Flying from the US
Italy from New York: the honest guide
The short answer: you’re in the best spot in the country to fly to Italy. More nonstop flights, more airlines and lower fares than almost anywhere else in the US.
Here’s how to make the most of it.
Where you can fly nonstop
From JFK and Newark, Rome and Milan have nonstop flights all year. In summer, seasonal nonstops usually add more Italian cities, such as Venice and Naples. Routes change every season, so check which ones are flying for your dates.
Everywhere else, from Bari to Palermo, means one connection, usually in Rome, Milan or a European hub.
How long it takes
About 8 to 9 hours to Rome, a little less on the way out with the tailwind.
Most flights leave New York in the evening and land in Italy the next morning. Italy is 6 hours ahead of New York, so your first day is a jet lag day. Plan something easy: a walk, a long lunch, an early night.
What it costs
Typical economy fares per person, round trip to Rome or Milan:
November to March: about $450 to $650
April to May, September to October: about $650 to $900
July and August: about $950 to $1,300
Add about $100 for a connection to a smaller airport. These are typical ranges, not live prices.
Where to go, by trip length
A long weekend, 4 to 5 days: pick one city. Rome is the obvious one. Or Milan plus a day on Lake Garda.
About a week: two bases. Rome and Naples, or Florence and Bologna. Rome to Florence by train takes about as long as New York to Philadelphia on Amtrak.
10 days or more: add the coast or an island. Puglia or Sicily fit well, with a short domestic flight from Rome.
The New Yorker’s catch
You’ll find Italy slower than you’re used to. Shops close in the afternoon, dinner starts at 8, and nobody rushes you out of a restaurant.
Our advice: let it happen. That slower pace is the part you’ll miss when you’re back on the subway.
Ready to pick a place? Our destination finder suggests the three best places for your dates and budget, with flight prices from the East Coast.
Find where to go