Deal alert: Fly to Italy this winter for as low as $552

Italy’s entry requirements for U.S. tourists have eased up significantly since our very own Katie Genter visited the country on one of the first COVID-tested flights. In particular, travelers from the U.S. must provide vaccination status and a negative test (PCR or antigen) taken within 72 hours of arrival.

If you're craving delicious food, ancient architecture, and Italian culture, Scott’s Cheap Flights just dropped this notable deal to its Premium and Elite members, showcasing flights in economy to Italy, including one as low as $552 from Seattle to Milan from November 2021 through early April 2022, some routes including Thanksgiving.

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As a reminder, these are economy fares, many are in basic economy, so they come with restrictions on bags and seat selections, depending on the airline. So make sure to review the details carefully before you buy the ticket.

You can get discounted prices on an array of airlines, such as Air Canada (Star Alliance), American and British Airways (Oneworld), Delta (SkyTeam), and United (Star Alliance).

Airlines: Air Canada, Air France, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Lufthansa, United Airlines
Routes: SEA/LAX/SFO/PHX/DFW/BOS/EWR/JFK/DCA/IAD/ATL/MIA and more to Florence (FLR), Milan (MXP), Naples (NAP), Pisa (PSA), Rome FCO (FCO), Venice (VCE), and others.
Cost: The lowest fares start at $552 round-trip in basic economy.
Dates: November-April 2022.
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3x on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 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.

A good amount of the lowest fares we've found are for travel in November — including the week of Thanksgiving — and from January until early April.

Here are some examples of the round-trip fares to various Italian cities from numerous U.S. cities that are part of this deal:

• Seattle (SEA) to Milan (MXP) from $552.
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Rome (FCO) from $567.
• Phoenix (PHX) to Milan (MXP) from $552.
• Miami (MIA) to Florence (FLR) from $578.
• New York City (JFK) to Rome (FCO) from $566.
• Dallas (DFW) to Venice (VCE) from $572.
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Naples (NAP) from $587.
• Chicago (ORD) to Florence (FLR) from $566.

These flights to Italy are widespread across dozens of U.S. cities with fares under $600 and many with just one stop each way. If you're based out of Seattle, you're in luck, as you can nab the lowest fares to the fashion capital of Italy, Milan, for $552 with a stop at JFK. We've commonly found fares from the Pacific Northwest to the cities of Rome or Milan for $850 or more, making this flight deal about a 35% discount over regular pricing.

Related: An overview of Italy’s best destinations for tourists

Let's take a look at some sample fares we've dug up for travel to Italy for the winter months until the early spring.

This basic economy fare is one example from Seattle (SEA) to Milan (MXP) on Delta. It comes with a free carry-on bag. If you want to select your seat and check a bag, you’d have to upgrade to their Main Cabin for $150 more.

In mid-January, Phoenix (PHX) to Milan (MXP) will cost you $552 round-trip, flying with United Airlines.

Are you based out of the east coast? No problem. Miami (MIA) to Florence (FLR) on Air France is on sale for $578 with a quick layover in Paris (CDG) and a free carry-on bag.

Another solid east coast deal is from New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) via Swiss for just $566. You make one stop each way in Zurich — and flight times are optimal with no overnight stay required.

If you live in Chicago, you're not left out in the cold with this deal. Similar to the above fare from New York, for $566 round-trip, you'll get to visit the famous art galleries of Florence via Swiss with stops in Zurich.

How to book your flights

The easiest way is if you’re a Scott’s Cheap Flights premium subscriber. But you can also use Google Flights, plug in your destination city, and start searching for dates that work for your travel schedule.

Maximize your purchase

Don’t forget to use a card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel), American Express Gold Card (3x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel), Citi Premier Card (3x on air travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.