US nonstops to Italy in 2026
Italy has never been easier to reach from the US without a connection. Rome Fiumicino is the main transatlantic gateway, Milan Malpensa is the second, and Venice and Naples now get a solid summer schedule. On top of that, 2026 brought the first nonstops from the US to Sardinia and new service to Puglia.
The catch is the word "seasonal". Many of the newer routes run from spring to October and then stop for the winter. If you are flying between November and March, expect to connect unless you leave from New York or another large hub with year-round service to Rome or Milan.
Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
Rome has the widest choice. ITA Airways, Italy's national carrier, flies from several US gateways, and Delta, United and American all serve Fiumicino from their hubs, with New York (JFK and Newark), Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Charlotte and the West Coast all appearing on summer schedules. Not every route runs every month, so search your home airport for your dates.
New in 2026:
- Seattle–Rome on Alaska Airlines, its first transatlantic route, launched in spring 2026 as a seasonal flight.
- Seattle–Rome on Delta, seasonal from May 2026 to late October.
- Houston–Rome on ITA Airways, seasonal from May 1, 2026, three a week at first and five a week from June, through late October.
Milan Malpensa (MXP)
Milan is the gateway for the lakes, the Dolomites, Piedmont and the Swiss border. New York has the most service, and 2026 added two big ones: American's daily Miami–Milan and JetBlue's Boston–Milan, which started May 11, 2026 with daily flights. Check whether the Boston service continues through the winter before you build a plan around it.
Milan also has Linate (LIN), close to the center, but it handles European and domestic flights. Transatlantic flights land at Malpensa, which is about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of the city.
Venice Marco Polo (VCE)
Venice is a summer gateway from the US. American resumed its seasonal Dallas/Fort Worth–Venice flight on June 5, 2026, and the big three US carriers have offered seasonal nonstops from their East Coast hubs. In the off-season you will almost certainly connect, often through a European hub or through Rome.
Naples (NAP)
Naples is the airport for the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Capri and Sorrento, and it is far closer than Rome for those trips. American brought back its seasonal Chicago O'Hare–Naples route in May 2026, the only nonstop between the Midwest and southern Italy, and East Coast nonstops run in summer. Outside summer, flying to Rome and taking the 70-minute fast train to Naples is the standard move.
Sicily, Puglia and Sardinia
- Palermo: United flies Newark–Palermo seasonally, three times a week from late May 2026.
- Bari: United added Newark–Bari four times a week from May 1, 2026, a first nonstop to Puglia. See Puglia.
- Olbia: Delta added JFK–Olbia four times a week from May 20, 2026, the first nonstop between the US and Sardinia. See Sardinia.
Insider tip
Search the nonstop first, then compare it against a one-stop itinerary via Rome on ITA or via a European hub. On a Naples or Venice trip in shoulder season, the connecting fare is sometimes hundreds of dollars cheaper, and a connection in Rome lets you clear passport control there, at a bigger and better-staffed border.
When to book and what you'll pay
For summer travel, book transatlantic flights three to six months ahead. Fares for June, July and the first half of August climb steadily from late winter, and the cheap seats on new seasonal routes go first. For April, May, September and October, two to four months is usually enough.
The cheapest months to fly are generally November through March, apart from the Christmas and New Year weeks. Mid-week departures (Tuesday and Wednesday) often price lower than Friday to Sunday.
- Compare basic economy carefully. On transatlantic routes it may exclude seat selection, changes and sometimes a full-size carry-on.
- Check your arrival time. Most US flights land in Italy between 7 and 10 a.m., which is fine for Rome and Milan but may leave you hours before hotel check-in, usually around 2 or 3 p.m.
- Book flights before trains and cars. High-speed train fares are dynamic, but you can only lock in the right train once you know when you land.
Different from home
EU passenger rights apply to every flight leaving an EU airport, on any airline, and to EU airlines flying into the EU. If your flight from Rome to the US arrives more than four hours late for a reason within the airline's control, you can be owed up to €600 (about $670) per passenger in cash, on top of meals and rebooking. Ask for the claim form at the airport or file online with the airline.
Open-jaw tickets: fly into one city, out of another
An open-jaw ticket (the airlines call it "multi-city") flies you into one Italian city and home from another. For almost every first trip that covers more than one region, it is the right shape. It saves you a half day or more of backtracking and the cost of that extra train.
The classic version for a first trip is into Venice, out of Rome: Venice, then Florence, then Rome, all linked by fast trains. Other combinations that work well:
- Into Milan, out of Rome for the lakes, Verona or the Cinque Terre plus Florence and Rome.
- Into Rome, out of Naples (summer) for Rome plus the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Capri.
- Into Milan, out of Venice for the lakes, Verona, the Dolomites and Venice.
- Into Palermo, out of Catania (via a connection) for a loop around Sicily.
On the same airline or alliance, an open-jaw fare is often close to the price of a round trip, sometimes identical. If it costs much more, price two one-way tickets as well, and check whether a different US departure city changes the math.
