FLEET - ITA Airways (Italy) CEO Jorg Eberhart plans on adding more aircraft to the fleet within the next four years, growing the intercontinental fleet from 23 to 30 aircraft — all expected to be A350-900s.

Photo: Duncan Stewart - EI-IFC

Lufthansa exercises option to acquire a majority stake in ITA Airways

Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s stake in ITA Airways is set to increase by 49 percent to 90 percent
Second block of shares to be acquired for 325 million euros
Completion of the majority acquisition expected in the first quarter of 2027
ITA Airways is already firmly integrated into the Lufthansa Group as its fifth network airline in many areas

The Deutsche Lufthansa AG will exercise its option to acquire a majority stake in ITA Airways in June of this year. This will increase its stake from 41 to 90 percent. The Supervisory Board approved this decision by the Lufthansa Executive Board at its meeting yesterday.

The acquisition of the additional 49 percent stake will take place at a previously agreed purchase price of 325 million euros. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, primarily from the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Following this, ITA Airways will be fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group, both organizationally and financially.

Since 17 January 2025, Deutsche Lufthansa AG has held a 41 percent stake in ITA Airways as a minority shareholder. Upon the conclusion of the purchase agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) in June 2023, an annually recurring option for Deutsche Lufthansa AG to acquire an additional 49 percent stake in ITA Airways was agreed upon. This option is now being exercised along with the accompanying acquisition of a majority stake in the Italian flagship carrier. The seller is the MEF, which will initially continue to hold the remaining 10 percent of the shares in ITA Airways. In 2028, this tranche may also be acquired by Lufthansa.

Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group and Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said at today’s Annual General Meeting:
“Following the acquisition of the first 41 percent stake in ITA Airways last year, we promised the fastest airline integration in our history. We aimed to complete all major integration steps into the Lufthansa Group within just 18 months.

We have not only kept this promise. We were even faster: All customer-facing interfaces are already integrated today—with the exception of North Atlantic flights, where, as is well known, regulatory approval for our merger is still pending.

Passengers already experience ITA Airways as an integrated part of the Lufthansa Group. With unified booking, sales, and fare systems, the Miles and More frequent flyer program, Star Alliance membership, and access to our global network of premium lounges.

Integration is also progressing in the cargo business. Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has been marketing ITA Airways’ cargo capacity, which alone corresponds to the additional capacity of three Boeing 777 freighters. In light of this success story, we decided to exercise our option to acquire an additional 49 percent stake as early as June of this year.”

 

ITA AIRWAYS / A330-900NEO / EI-HJN

Photo: Duncan Stewart - LAX
 

ROUTES - ITA Airways will introduce three new routes from Rome Fiumicino to Mykonos, Alicante and Trapani starting July 2026.

Photo: Paul Bannwarth - ZRH

ITA Airways Joins Star Alliance

Star Alliance welcomes Italy’s flag carrier, further enabling seamless journeys for customers worldwide.

Star Alliance officially welcomed ITA Airways as its newest member, marking the completion of the Italian carrier’s integration into the world’s largest airline alliance.

ITA Airways marked its entry into the Alliance during a ceremony held at the Piazza di Spagna Lounge, Rome Fiumicino Airport Terminal 3. The ceremony was presided over by ITA Airways Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Joerg Eberhart, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Theo Panagiotoulias, and Lufthansa Group Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx, in the presence of media and institutional guests.

Starting April 1, ITA Airways will be fully connected into the Alliance’s global network, linking its Rome Fiumicino hub and Milan Linate airport, served by 17 Star Alliance members collectively, with more than 1,150 destinations worldwide. Customers travelling across the network can now benefit from through check-in, reciprocal frequent flyer recognition and access to Star Alliance lounges, creating a more seamless customer experience, in and out of Italy.

Celebrating the milestone, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Theo Panagiotoulias said: “On behalf of our members, I am delighted to welcome ITA Airways as the 26th member of Star Alliance. This is the result of a focused and collaborative integration effort. With ITA Airways on board, we not only expand our network to and from Italy, but also elevate the connected experience of our customers when travelling across multiple airlines, through access to the world’s largest network of airport lounges, more comprehensive loyalty benefits, and other benefits like baggage tracking - all designed to enhance the journey at every step.”

 Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, said: “Joining Star Alliance marks a historic milestone for ITA Airways and a defining step in our growth. By becoming part of the world’s largest and most established global airline network, we significantly expand our international reach while offering our passengers a more seamless, consistent and high-quality travel experience, with access to over 1,150 destinations worldwide, smoother connections, integrated services and a stronger premium proposition. At the same time, we enter Star Alliance bringing with us our distinctive Italian identity, enriching the Alliance and reinforcing ITA Airways’ role in connecting Italy with the world, combining global standards of excellence with the warmth and elegance that define the Italian way of flying.”


ITA Airways’ induction into the Alliance has been mentored by the Lufthansa Group, and expert teams across the group airlines have facilitated an intense integration programme over the last several months.

Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of Lufthansa Group, said: “The Star Alliance membership is only possible thanks to the strong commitment and close collaboration of dedicated teams at ITA Airways, Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance. We are pleased to introduce ITA Airways as fully fledged hub airline into the Lufthansa Group and into the Alliance, expanding options for travellers across Europe and the world. Together, ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group, are unlocking a joint value proposition that will benefit our customers, our partners, and the Star Alliance ecosystem.”

ITA Airways, which flies over 16 million customers every year, adds more than 350 daily flights to the Alliance network, supported by a strong domestic and regional footprint. The addition expands travel options across Italy and Europe, while improving connectivity between Southern Europe and key international markets.

As part of its membership, eligible customers can enjoy priority services, lounge access across the Alliance network, and reciprocal frequent flyer programme recognition, including earning and redeeming miles. Star Alliance Gold customers will also have access to ITA Airways lounges in Rome, Milan and Catania.

With the addition of ITA Airways, Star Alliance now comprises 26 member airlines, offering more than 17,500 daily flights across a global network spanning over 190 countries.

SPECIAL COLOURS - ITA Airways unveils special Olympic A320 livery for Milano Cortina

ITA Airways has unveiled a special Airbus A320 livery to mark the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, as part of its role as Official Airline Sponsor.

The A320-200, registered EI-DSY, has returned to commercial service repainted in the Olympic-themed livery and will operate across the carrier’s short- and medium-haul network. The livery features artwork by Italian illustrator Emiliano Ponzi and is intended to position the aircraft as a flying ambassador for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, integrating Games branding into ITA Airways’ daily operations.

Photos:ITA Airways

SPECIAL COLOURS - As the Official Airline of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, ITA Airways has introduced special liveries on two aircraft, the A320 Gustav Thoeni and A320neo Enrico Fabris, featuring illustrations of Olympic and Paralympic disciplines by illustrator Emiliano Ponzi.

These designs celebrate Italian winter sports legends and the games' spirit. 

Key Aspects of the 2026 Winter Olympics Initiative:

Special Livery: Two aircraft in the fleet are decorated with, or dedicated to, Winter Olympic and Paralympic themes and, in some cases, named after legends like Gustav Thöni and Enrico Fabris.

Design Elements: The designs represent various winter sports disciplines to celebrate the upcoming games.

Main Livery: The standard ITA Airways livery remains the Savoy Blue, a color chosen to represent the Italian national team, with a gold, white, and red logo.

Partnership Focus: The initiative highlights ITA's role as the official carrier and ambassador for Italian excellence in the 2026 Games. 

These special liveries, along with the "Inspired by Alitalia" branding appearing on some aircraft, aim to showcase Italian pride during the Winter Olympic season. 

 EI-DSY / Airbus A320-216

Photo:Radim Koblížka

ITA Airways (the Italian flag carrier) is in the process of joining the Star Alliance, with full membership expected in the first half of 2026, following its exit from SkyTeam in April 2025 as part of its acquisition by the Lufthansa Group. This transition brings Italy's national airline into the world's largest airline network, enhancing connectivity for travelers worldwide.

   

      

EI-EIB / Airbus A320-216

Photo: Radim Koblížka

 

FLEET - Italy's ITA Airways to fast-track four widebodies by 2027

ITA Airways (AZ, Rome Fiumicino) is working on a new, more ambitious fleet plan to fast-track the entry into service of four additional widebodies by 2027, CEO Jörg Eberhart said in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica.

Responding to union criticisms of ITA's current growth plan to add one long-haul aircraft per year for the next four years, Eberhart said management was finalising a new plan that would see two widebodies added in 2026 and two more in 2027, accelerating long-haul growth and targeting a fleet of 30 long-haul aircraft by 2030. He did not specify the aircraft types to be fast-tracked.

According to ch-aviation fleets data, ITA Airways awaits delivery of three more A330-900Ns and two A350-900s, which would take its widebody fleet to 30 aircraft. It already operates a widebody fleet of 25, namely five A330-200s, fourteen A330-900Ns, and six A350-900s.

