta & Alitalia websites fail to mention this ultra-important detail – the 72 hour requirement applies at your TRANSIT airport, not the local airport from which you initially depart/check in. For example, your PCR test must be 72 hours old or younger Atlanta or New York/eastern time (& yes, they check the time stamp & there’s zero wiggle room, even a few hours past the 72 hours & you’re out of luck). If you show up to JFK or ATL with a test that is 72 hours old from the time you boarded in San Francisco you will be denied boarding & you will have the incredible stress, headache & expense ($400++ per) of trying to find a place that will complete a rapid PCR test in the few hours of your layover (near impossible!). What will likely end up happening is that Delta will deny your boarding, rebook you on a future flight, you’ll need to still grab that very rapid & very costly PCR test & then you’ll also need to pay for a taxi, hotel & so on with your new mandatory, unexpected stay in NYC or ATL. Are we having fun yet?!
- Once in NYC or ATL you will be directed to an area where you’ll complete a “rapid Covid test” (included in your fare/not at your expense). This process actually went very smoothly but be sure to bring your cell phone as you’ll be scanning a lot of QR codes & filling out paperwork not only for the authorization of the rapid test, but also for your tracking while in Europe.
- When this is done, you’ll be guided to a room where the rapid test takes place (the least painful Covid test I’ve had to date) & you sit & wait for your number to be called & the health care worker to declare that you are, indeed, negative. They give you a sheet of paper with this result & your temperature & you’re on your way.
- Once you deplane in Rome (or Milan) you’ll be immediately herded to yet another rapid Covid testing spot (it really seems kind of idiotic to me since we’d all just tested negative in ATL & the likelihood we contracted Covid in the successive 9 hours of flying is extremely low but, it was what it was & if it meant we got the ‘get out of jail free’ card of non-quarantining in Italy, so be it). This process took longer, wasn’t quite as streamlined (this rapid test is also included in your fare/not at your expense) & apparently the medical professionals in Rome did not get the memo that you needn’t swab the traveler’s BRAIN in order to obtain a sample…. All the same, we made it through this & sat & waited again for our results & that little piece of paper that was the third verification of our Covid-negativity. Next, was customs & then we grabbed our checked bags & walked freely out into the damp, Italian morning air.
All in all our experience was good. For me, there was a very high level of stress trying to assure I had all the documents I needed for the Covid situation and, equally important, all the documents I needed to prove I am a resident of Italy & had the right to return. But, the latter part of my angst would be N/A for tourists simply vacationing in Italy.
The magic question I’m sure is on the tip of everyone’s tongue is WHEN will these flights be released to the average traveler & the short answer is nobody knows. Europe & Italy need to continue improving their Covid numbers, but at the same time Europe & Italy need tourism so badly, too. If I were a guessing gal, I’d say (hope!) July of 2021 but, again, that’s a big ‘ole TBD.
If you’re craving a visit to bella Italia sometime soon my advice would be to watch Delta’s website to keep tabs on the Covid-Tested Flights situation so that you’re in the know if/when they're accessible to the public. You’ll want to really be on top of this as I’d also guess there won’t be too many flights coming & going daily, the welcome back gates will open slowly & cautiously.
I HOPE you all can explore this inexplicably gorgeous & wonderful country soon. Italy has always been my very favorite place on the planet, but with getting to know her on a much, much more intimate level I am beyond smitten. And, if/when you do secure plans—drop me a line & I’ll be ready with a smile & a passionately-lengthy list of must-sees/must-dos... forgive me when I babble on & on about you simply must try restaurants, cafes, gelaterias, pizzerias, etc…
A presto, speriamo (see you soon, we hope)!
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