There's never a bad time or reason to go to Italy. But there's a new reason to make your plans for 2025…
Flights to Italy have been shockingly cheap lately … and point and miles deals are alive and well, too! And we're not just seeing deals to Italy during the fall and winter, as usual – there's even rare availability during peak months this summer, too!
Our Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers have seen it firsthand, as we've sent them alerts for sub-$600 roundtrip from close to 100 U.S. and Canadian airports flying to Italian destinations like Florence (FLR), Rome (FCO), Milan (MXP), Naples (NAP), Venice (VCE), and more! Plus, travelers with points have been booking American Airlines business class for 55,000 miles each way; United business class for 80,000 points each way; roundtrip Delta flights for 60,000 points; and even peak summer business class flights to Florence for less than $1,910 roundtrip!
The getting has been good in 2025. And with the Winter Olympics heading for northern Italy in February 2026, things are already looking good for next year, too!
Read next: How to Book a Trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy
Why is Italy suddenly such a hot spot for flight deals? Airlines have added tons of flights between the U.S. and Italy – 2,000 more than they flew between January and September of last year, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium. There are brand-new routes to destinations like Sicily and Naples as well as more departures heading for staple cities like Rome and Venice.
All that new capacity is making competition to bring you there fierce. And that's when you win.
Peak Summer Deals to Italy
Everyone wants to go to Italy during summertime.
It's the best time for traveling families and teachers alike and prime time to get away and really soak in one of the best countries on earth. But because of that, demand during the peak season is really high … and so are fares.
Most travelers assume they'll have to pay $1,200 to $2,000 roundtrip per person just to get to Italy in economy during the summer months. Normally, that assumption is correct. But there's a workaround: credit card points and airline miles.
Let's look at a perfect example. Say you want to fly the new Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Rome (FCO) this June. So you jump on Google Flights and give it a search.
Ouch. To fly basic economy (i.e. no seat selection and no changes allowed), you're looking at $1,416 roundtrip. If you want some flexibility, a checked bag, and seat selection, you're looking at more than $1,600 for a main cabin fare. And if you think your Delta SkyMiles are coming to save you, you're wrong again…
That's not the way. This is the way….
That's right. You can book the exact same Delta flights to Rome and back above … for 100,000 points fewer points! The trick is to book your Delta flights through Delta's partner Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points can be incredibly valuable. And you can easily earn them by transferring credit card points from the big banks like American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Bilt, and more.
The trick is finding the award availability to actually book these Delta flights using this incredibly lucrative workaround. That's just what we sent to our Thrifty Traveler Premium members a few weeks ago, showing exactly how to book these flights for 60,000 Virgin points total. One of the frequent 30% (or even 40%!) transfer bonuses we see from the big banks to Virgin can make this deal even better.
And when you book through one of Delta's partners like Virgin or Air France/KLM, there's no need to worry about a stingy basic economy fare. Using points, you get automatically get a standard Main Cabin economy fare, giving you a free checked bag and seat assignment.
For travelers looking to fly elsewhere to Italy in Delta's network using points, may we suggest a White Lotus Season 2-like adventure to Sicily?
You can use the same book-Delta-through-Virgin trick to book the new flight from New York (JFK) to Catania, Sicily (CTA), too – all for the same rates!
& Business Class, Too!
Here's something I know surprises people … because it surprised me when I first discovered it: Often, the best deals to fly to Europe during peak summer are in business class – not economy.
Travelers usually assume they can't afford to fly up front, so they limit their search to just economy. But even economy prices in the peak summer months can get stiff.
With some flexibility (and some help from your favorite flight deal service), you can fly business class to Italy – during peak summer, no less – for the price you might expect to pay in economy.
That's a lie-flat business class flight – in British Airways' swanky Club Suites with closing doors, lounge access, free bags, business class food and drink service, an amenity kit, and more – for about $700 more than a basic economy ticket.
Business travelers tend to stay home during the summer months, so the gulf between economy and business class fares overseas tends to shrink. Before you book that expensive economy ticket, give business class a look – it may be more reasonable than you thought.
For most travelers (myself included), that's still too much to pay for a single flight. That's why I flex my points and miles to fly business class, which is arguably the best way to find summer airfare to Europe. Check out this recent find.
