Why the Olympics Are Worth Traveling For

No matter what team you’re cheering for, here’s how you can start planning for Milan Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028. In the meantime, you’ll find us glued to the screen watching the 2024 Paris Paralympics from Aug 28, 2024 to Sep 8, 2024.

How to start planning for the next Olympics

Where

Over the next decade, the Olympic circuit will travel to Milan in 2026; Los Angeles in 2028; the French Alps in 2030; Brisbane in 2032; and Salt Lake City in 2034.

For the 2026 Winter Olympics, most events will be held in the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a ski resort town in the Italian Alps’ Dolomites. There will also be events in Verona, Livigno, Bormio, Tesero, Predazzo, and Anterselva. The opening ceremony is scheduled at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, while the closing ceremony is set to be held at Verona Arena.

When the Games come stateside for the 2028 Summer Olympics, events will be held in Downtown LA, Pacific Palisades, San Fernando Valley, USC, Long Beach, Temecula, and Carson. But in a rare move, Oklahoma City will host the Olympic softball events and the canoe slalom.

When

Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo: February 6-22, 2026

Ticket sales begin February 2025. From June 2024 to January 2025, fans can sign up for the ticket draw to hold your place in a digital line. All you have to do is wait for an email to confirm your purchasing slot time.

Los Angeles: July 14- 30, 2028

It has not yet been announced when tickets will officially go on sale, but they usually begin one year in advance of the Games.

How

The most hassle-free way to plan an Olympics trip is with an official On Location hospitality package. These packages include priority access to tickets, accommodations, and access to the event hospitality lounges. For Milano Cortina 2026, these go on sale in November 2024. To have first-pick of the tickets before the packages go on sale to the general public, you can pay a fully refundable deposit of €200 through September 30, 2024. If you change your mind the deposit will be refunded and if you don’t, your deposit will be deducted from your selected package costs.

As for flights, a handful of airlines have direct routes between the US (departing from New York City and Chicago) and Milan. These include: Delta, United, American, Emirates, Italian carrier Neos, and the all-business class airline La Compagnie. Airlines typically open their booking windows 11 months in advance (though that isn’t always when the best deal is available).

If you want to fly with the athletes themselves, Delta is Team USA’s official airline, meaning they will manage travel for all US Olympic and Paralympic athletes for the upcoming Winter and Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan and Los Angeles. During the Games, some of their planes also feature fun on-theme perks like special livery design and Olympics-themed entertainment—on my Delta One flight to Paris, I watched the 1980 US Olympic hockey team clinch gold in Miracle to really get in the patriotic spirit.