The Best Ways to Fly to Italy With Points and Miles
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Italy is a country with a combination of incredible food, welcoming people, and amazing sights to see. The country’s capital, Rome, is known for the Vatican, Florence is home Michelangelo’s “David,” Venice has its canals, and Milan is Italy’s fashion capital. In addition to these cities, Cinque Terre, the Italian Alps, Tuscany, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily can’t be missed.
As with any popular destination, flights to Italy during certain times of the year can be expensive. The key is to use Google Flights to find when flight costs are low or use your points and miles to get there on the mega cheap!
Here are the best programs you can use to book award flights to Italy, how to book an award flight, and how to earn enough miles for your next redemption.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Best Programs to Use to Book Flights
It’s important to note that award space in premium cabins on certain routes to Italy can be tough to find. Typically, you’ll want to search either close-in (meaning close to the date of travel) or far out in the award calendar (10-11 months ahead of travel).
Below you’ll find a number of programs that you can use to book an award flight. We’ll cover Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, and Etihad.
Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank
The Japan Airlines Mileage Bank program offers a few options for flights from the U.S. to Italy. The airline is a member of the Oneworld alliance. This means that you can use Japan Airlines miles to fly a Oneworld airline partner to Italy. Japan Airlines also partners with Emirates, an airline that offers flights from the U.S. to Italy and Europe.
Book Awards With JAL
Oneworld
| Total Trip Distance (Miles) | Economy | Business Class | First Class | |
| 1 | 1-4,000 | 25,000 | 48,000 | 72,000 |
| 2 | 4,000-8,000 | 40,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 |
| 3 | 8,001-10,000 | 50,000 | 85,000 | 110,000 |
| 4 | 10,001 – 12,000 | 60,000 | 110,000 | 160,000 |
| 5 | 12,001 – 14,000 | 70,000 | 115,000 | 165,000 |
| 6 | 14,001 – 20,000 | 90,000 | 120,000 | 170,000 |
| 7 | 20,001 – 25,000 | 120,000 | 150,000 | 230,000 |
| 8 | 25,001 – 29,000 | 140,000 | 190,000 | 280,000 |
| 9 | 29,001 – 34,000 | 150,000 | 200,000 | 300,000 |
| 10 | 34,001 – 50,000 | 160,000 | 220,000 | 330,000 |
Emirates
| Total Trip Distance (Miles) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business Class | First Class |
| 1-1,000 | 12,000 | 17,000 | 24,000 | 36,000 |
| 1,001-2,000 | 15,000 | 21,000 | 30,000 | 45,000 |
| 2,001-4,000 | 23,000 | 30,000 | 42,000 | 65,000 |
| 4,001-6,000 | 37,000 | 46,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 6,001-8,000 | 45,000 | 59,000 | 80,000 | 120,000 |
| 8,001-10,000 | 47,000 | 62,000 | 85,000 | 135,000 |
| 10,001-12,000 | 50,000 | 70,000 | 100,000 | 145,000 |
| 12,001-14,000 | 55,000 | 77,000 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
| 14,001-20,000 | 70,000 | 94,000 | 130,000 | 190,000 |
| 20,001-25,000 | 90,000 | 112,000 | 145,000 | 220,000 |
| 25,001-29,000 | 110,000 | 135,000 | 160,000 | 250,000 |
| 29,001-34,000 | 130,000 | 160,000 | 190,000 | 290,000 |
| 34,001-50,000 | 150,000 | 180,000 | 210,000 | 330,000 |
Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart. The program’s search engine has improved recently, however, you’ll still want to leverage other Oneworld partner websites to search for flights. The Japan Airlines partner award chart determines the mileage required based on the distance of the total award itinerary of each segment and the cabin class.
Use the British Airways or Qantas websites to search for Oneworld award flights, confirming that same availability on the Japan Airlines website, and then booking the flight. If you’re unable to confirm availability on the Japan Airlines website, you can call the airline at 800-525-3663.
Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for both Oneworld and Emirates round-trip flights to Italy:
| Partner | Cabin Class | Miles | Taxes and Fees |
| Oneworld | Economy | 50,000-70,000 | $55+ |
| Business | 85,000-115,000 | $55+ | |
| Emirates | Economy | 45,000-47,000 | $113 |
| Business | 63,000-85,000 | $1,132 | |
| First | 120,000-165,000 | $1,132 |
Hot Tip: Need help booking this award? Here’s a step-by-step guide to booking Emirates business class.
Here are some examples of flights that you can book with Japan Airlines miles:
- New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) — Emirates
- Philadelphia (PHL) to Rome (FCO) — American Airlines
- Chicago (ORD) to Venice (VCE) — American Airlines (seasonal)
Earning JAL Miles
While not impossible, Japan Airlines miles are difficult to earn. Many airline programs have either co-branded credit cards with sizable sign-up bonuses or multiple transferable point program partners. JAL lacks in both areas.
The main way in the U.S. to earn Japan Airlines miles is by transferring Marriott points to Japan Airlines. For every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive 5,000 bonus miles.
For example, 60,000 Marriott points becomes 25,000 Japan Airlines miles. Before transferring Marriott points, keep in mind that points transfer at a 3:1 ratio and can take 7 days to transfer.
Recommended Marriott Cards
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card - Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Get automatic silver elite status each account anniversary year; and a free night award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Plus, earn up to 17X points per $1 at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases. Annual Fee is $95. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card - Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Earn up to 14X points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, earn 2X on other travel purchases, then 1x on all other purchases. A solid card for Marriott loyalists looking for a no-annual-fee card offering Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Earn 6x per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels plus 3x at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines. Annual Fee is $450. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 of eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. This is a solid card for business owners who will get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy silver elite status. Annual fee is $125. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, click here. |
Bottom Line: Even after Japan Airlines’ November 2018 devaluation, the Mileage Bank program has value. Competitive award prices for Oneworld economy and business class flights makes this a program to keep in mind for flights to Italy.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific is another Oneworld member airline with redemption opportunities to Italy. The Asia Miles program uses a distance-based award chart when flying Cathay Pacific or its Oneworld airline partners.
Book Awards With Cathay Pacific
Asia Miles Standard Award
| Cabin Class | Asia Miles Required by Distance Zone (One-Way) | |||||
| Ultra-Short | Short | Medium | Long-Type 1 | Long-Type 2 | Ultra-Long | |
| 1-750 miles | 751-2,750 miles | 2,751-5,000 miles | 5,001-7,500 miles | 5,001-7,500 miles | 7,501+ miles | |
| Economy | 7,500 | 10,000 | 22,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 42,000 |
| Premium Economy | 11,000 | 18,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 | 60,000 |
| Business | 16,000 | 25,000 | 45,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 | 85,000 |
| First | 25,000 | 40,000 | 70,000 | 100,000 | 110,000 | 125,000 |
Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart
| Award Zone | Distance in actual miles | Required Miles | ||
| Economy | Business Class | First Class | ||
| 1 | 0-1,000 | 30,000 | 55,000 | 70,000 |
| 2 | 1,001 – 1,500 | 30,000 | 60,000 | 80,000 |
| 3 | 1,501 – 2,000 | 35,000 | 65,000 | 90,000 |
| 4 | 2,001 – 4,000 | 35,000 | 70,000 | 95,000 |
| 5 | 4,001 – 7,500 | 60,000 | 90,000 | 140,000 |
| 6 | 7,501 – 9,000 | 65,000 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| 7 | 9,001 – 10,000 | 70,000 | 110,000 | 160,000 |
| 8 | 10,001 – 14,000 | 90,000 | 135,000 | 220,000 |
| 9 | 14,001 – 18,000 | 100,000 | 155,000 | 250,000 |
| 10 | 18,001 – 20,000 | 105,000 | 165,000 | 260,000 |
| 11 | 20,001 – 25,000 | 115,000 | 185,000 | 280,000 |
| 12 | 25,001 – 35,000 | 130,000 | 210,000 | 300,000 |
| 13 | 35,001 – 50,000 | 150,000 | 240,000 | 345,000 |
For Oneworld flights to Europe, Cathay Pacific uses distance-based award charts. If you’re flying a Oneworld partner to Italy, you’ll add 5,000 miles to the Asia Miles Standard Award Chart rate. If you’re flying 2 Oneworld airline partners to Italy, you’ll use the Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart. The number of miles is determined by the distance and cabin class of your award flight.