Save money
An open-jaw ticket also helps if you rent a car for part of the trip. Rental companies charge a one-way fee for dropping a car in a different city, so plan the drive in the middle (Tuscany or the Dolomites, for example) and use trains at both ends. See Driving in Italy.
Rome: Fiumicino and Ciampino into town
Fiumicino, officially Leonardo da Vinci, sits on the coast about 20 miles (32 km) west of the center. Ciampino, southeast of the city, handles mostly budget European airlines. For more on where to stay and how to move around once you arrive, see Rome.
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini | 32 min, nonstop | €14 (about $16) | Hotels near Termini, Monti, Esquilino, onward trains |
| FL1 regional train | About 30–45 min | €8 (about $9) | Trastevere, Ostiense, Tiburtina (does not go to Termini) |
| Official white taxi, flat fare | 45–60 min, traffic-dependent | €55 (about $62) for up to 4 people | Groups, families, luggage, the historic center |
| Airport bus (several companies) | About 1 hr or more | About €6–7 (about $7–8) | Tight budgets |
| Frecciarossa direct from the airport | Varies | Dynamic fares | Going straight to Florence, Naples, Bologna or Venice |
Leonardo Express
The Leonardo Express runs nonstop between Fiumicino and Termini every 15 minutes for most of the day, less often early and late. From the airport, trains run from 6:23 a.m. until 11:23 p.m.; from Termini, from 5:35 a.m. until 10:35 p.m. Check the timetable for your date. The station is a covered walk from arrivals, signed for trains. Children under 4 ride free, and one child aged 4 to 12 travels free with each paying adult.
Buy tickets from the machines in the station, the Trenitalia app or the ticket office. Paper tickets must be stamped in the validation machine before you board, and online regional tickets must be printed or shown at the station turnstiles. See Getting around Italy for how validation works.
Taxis
Rome's official taxis are white with a "Taxi" sign and a license number on the door. From Fiumicino the flat fare is €55 (about $62) to any address inside the Aurelian Walls, which covers nearly every hotel in the historic center, for up to four passengers with luggage. From Ciampino the flat fare is €40 (about $45). Take taxis only from the official rank outside arrivals.
Watch out
In the arrivals hall at Fiumicino, people may approach you offering a taxi or a ride. These are unlicensed drivers who charge far more than the flat fare. Walk past them to the marked taxi rank, and confirm the flat fare before you get in. Older guidebooks quoting €48 or €50 are out of date.
Ciampino
From Ciampino, airport buses run to Termini for about €7 (about $8), and a combined bus-and-train ticket via Ciampino station is cheaper still at about €2.70 (about $3). A taxi at €40 makes sense for two or more.
Milan: Malpensa and Linate into town
Malpensa is a long way out, so plan for about an hour door to door. The Malpensa Express train is the easiest way in, and the fare is the same to any Milan station.
| Option | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Malpensa Express, adult one way | €15 (about $17) | To Milano Cadorna, Centrale or Porta Garibaldi |
| Malpensa Express, child 4–13 | €7.50 (about $8) | Under 4 free with a paying parent |
| Malpensa Express, 30-day return (online only) | From €25 (about $28) | Return date can be changed up to three times |
Trains leave from stations under Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Some go to Cadorna, which is handy for hotels near the Castello and Brera, and others to Centrale, the main hub for high-speed trains to Venice, Florence and Rome. Check the destination on the board before you board, since both run on the same line. Extra early-morning and late-night trains run on summer weekends.
Linate, used for flights within Europe, is about 5 miles (8 km) from the center and connected by the M4 metro line, which reaches San Babila in the heart of town in a few minutes for the price of a standard city ticket. See Milan and the lakes.
Insider tip
Heading to Lake Como or Lake Maggiore first? You do not need to go into Milan. Trains and buses run from Malpensa toward the lakes, and the drive from Malpensa to Como or Stresa is shorter than the drive into central Milan.
Venice: Marco Polo by boat or bus
Marco Polo airport is on the mainland at the edge of the lagoon. You can reach Venice by boat straight to a stop near your hotel, or by bus to Piazzale Roma, the last point reachable by road, and then by vaporetto (water bus) or on foot. See Venice for the access fee, vaporetto passes and where to stay.
Alilaguna water bus
Alilaguna boats leave from a dock about a 10-minute covered walk from arrivals. The fare to Venice is €18 (about $20) one way or €32 (about $36) round trip, and to Murano €10 (about $11). Each ticket includes one large bag and one carry-on; extra bags cost €4 (about $4.50). Children under 6 ride free with a paying adult if you carry proof of age.
- Blue line (Linea Blu): via Murano and the Lido to Arsenale, San Marco, the Zattere, Giudecca, Tronchetto and the railway station area.
- Orange line (Linea Arancio): up the Grand Canal, with stops including Madonna dell'Orto, San Stae, Rialto and Ca' Rezzonico.
- Red line (Linea Rossa): a summer-only line, suspended for the winter from October 28, 2026, when new winter timetables for the Blue and Orange lines also take effect.
