Book now: Nationwide flights to Italy from $305 round-trip on alliance airlines
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Skip the floral arrangements this Valentine's Day: Take your loved one to Italy instead for the cost of a nice dinner out. These rates average about $600 lower than usual, according to Google Flights, and prices will likely increase in the next 24 hours.
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Some of these fares may book into basic economy, which means different things to different airlines, but often means you may not have free use of the overhead bins for a carry-on bag. You probably also won't be able to select your seat, get an upgrade or earn PQM/PQS/PQDs. However, it’s possible to defeat many of basic economy’s negative aspects by having elite status or a cobranded credit card.
To find a deal, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or an OTA like Orbitz or Expedia.
Here's a summary of what's available:
Airlines: Norwegian, SWISS, Finnair, American, British Airways, Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, easyJet, Air Europa
Routes: JFK/EWR/ORD/LAX/SFO/IAD/MIA and more to MXP/FCO/VCE/NAP
Cost: from $305 round-trip
Dates: February — May 2020
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Here are some examples of specific flights that are available:
New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) for $305 round-trip on Finnair:
New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) on Norwegian for $308 round-trip:
New York (JFK) to Venice (VCE) on Air Europa for $333 round-trip:
New York/Newark (EWR) to Rome (FCO) on SWISS for $349 round-trip:
New York (JFK) to Naples (NAP) for $407 round-trip on easyJet:
San Francisco (SFO) to Rome (FCO) for $409 round-trip on American Airlines:
Chicago (ORD) to Rome (FCO) for $409 round-trip on American Airlines/British Airways:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Rome (FCO) for $410 round-trip on American Airlines:
Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Milan (MXP) for $459 round-trip on TAP Air Portugal via Gotogate:
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
