I've read other posts -- but I must be thick as I still don't know the answer!

Within 24 hours of arrival for antigen test
So take the test on Saturday morning

There's a 6-hour time difference between the US east coast and Italy. You are scheduled to land in Italy at 7:40 AM on Sunday, which is 1:40 AM on Sunday in the US. You need to test no more than 24 hours before arrival, so not before 7:40 AM Saturday Italian time, which is 1:40 AM Saturday in the US. So you need to test the day of departure, but not before 1:40 AM.

acraven's answer is excellent. I wanted to mention that I would do a proctored home test that you order in advance. It only takes about 20 minutes and you get instant results.

Thank you all -- especially Acraven for that detailed explanation that I actually understood. I agree that the home proctored test seems to be the way to go. Did I read correctly that the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test is accepted in Italy?

I may be facing the same situation in April (though with United rather than Delta), so I look forward to hearing some real-world results of your encounter with the airline employees.

acraven-
United lists the Abbott Binax test kit in their Travel Ready Center and provides a link to purchase so they better accept it!
https://store.optum.com/shop/category/tests-devices/covid-19-home-tests/

I’ll need end of April and wanted to order this week to be sure to have but they are actually out of stock right now at link United provides

I wanted to point out that as of 1/15/2022 private health insurance is required to cover the cost of home Covid test kits. (or at least a certain amount per test). Save your receipts and submit them to your health insurance company.

Thank you for this post, I was feeling the same way. Now I understand the confusion. U.S. rules state one thing, Italy another. But we have to go by Italy’s.

Plus, we need the expensive binax tests, correct? The ones that say “emed proctored” or something to that effect. We will need to take ours after 2:00 am the day of our departure, and leave our home at about 9:00 am for the airport. I’m concerned CVS won’t be doing them early in the morning like 7, so will probably have to go that route.

I wish Italy would just do the 24 hour before departure. Would make life so much easier.

Aimee, aren’t the PCR expensive? Now, those can be 72 hours before arrival? And..you have to go someplace to have it done, correct?

We took the proctored antigen test at home for a cruise in early January. Be warned, it took us 7 hours to complete registration, get a proctor and complete the test. This was two days before the cruise and was very stressful. There was more than a few people on the ship that had the same experience. You might want to order an extra test to “practice” the whole process ahead of time if you aren’t a tech expert with newer tech phones/computers. My iPhone 6 was too old to use. The test went smoothly once we hooked up with the proctor. Print out the results as a backup proof of results. Note: it was great to finally get in a trip, just have to be ready to accept changing rules.

Thanks, Aimee. I’m starting to finally figure this all out. The PCR can be 72 hours out, though, correct?

just to follow up, yes there are two types of BINAX tests make sure you are getting the one you need. Rule of thumb, the proctored one is going to be the expensive one.

Thanks Phred. I need to write this all out so I don’t forget!

Lulu, instead of writing this all down, bookmark the topic on the forum. I also have sites bookmarked in topic folders on my google browser for quick reference.

Great idea! I just did that.

We went to Italy in November and we had the same timeframe questions. We flew United and on their app they told us exactly to the minute when we would be within the timeframe to take our test. I believe it was 72 hours before the flight was scheduled to leave Newark for Rome. The point being that the airlines has your back on this because everyone onboard the flight was required to have that test.