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And the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Go to ... Italy

June 24, 2019
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3 min read
Cortina d'Ampezzo
And the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Go to ... Italy
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This is the week that live ticket sales for Americans begin for the 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo, but that's not today's Olympics-related headline. Jumping forward quite a few more years, the 2026 Winter Games have just been awarded to Italy, over the only remaining competitor for the 2026 Games, Sweden.

(Photograph by Dave Thompson/IOC)

Italy had reportedly been the favored host for a while, with the public support polled by the IOC at 85%, as opposed to just 60% in Sweden. When the Olympic torch reaches Milan for the Opening Ceremonies on Feb. 6, 2026, that isn't the only Italian location that will be involved in the event. Milan is located just south of Switzerland in northern Italy and will host many of the Olympic events. However, the alpine events will be held more than 250 miles away at Cortina d'Ampezzo, which is located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Alps, just south of Austria.

The Park Hyatt Milan. Photo courtesy of the hotel.

The Closing Ceremonies are in yet another city, Verona, making it impossible to take in all of the Olympic action without giving yourself a bit of a tour around northern Italy -- which, honestly, sounds pretty nice. The increased geographical footprint of the Olympics is likely related to the increased desire to utilize existing structures for the games. In Italy, 13 of the 14 needed facilities are existing or will be temporary.

If you don't want to wait until 2026 to see the Olympics in Italy, here's the Olympic line-up of locations in the coming years:

  • 2020 Summer Games: Tokyo
  • 2022 Winter Games: Beijing
  • 2024 Summer Games: Paris
  • 2026 Winter Games: Italy
  • 2028 Summer Games: Los Angeles

Coming back to the closer-term, be sure and bookmark our hub for Olympics 2020 travel-related coverage as this week marks some important dates for those looking to travel to the Games next summer when live ticket sales begin and select hotel chains begin to extend their booking calendars to dates that include the start of the 2020 Games.

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Cortina d'Ampezzo (Photo courtesy of Giacomomo / Getty Images)

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.