Search for British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia award availability on the British Airways or Qantas websites, confirm the same availability on the Cathay Pacific website, and then book the flight.
If you’re wanting to search for American Airlines’ flights, you’ll need to search for American Airlines award availability on the British Airways or Qantas websites, and then call Cathay Pacific at 866-892-2598 to confirm availability and book the flight.
Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for Oneworld round-trip flights to Italy:
| Cabin Class | Oneworld | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 54,000-70,000 | $55-$72 |
| Business Class | 90,000-140,000 | $55-$72 |
| First Class | 150,000-220,000 | $885* |
*First class only on transatlantic segment
Hot Tip: Need help booking this award? Here’s a fantastic step-by-step guide to booking American Airlines business class.
Here are some examples of Oneworld flights that you can book with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles:
- New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) — American
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Helsinki (HEL) to Milan (MXP) — Finnair
- Miami (MIA) to Madrid (MAD) to Milan (MXP) — Iberia
- Charlotte (CLT) to London (LHR) to Venice (VCE) — British Airways
Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Earning Asia Miles is made easier by the fact that Cathay Pacific partners with 3 transferable point programs in American Express, Chase, and Marriott. Cathay Pacific also has a co-branded credit card that offers a solid sign-up bonus.
If you’re looking to transfer points from 1 of these programs, keep in mind the transfer ratios and transfer times. American Express points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 24 hours at a 3:1 ratio.
With that said, Amex and Chase points are more valuable since they transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
| The Platinum Card® from American Express - There's currently a new welcome bonus offer of This is our #1 card for accessing 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass (enrollment required). We leverage ~$3,000+ in benefits and perks from the card every year. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. |
| American Express® Gold Card - This card has a new welcome bonus of We love using this card as it earns 4x points at Restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery, plus, earn 4X points for Uber Eats purchases too, and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x. Terms Apply). There's no better card in our opinion if you eat out and/or shop at supermarkets regularly; and you'll have access to many benefits and perks. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here. |
Recommended American Express Cards (Business)
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Right now, there's a new welcome bonus of See how we get $4,000+ in value per year by leveraging many of the benefits & perks, including access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide. For rates & fees of the Business Platinum, click here. |
| American Express® Business Gold Card - one of our favorite Amex business cards because we earn 4x points across the top 2 select categories that we spend the most money in each month, such as Facebook or Google ads. The 4x points applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year. After that, you earn 1x. Terms Apply. The current welcome bonus is 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. For rates and fees of the Business Gold, click here. |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express - A super simple, no annual fee card that earns you 2x points on everyday business purchase, up to $50,000 annually. After that, then 1x. That makes for an easy 100,000 points per year. For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus, click here. |
Bottom Line: The Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program has a ton of moving parts. With its many award charts and the challenge of booking airline partners online, review the award charts and running award searches to familiarize yourself with the award pricing.
Korean Air SKYPASS
Korean Air’s SkyTeam airline partner award pricing for flights to Europe is one of the most competitive you’ll find. With Delta and Alitalia providing transatlantic flights, the SKYPASS program opens up value with your Korean Air miles.
