Never been to Europe: Flight from Chicago to Rome timing

I generally try to give myself a recovery day after overnight travel. I sleep poorly on planes. Sometimes that has not been practical and I've joined a tour tired and draggy. I found my memories of the initial day foggy. While I still had a good time, coming a day early works best for me.

Happy travels!

I always plan on arriving at least a day before a tour. You'll be jetlagged and likely not enjoy your first evening with the group if you arrive the morning of.
If you can swing it, a Sunday evening flight would be even better, and give you some leeway in case of flight issues.

Which tour specifically are you going on (Best of Rome, Heart of Italy, South Italy)? That for me would determine how much time to spend in Rome ahead of the tour. If it's a Rome focused tour, I might fly into another city (Venice or Florence) a few days ahead before going to Rome. If it's another tour then one or two days early to cover things in Roma that the tour doesn't, jet lag recovery, and extra time to eat gelato.

Without question, you should plan to go a minimum of one day early (so leave June 16, arrive June 17). I've been on 5 RS tours and have witnessed plenty of people snooze through the welcome meeting and dinner because they arrived the day the tour started. Also have been on tours where people had flight drama and missed the first day or two of the tour.

You didn't ask, but depending on where your tour ends, you might also want to tack on a day or two on the end of your tour to explore that place. You're lucky that you are flying from a major airport that will have plenty of flight options.

Which tour are you going on? Saying you're going on his "European" tour doesn't help as all his tours are European.

Flights from Chicago to Italy will be overnight flights so you will arrive the day after you leave. (Rome is seven hours ahead of Chicago.)

Like others have said, arriving a day or two early is best. My suggestion, if you can, fly out of Chicago on Sunday, June 15, arrive in Rome on June 16 and change your hotel reservations to two nights June 16 & 17. This way you are covered if there are delays or you get a bad case of jet lag.

A Best of Europe in 14 days tour starts on June 18.

I'd book a flight for Sunday departure arriving on Monday if you have the time. At minimum arrive Tuesday. Definitely do not wait to arrive on Wednesday. If you are joining a Rick Steves tour, you should have the name of your hotel and you can make a reservation to add extra days at the same hotel as where your tour begins.

If you do make reservations at the first hotel on the tour, check to make sure you make a reservation for the same room type as the tour so you don't havae to change rooms.

We also fly from Chicago and the flights always land in the morning. Under no circumstances book a tour the day of arrival. I am sure you are far younger than we are, but even back in the day we often were hit pretty hard by exhaustion from no sleep that first day and then jet lag the second day. AND sometimes things go wrong and planes are late. We had a plane come in 6 hours late once when we had to turn back to offload a disruptive passenger in Gander. Stuff happens. Never plan a tight arrival when you have something like a tour which departs whether you are there or not and then you have the hassle of catching up while exhausted.

I'd arrive two days ahead and plan a leisurely first day with a good night's sleep and then do something the next day not planned in the tour.

Welcome! How exciting to be going to Europe for the first time.

Fly out Sunday to arrive in Rome on Monday. I don't know how RS tours work, but contact them about your plans and see if they can help you book a room for the early arrival. It would be great to stay in the same room you'll be in for the start of the tour.

We prefer to push through on the day of arrival, staying up until normal bed time. We acclimate to the time change better that way.

Even when I traveled for business, I never arrived the day of meetings, usually allowing at least the day before for recovery, and if possible, two days before.

As for flight timing, yes, nearly all flights will get you there in the morning if you are flying direct to Rome from the US, with a connection in Europe, you could get there in the afternoon, but that just means time sitting in an airport.

I like to arrive somewhere late morning. That gives me time to get to my hotel, leave my bags if they do not have a room yet, then head out for lunch or a snack, and onto some activity for the afternoon, preferably outside. Arriving at 6 or 7 in the morning makes for a very long day, and I find a bit harder to adjust over the next few days.

I'd definitely fly out Sunday night (arriving in Rome Monday morning) to avoid any problems with flight delays. There's plenty to see in Rome, so Monday afternoon and Tuesday wouldn't be wasted days. (Is there such thing as a wasted day in Rome? I lived there for two years and still find new things to see when I return!)

We live in Chicago and all of the Tues June 17 flights seem to get us there on Wednesday morning.

Then take a Monday flight.

Most Chicago ORD flights to Europe are overnight, arriving the morning after one leaves ORD.

One exception that I happily take advantage of is destination London - generally some options for a flight leaving ORD daytime and arriving LHR night of the same day.

I'm happy to take note of other exceptions from ORD. I hate the overnight flights...........

Based on your title to this post, I suggest that you depart Chicago on Sunday in order to give yourselves time to "catch your breath". Nothing like getting things to slow down before starting your tour.

At least the day before. 2 days is better

The tour starts Wed. Would it be best to book a flight Monday evening which arrives Tues morning? Help!

That would be better than arriving the day the tour starts.

As others have suggested, if it is possible, take a Sunday PM departure to arrive Monday AM. Gives you time to get your body clock synchronized to where you are and see some things not included with the tour.

Presumably you are on this tour (?)- "Best of Europe in 14 Days Tour"