Traveling to Italy in 2021: Our Experience Traveling During a Global Pandemic
A note: Travel requirements are rapidly changing. This post is only about our experience traveling to Italy at the very end of July and into August. Prior to booking flights, check your desired country’s entry requirements to know what to expect and what you need to travel!
My husband and I have just arrived home from our first trip outside of the United States in almost two years. Traveling during this time can be extremely stressful and the unknowns can be daunting. I wanted to share what our travel experience was like during this time.
We were both vaccinated in March and April and we decided to go ahead and take our first international trip but couldn’t decide where to go. As we started searching for our next travel destination, we found that each country had different requirements on how to enter the country during this pandemic. Some of the countries we really wanted to knock off our bucket list, like Australia and Japan, were completely closed to tourists. After a lot of back and forth, we finally decided to revisit a place that we love, a place that helped ignite our love of travel from the beginning: ITALY!
Italy had just opened to American tourists and we didn’t have much turn around time, as we booked our flights just three weeks before we left, but that didn’t matter much to us. We were just excited to be traveling again.
At the time of our booking, Italy was allowing passengers on Covid-tested flights with Delta flying from either Atlanta or JFK that could show either proof of vaccination, a negative Covid test, or proof that they had recovered from Covid, into the country without having to quarantine upon arrival. We booked the first part of our leg from Charleston to JFK and then booked two seats on a Covid-tested flight from JFK. A few days before departure, we had to fill out a Passenger Locator Form (one for each of us) to enter the country. This locator form asked us questions about our flight number, where we would be staying in the country, what cities we would visit, etc. We did A LOT of research prior to booking our flights and one website stated that proof of a negative Covid test was required. Another website mentioned that a negative Covid test was not required if you could show proof of vaccination. We decided to get a Covid test the day before flying out, just in case.
At the airport:
Masks were absolutely required at all airports and we didn’t see much of an issue, other than people not wearing their masks properly. I still can’t understand how we’ve been living the reality of covid for so long and yet people still let their noses hang out of their masks. But I digress.
We checked into our flights on the Delta app but when dropping off our checked luggage, we had to show our proof of vaccination, our Passenger Locator Forms, along with our passports. All of this felt relatively normal, just like any other time flying but with more documentation. As we waited for our flight to board to New York, we kept our distance from other people as much as possible and wore our masks.
The flight from Charleston to JFK felt completely normal. A full flight with everyone wearing their masks. The safety instructions presented at the beginning of the flight also included information about the mask requirement.
We hung out in a lounge at JFK thanks to our Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card benefits and when it was time to catch our flights from from JFK to Rome, we had to wait in an incredibly long line to have our digital boarding passes printed. This was the most unusual part of the travel journey to Rome. We were able to check in online with a digital boarding pass, but when we approached the boarding gate, a flight attendant was printing out boarding passes. We found out that the boarding passes needed to be stamped after passengers showed proof of vaccination, our passenger locator forms, and having our temperatures taken. This felt the most different from our usual flying experiences.
After we were on the plane, listened to the safety presentation, which yet again mentioned the mask requirements, everything felt normal. In flight drink and meal services were served as normal, bathroom usage was normal. Masking was mandatory.
Arrival in Rome:
Upon arrival in Rome, we went through customs and were not asked to show anything other than our passports (no negative Covid test, no passenger locator form, no vaccination card). We had already showed all of this documentation at both the Charleston airport and in JFK but I was still surprised that we didn’t have to show it again at the airport in Rome.
Traveling Around Italy:
At the time of our traveling in Italy, the mask mandate for outdoor spaces had been lifted, though we still did see quite a few people wearing masks outdoors. Masks are required indoors, on public transport, and when unable to socially distance. We abided by these rules and anytime we were around too many people for our liking, even when outside, we wore our masks. Almost every store front or restaurant also had hand sanitizer stations set up right at the front door that you were required to use upon entering.
The Green Pass requirement went into effect on August 6th, while we were in Rome. The Green Pass is essentially a digital proof of vaccination that is needed to enter museums, restaurants, etc. while in Italy. We did not have anyone ask us for our proof of vaccination until we visited the Vatican on August 6th. Because we are not Italian citizens, we showed our white CDC vaccination card as our Green Pass. This was accepted everywhere a Green Pass was required and we only had one restaurant turn us away. They said we needed to show the QR code associated with our proof of vaccination in order to sit inside the restaurant. We tried politely explaining that our CDC card is accepted as a Green Pass, but respectfully sat outside the restaurant instead.
Flying back to the US:
At the time of our flying back to the United States, a negative COVID test taken within three days prior to flying out was required, no matter your vaccination status. We happen to be in Siena during this time, so we scheduled a rapid PCR test at a local pharmacy. We both came back negative and proof of our negative tests were sent to us via email.
At the Rome airport, there was a separate check in section for passengers flying to the United States. We arrived at the airport 3.5 hours prior to our flight leaving and didn’t have to wait in line at all, but I can imagine that the line for that separate check in gets very long. The people checking us in had a printed out list of all passengers. They asked for our passports, proof of vaccination, proof of negative Covid test and then highlighted our names on the printed out list. They then let us check in and drop off our bags. We waited in another lounge, masks on and away from others, and when it was time to board our flight, we had to show our passports and boarding passes and that’s it. The flight was just like the others, safety presentation included information about the mask mandate, in flight drink and meal services were normal, bathroom usage was also normal.
Overall, flying internationally during this global pandemic was not nearly as stressful as I thought it would be. We kept ourselves and others safe by always wearing our masks correctly (it goes over your nose AND your mouth), washing and sanitizing frequently, not touching our faces, staying socially distant as much as possible, and just being courteous. We had our documentation in order, both digitally and printed copies. For Italy that meant our Passenger Locator Forms, proof of vaccination and negative Covid tests. We also added extra time to our airport wait. Normally for an international flight we give ourselves about a two hour window, but we almost doubled that just in case. We were also patient. Traveling in general can be very frustrating and traveling during a global pandemic only adds to that stress. We were kind and patient with everyone we encountered because if Covid has taught us anything, it’s that we’re all in this together.
The same note from above: Travel requirements are rapidly changing. This post is only about our experience traveling to Italy at the very end of July and into August. Prior to booking flights, check your desired country’s entry requirements to know what to expect and what you need to travel!