Book Awards With Korean Air
| Route | Economy | Business Class | First Class |
| North America – North America | 25,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 |
| North America – Central America | 35,000 | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| North America – South America | 50,000 | 110,000 | 110,000 |
| North America – Europe | 50,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 |
| North America – Middle East, Africa | 80,000 | 120,000 | 160,000 |
| North America – Asia 1 | 80,000 | 140,000 | 180,000 |
| North America – Asia 2 | 90,000 | 155,000 | 200,000 |
| North America – Asia 3 | 100,000 | 170,000 | 230,000 |
| North America – Oceania | 110,000 | 185,000 | 260,000 |
Korean Air uses a zone-based award chart for its SkyTeam partner airline flights. This means that all SkyTeam flights between North America and Europe, regardless of the departing U.S. city, will require the same number of Korean Air miles.
For example, Delta flights between Atlanta (ATL) and Amsterdam (AMS) or Detroit (DTW) and Rome (FCO) will cost you the same number of miles.
Search for SkyTeam partner airline flights on the Delta or Flying Blue (Air France or KLM) websites. When you find a flight that works, confirm the same award availability on the Korean Air website, and then book the flight. Another option is to locate award availability via the Delta or Flying Blue websites, and then call Korean Air at 800-438-5000 to book the flight.
Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for round-trip SkyTeam flights to Italy:
| Cabin Class | SkyTeam | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 50,000 | ~$461+ |
| Business Class | 80,000 | ~$461+ |
Hot Tip: Need help booking this award? Here’s our step-by-step guide to booking Delta business class.
If you’re looking to book a trip to Italy, below are some examples of SkyTeam flights to Italy that you can book with Korean Air miles:
- Miami (MIA) to Madrid (MAD) to Milan (MXP) — Air Europa
- Washington (IAD) to Paris (CDG) to Venice (VCE) — Air France
- Detroit (DTW) to Rome (FCO) — Delta
- Chicago (ORD) to Amsterdam (AMS) to Milan (MXP) — KLM
Earning Korean Air Miles
Korean Air has 1 transferable point partner in Marriott Bonvoy. In addition, Korean Air offers a co-branded credit card with a material sign-up bonus. For those looking to transfer Marriott points to Korean Air, the transfer time takes 7 days at a 3:1 ratio.
Bottom Line: Redemptions with the Korean Air SKYPASS program were made more challenging with the elimination of Chase as a transfer partner. As such, Marriott Bonvoy points are the primary way to earn points that can be transferred to Korean Air for an award flight.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic is a niche program that can be utilized for flights to Italy. Virgin Atlantic is not in an airline alliance and instead has individual partnerships with airlines. What’s great about this is that you can sometimes find out-sized value that you won’t find in an airline that’s a member of 1 of the 3 major airline alliances.
Book Awards With Virgin Atlantic
| Delta Round-Trip | ||||
| Route | Delta Main Cabin | Taxes and Fees | Business / First | Taxes and Fees |
| U.S. to Europe | 60,000 | $54+ | 100,000 | $54+ |
| Delta Round-Trip | ||||
| Route (to/from UK) | Delta Main Cabin | Taxes and Fees | Delta One | Taxes and Fees |
| US East Coast (BOS, JFK,PHL) | 20,000 | $526 | 90,000 | $1,288 |
| US Central (ATL,DTW, MSP) | 25,000 | $526 | 95,000 | $1,288 |
| US West Coast (PDX,SLC) | 30,000 | $526 | 135,000 | $1,288 |
| Standard season travel dates: April 17 to June 21, 2018, and September 7 to December 12, 2019. | ||||
| Air New Zealand Round-Trip | ||||
| Route | Economy | Taxes and Fees | Business Class | Taxes and Fees |
| Los Angeles – London | 50,000 | $349 | 155,000 | $349 |
You’ll use a zone-based award chart when flying Delta or Air New Zealand with Virgin Points. For Delta flights, the closer to Europe from the U.S. that you fly from, the fewer miles you’ll need. Air New Zealand only flies 1 route, so the amount of miles is either 55,000 for economy or 155,000 for business class.
Search for Delta flights on the Virgin Atlantic website, and then book the flight. If you’re not able to book the flight online, call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book the flight. You’ll use the United website to search for Air New Zealand flights. When you find a flight that works, call Virgin Atlantic to book the flight.