American Airlines is launching a brand new route from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Naples (NAP) this year. It's an exciting new route that a fellow Thrifty Traveler team member already booked thanks to this incredible points and miles award alert. If you have Alaska miles, you can snag the fare we showed above, but American AAdvantage miles or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles will also get the job done!
55,000 points each way during June, July, or August is a screaming deal for one of the fanciest ways to fly to Italy.
Rome, Milan, Venice & More Under $599 RT
That increase in flying between North America and Italy is going to drive down prices. But here's a secret: Flight prices to Italy have already been good over the last few months.
It doesn't get much better than this.
This San Francisco (SFO) to Milan (MXP) fare flying Air Canada is a sweet deal. But you don't have to live near a major airport to get Italy for under $599 roundtrip. From Peoria (PIA) in Illinois to Philadelphia (PHL), travelers from cities big and small were able to take advantage of these outstanding prices.
Sometimes, the fares get even better, too. From some of the larger hubs, we often find Rome (FCO) flights at rates like these.
See those little * marks next to each fare? That's how we denote a nonstop fare. That's right! All of these fares took you straight to the Italian capital without a layover on the east coast or in Europe.
We're calling it now: It's only a matter of time until more Italy fares pop up. Make sure you're ready when they do.
Got Points? Fly Emirates to Italy for 35K RT (or Biz & First Class, Too!)
“Emirates? Like, the Middle Eastern airline?”
I know, I know, but trust me. Emirates flies a special, one-off route between New York City (JFK) and Milan (MXP). And those special flights can be booked for some special rates, too.
Don't have Emirates Skywards Miles? Don't sweat it. If you have American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, or Citi points, you can transfer them all to Emirates and book these economy flights for just 35,000 miles roundtrip! But beware: Some Emirates transfers might not be long for this world. Emirates economy blows any U.S. carrier out of the water, and this is the best deal you'll find.
Read more: The Weirdest Airline Routes in the World (& How to Book Them!)
When you think Emirates, you probably think about business or first class, though. And luckily, you can book this same route to Milan in lie-flat seats using points, too.
Using 108,000 of those same Emirates Skywards miles, you can book that same nonstop flight from New York to Italy roundtrip in Emirates business class and head back to the onboard bar (yes, there's a bar on this plane!) before you snooze your way across the Atlantic.
Are you tired of me saying, “But wait, there's more!” yet? You shouldn't be, because the very best seats on this plane are Emirates First Class suites. They're hard to book on this route to Milan … but not impossible!
A few months back, we found some ultra-rare award space for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members to book first class to Milan for two. Some of us even booked it ourselves!
Other Biz Class Deals from 54K Points
It's not just Emirates. Tons of airlines are scheduled to fly far more lie-flat seats over to Italy and back this year. That should make it easier to find some award space to book those seats using miles … in fact, it already is.
Just a few weeks ago, our Thrifty Traveler Premium members got a flurry of deals featuring United Polaris business class availability – definitely one of the best ways to fly to Europe.
This availability was on the routes from Chicago-O'hare (ORD), Denver (DEN), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) for just 80,000 United, Air Canada, or Avianca miles. Better yet, you could book for just 100,000 ANA Mileage Plan miles roundtrip by transferring points from Amex!
Yet it somehow got even better…
The nonstop from Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) jumped into the action just a few days later, too, completing one of the best Italy flight deals of the year. Surely, United must have been done with Italy availability at that point, right?
Newark (EWR) to Naples (NAP) is a coveted route … and therefore, availability almost never appears. But that changed in 2025. Unbelievable.
Heading to Rome? No problem: Fly nonstop from Philadelphia (PHL) to Rome (FCO) in American Airlines business class.
With just 54,000 American Airlines miles, 55,000 Alaska miles, 78,000 Qatar Avios, or 63,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (or any of the points that transfer to those programs), you could make those seats yours!
Bottom Line
We're calling it: 2025 is the year of Italy flight deals.
While you're not guaranteed to find a cheap fare or an amazing points deal to Italy this year, the increase in flights bodes well for travelers with their hearts set on a cheap flight. We're betting the deals like these will only continue as 2025 marches on. And with the Olympics coming to Milano Cortina in February 2026, we think next year might be great, too.
Keep an eye out for cheap flights to Italy, or subscribe to Thrifty Traveler Premium and we'll do it for you.