The ride is slow, often an hour or more to San Marco or Rialto, but it is scenic and it drops you on the water near most hotels. Alilaguna also sells 24-, 48- and 72-hour passes at €40, €60 and €80 (about $45, $67 and $90) that bundle the airport transfer with ACTV vaporetto travel.
Bus to Piazzale Roma
Buses run by ATVO and ACTV take about 20 to 30 minutes to Piazzale Roma and cost less than the boat. They make the most sense if your hotel is near Piazzale Roma or the station, or if you are continuing by train to the mainland. Buy tickets in the arrivals hall or from machines.
Water taxi
A private water taxi from the dock to your hotel's own landing is the most memorable arrival in Europe and priced to match, usually well over €100 for the boat. Book only at the official water-taxi desk in arrivals or through your hotel.
Watch out
Venice's day-tripper access fee applies on set dates to visitors who are not staying overnight in the city. Hotel guests are exempt but should register for the exemption code. If you fly into Venice and stay elsewhere in the Veneto, check the calendar before a day visit on our Venice page.
Naples: Capodichino into town and onward
Naples airport is only about 4 miles (6 km) from the center, the closest major airport to its city in Italy. See Naples and Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast for what comes next.
- Alibus: the airport shuttle bus run by ANM stops at Piazza Garibaldi (Napoli Centrale station) in about 15 minutes and at the port (Immacolatella and Molo Beverello, for ferries to Capri, Ischia, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast) in about 35 minutes. Buy tickets online from the airport's shop or at machines on the ground floor of arrivals. The fare is a few euros; check it at the machine.
- Shared taxi: a fixed €6 (about $7) per passenger between the airport, Napoli Centrale and Molo Beverello, no meter.
- Taxi flat fares: official taxis have flat rates to the city center, Molo Beverello, Mergellina and towns like Pompei and Caserta. Ask for the tariffa predeterminata (flat fare) before you set off. Motorway tolls are extra.
- Bus to Sorrento: Curreri runs coaches from the airport to Sorrento with stops at Pompei, Castellammare, Vico Equense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento and Sant'Agnello. On the way home in high season, leave the Sorrento coast at least five hours before your flight.
Insider tip
Going straight to Positano or Amalfi? The most reliable arrival is a pre-booked private driver from the airport, about 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 45 min depending on traffic. In summer, the alternative is the Alibus to the port and a ferry, which avoids the coast road entirely but depends on the sea.
Arriving: passport control and the EES
Your first stop in Italy is passport control, unless you connected in another Schengen country, in which case you cleared it there. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now registers non-EU visitors with a fingerprint scan and a facial photo the first time they cross a Schengen border, replacing passport stamps. The first registration takes longer, so expect queues after a big arrival wave from the US in the morning.
ETIAS, the EU's planned travel authorization for visa-free visitors, has its own timeline. Check its status and the 90/180-day rule on our Entry requirements page before you fly.
Connecting within Italy and Europe
If your nonstop lands in Rome or Milan and you are heading to Sicily, Sardinia or Puglia, a domestic flight on ITA Airways or a low-cost carrier is often faster than the train. Book it on the same ticket as your transatlantic flight when you can: if the first flight is late, the airline must rebook you. Two separate tickets leave you on your own.
Within the mainland, trains usually win. Rome to Florence by Frecciarossa or Italo is about 1 hr 30 min center to center, far faster than flying. See Getting around Italy. For hopping to Paris, Athens or Croatia, see Italy and the rest of Europe.
Flying home
US-bound flights from Italy go through extra security, and the check-in counters for transatlantic flights can be slow in summer. Arrive at Fiumicino or Malpensa three hours before departure, and at Venice and Naples at least two and a half.
- Leave the city with time to spare. From central Rome, the first Leonardo Express trains get you to Fiumicino in time for most morning US departures. A pre-booked taxi is the backup.
- Check for strikes. Italian air and transport strikes are announced in advance, and guaranteed flights are protected. See Getting around Italy for how strikes work.
- Claim your VAT refund at the airport before security if you bought goods to export. See Shopping and coming home.
- Liquids rules still apply on the way home. Wine, olive oil and limoncello go in checked luggage, well wrapped.
- If you are staying near the airport for an early flight, Fiumicino and Malpensa both have hotels within a short shuttle ride.
Different from home
There is no US preclearance in Italy, so you clear US customs and immigration when you land at home. Global Entry or the free Mobile Passport Control app speeds that up. Leaving Italy, you pass through the EES exit check, which counts your days in the Schengen area.
Quick answers
Is it cheaper to fly into Rome or Milan?
Often Rome, because it has the most competition. But pick the airport that suits your route. An open-jaw ticket that skips backtracking is usually worth a small difference in price.
Should I fly into Naples for the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, if there is a nonstop or a cheap connection for your dates. Otherwise fly to Rome and take the train to Naples, about 1 hr 10 min.
How long do I need for a connection in Rome?
On one ticket, the airline's minimum connection time is legal, but allow at least two hours if you also need to clear passport control and the EES, especially on your first entry.
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