Here are the redemption rates and an estimate of the taxes and fees for round-trip Air New Zealand and Delta flights to Italy:
| Cabin Class | Air New Zealand and Delta | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 20,000-60,000 | $461+ |
| Business | 90,000-155,000 | $461+ |
Hot Tip: Redeeming Virgin Points to fly on Delta will work best if you’re flying non-stop. If your itinerary requires a connecting flight or stopover, you will be charged additional miles for each segment.
Earning Virgin Points
Virgin Atlantic partners with 4 transferable point programs in American Express, Citi, Chase, and Marriott. The airline also has a co-branded credit card with a decent sign-up bonus.
For those wanting to transfer points from Amex, Citi, Chase, and/or Marriott, it’s important to know the transfer times and ratios.
American Express points transfer in 1-2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Citi points transfer in 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 24 hours at a 3:1 ratio.
In short, Chase tends to get you the most value given the 1:1 ratio. Here are some Chase cards that earn transferable miles:
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - This is our favorite beginners travel rewards card, which is currently offering a 80,000 point bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening. The card earns 2x points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. With offering other travel benefits such as excellent travel insurance coverage and no foreign transaction fees, this card is a very rewarding Chase credit card. |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card - This premium card will get you access to 1,300+ airport lounges. as well as a number of other card benefits. The current sign up bonus is 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll also get a $300 travel credit per year which wipes away a big chunk of the $550 annual fee. As an extra bonus, until 12/31/21, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit. Earn big with this card, earn 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit, earn 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out, then 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® card - A fantastic, no annual fee card that earns you a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in your first 3 months. Earn 5% cash-back on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases, but you won't get any travel benefits with this card. |
Recommended Chase Cards (Business)
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card - this is our #1 recommended business card and right now comes with a 100,000 sign up bonus after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. This bonus is worth $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Pay your cell phone bill with this card to receive up to $600 in cell phone insurance coverage per year; as well as a number of other benefits. Earn 3x on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year, plus 1x on all other purchases — with no limit to the amount you can earn. All for an annual fee of $95. |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card - Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening This no annual fee business card earns up to 5% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, plus 2% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary. |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card - Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back rewards on every purchase made for your business. Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. There's no annual fee. |
Bottom Line: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Virgin Points are easy to earn. By partnering with 4 programs and having credit cards that earn Virgin Points with your credit card spend, you’ll have more than enough miles for your next award flight.
Etihad Guest
The Etihad Guest program is one that you can use if you’re looking to fly select airline partners to Italy. Etihad is not a member of an airline alliance. Instead, it has individual partnerships similar to Virgin Atlantic. With that said, you can use Etihad miles to book award flights on American Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc.
Book Awards With Etihad Guest
| American Airlines Round-Trip | ||||
| Region | North America | |||
| Economy Off-Peak | Economy Peak | Business Class | First Class | |
| Europe | 40,000 | 60,000 | 100,000 | 125,000 |
| Economy Off-Peak: May 15 to October 15. | ||||
| Brussels Airlines Round-Trip | |||
| Origin | Destination | Economy | Business |
| New York (JFK) | Brussels | 54,000 | 88,000 |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Brussels | 54,000 | 88,000 |
| Washington (IAD) | Brussels | 54,000 | 88,000 |
| Brussels Airlines Round-Trip | |||
| Origin | Destination | Economy | Business Class |
| Brussels | Milan (MXP) | 10,000 | 18,000 |
| Brussels | Rome (FCO) | 14,000 | 24,000 |
| Brussels | Venice (VCE) | 14,000 | 24,000 |
| Royal Air Maroc One-Way | ||
| Distance Travelled | Economy | Business Class |
| 2,001 and above | 22,000 | 44,000 |
Etihad uses a zone-based award chart for American Airlines and Brussels Airlines and a distance-based award for Royal Air Maroc. The Etihad website doesn’t allow you to book these partner flights online, so you’ll need to find space elsewhere and then call Etihad Guest at +1-0-877-690-0767 to book the flight.
