Thinking of taking a chance and flying to Italy? You may want to reconsider. 

Five American travelers flew via a private jet from Colorado to Cagliari Airport in Sardinia, hoping to avoid the European Union’s regulations and enter Italy. Since July 1st, the EU has banned U.S. travelers from entering because of high COVID-19 rates.  Despite taking an alternate route, the U.S. travelers were denied entry into Italy. The travelers were also with people from Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, who are allowed to enter the country. 

An airport spokesperson told CNN that airport authorities tried to find a solution for the American travelers but since the European ban was set in place, they could not grant them entry. 

The group of travelers spent about 14 hours deciding on what they should do after being denied entry and decided to fly to Birmingham, England. The UK is allowing American travelers to enter as long as they self-quarantine for a period of 14 days after arriving. 

Once COVID-19 cases go down in the U.S., entry into Europe could be granted again. The EU updates its list of approved countries every two weeks.