Use the British Airways or Qantas websites to search for American Airlines award flights. Brussels Airlines flights can be found by searching on the United website. For those looking to fly Royal Air Maroc, search for flights using Expert Flyer or call Etihad Guest to search for the award flight.
The taxes and fees should be close to those shown in the chart below, but confirm with Etihad Guest over the phone.
| Cabin Class | American Airlines* | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 40,000-60,000 | $55-$72 |
| Business | 100,000 | $55-$72 |
*Non-stop only flights
| Cabin Class | Brussels Airlines** | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 64,000-68,000 | $178+ |
| Business | 106,000-112,000 | $178+ |
**Requires 2 separate award flights
| Cabin Class | Royal Air Maroc | Taxes and Fees |
| Economy | 44,000 | $476 |
| Business | 88,000 | $476 |
Hot Tip: Etihad is a program to use if you’re familiar with booking award flights. The inability to search for and book award flights on the Etihad website makes redeeming award flights with its airline partners more challenging.
Here are some examples of flights that you can book with Etihad Guest miles:
- Philadelphia (PHL) to Rome (FCO) — American
- New York (JFK) to Brussels (BRU) to Milan (MXP) — Brussels Airlines
- Washington (IAD) to Casablanca (CMN) to Venice (VCE) — Royal Air Maroc
Earning Etihad Guest Miles
Etihad makes it relatively easy to earn its miles by partnering with 4 transferable point programs in American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott. The airline doesn’t offer a credit card for the U.S. market, so earning points that can be transferred directly to Etihad is the best way to earn Etihad miles.
For those looking to transfer points to Etihad, it’s helpful to know the transfer times and transfer ratios. American Express points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One points transfers take 36 hours at a 2:1.5 ratio, Citi point transfers take 6 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.
We recommend transferring American Express points first for your next award flight.
Bottom Line: Etihad is an under-the-radar program providing value if you know where to look. Its partnerships with American Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc are great to leverage if you’re looking to fly from the U.S. to Europe.
Final Thoughts
Italy is a country that has a rich history and offers tons of diverse experiences. From the mountainous regions in the north to the vineyards in Tuscany to the beautiful coastal cities in the south — Italy has it all!
The key to getting to experience the country is knowing how best to leverage your points and miles with the programs that offer the best redemptions. With several programs at your disposal, you have more than enough ways to fly in a cabin class that makes sense for you.
What may be noticeably absent from this article is the ability to fly on an award ticket from the U.S. to Europe, and then buy a ticket on a low-cost carrier from that city to Italy. This is certainly an option too — and one that we recommend if you don’t mind a connection and spending a small amount of cash on a cheap flight.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Unlimited® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
I looked on Delta’s website & it doesn’t show availability nor options for LAX-FCO direct on Alitalia. It is also showing 280k miles just one way on Delta with stops in DTW. How would I check availability & how many miles it’d be to fly direct LAX-FCO?
Hi Aleks
Delta or Flying Blue (KLM / Air France) will be the best sites to use to check SkyTeam availability.
Korean Air charges 50k RT in economy and 80k RT in business class for SkyTeam (Delta, Alitalia) flights to Europe.
I have approx 14,000 miles on Delta but over 180,000 points to transfer from my Chase Sapphire credit card. Which is the best airline to book 3 coach tickets for next September?
Hi Arlyne,
Where exactly are you hoping to travel to?
Headed to Florence in October from the North East USA –
I have tons of Amex Points – I want to use them to cover the flights
Two questions:
1. What is the best city to fly into (I don’t like connections)
2. If you could chose your favorite airline to fly first class, which would you pick? And – Is there a path from Amex points to that airline?
Rich,
1. For nonstop flights, Rome is the easiest city to fly into, followed by Milan.
2. First class doesn’t exist on flights to Italy with the exception of New York City (JFK) – Milan (MXP) on Emirates first class.
I’d recommend you start your search early.
However, if you feel like you’d get value from an ultra-personalized points wealth management and travel concierge to to truly optimize your points and miles, please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] to inquire about a monthly subscription service.