Eberhart emphasised that long-haul operations from Rome Fiumicino will remain the backbone of ITA’s strategy. ITA is currently evaluating potential new transatlantic routes, including Rome-New York Newark, subject to regulatory approval of its A++ alliance with United Airlines, Air Canada, and Lufthansa. "We're waiting for a response from the authorities, confident they're working on it. We're confident they'll give us the green light by November 2026," he said.

Quizzed on ITA's appetite for long-haul expansion to Asia, he said: "The war in Ukraine and the Russian blockade of the skies are making Asia more distant: it's a coveted destination, but expensive and complicated. We'll fly more to Latin America and North America."

Eberhart confirmed that the carrier continues to face disruptions from Pratt & Whitney engine inspections, which, he said, had resulted in an average grounding of 18, with 15 still parked in 2026, and with damages estimated at EUR150 million euros (USD176 million).

The airline's narrowbody fleet comprises twelve A220-100s, eighteen A220-300s (with two more ordered), ten A319-100s, seventeen A320-200s, nineteen A320-200Ns (11 more to be delivered), and seven A321-200NX(LR)s (two more to be delivered).
CH Aviation / Photo: Duncan Stewart

 

ROUTES - ITA Airways eyes long-haul network expansion

ITA Airways (AZ, Rome Fiumicino) plans to expand its long-haul network as part of a new five-year business strategy extending through 2030. The Italian flag carrier is targeting new routes from Rome Fiumicino to North America, South America, Asia, and Africa, which will be fed by an expanding short-haul network.

The carrier intends to facilitate the growth by adding one new widebody aircraft each year, starting in 2026. "The fleet is expected to average around 100 aircraft, which by 2030 will be entirely composed of new-generation models," it announced.

The airline already operates 100 aircraft (of which 18 are currently inactive, ch-aviation data shows), although 32 units are of previous generations. All up, ITA's fleet comprises twelve A220-100s, thirteen A220-300s, ten A319-100s, seventeen A320-200s, nineteen A320-200N, seven A321-200NX(LR)s, five A330-200s, eleven A330-900Ns, and six A350-900. It expects the delivery of three A220-300s, eleven A320-200Ns, two A321-200NX(LR)s, six A330-900Ns, and two A350-900s, which will allow it to phase out the A320ceo and A330ceo.

ITA Airways is eying United Airlines hubs New York Newark and Houston Intercontinental for its future US expansion, while it also aims to strengthen cooperation with Aerolíneas Argentinas on the already operated Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini service, the newspaper Corriere della Sera reported in June citing unnamed industry sources.

The carrier is reportedly considering launching new services to Mumbai International, Singapore Changi, Osaka Kansai, hubs of Star Alliance members Air India, Singapore Airlines, and ANA - All Nippon Airways, respectively.

Corriere della Sera reported that Lagos and Abidjan are also on ITA's radar in terms of its African network. Currently, it serves Cairo International, Tunis, Algiers, Accra, and Dakar Blaise Diagne International on the continent, all with narrowbody aircraft.

ITA Airways wants to leverage synergies with the airlines in Lufthansa Group and become a member of Star Alliance in 2026. It also aims to enter the transatlantic A++ joint venture with Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Air Canada.

CH Aviation / Photo: K.C.Wong 

ROUTES - ITA Airways mulls new long-haul routes, seeks profit in 2027

ITA Airways (AZ, Rome Fiumicino) is considering adding new long-haul routes as it plans to achieve profitability in 2027, chief executive officer Joerg Eberhart said in the interview with the Corriere della Sera daily. The airline is evaluating five new long-haul routes, mainly to North America.

ITA is also keen on starting new services to Asia, but is facing difficulties due to the closure of the Russian airspace. "If we were to fly over the country [Russia] again, there would be some interesting destinations in Asia," Eberhart said.

ITA Airways plans to grow its long-haul network mainly from its hub in Rome Fiumicino as it believes that starting widebody operations in Milan Malpensa is currently not viable. Eberhart explained that ITA Airways needs to offer a robust feeder network out of Milan Malpensa if it wants to compete in the long-haul market in this city. "This is not feasible for a carrier like ours that only has a hundred or so planes," he added.

The CEO noted that the airline is also seeking better fleet utilisation, especially for narrowbody jets that were hit with engine issues. Eberhart said ITA Airways must strengthen two out of three daily flight waves at Rome Fiumicino by offering more long-haul connections. However, the carrier would need additional widebody aircraft if it wanted to grow in this market segment significantly.

"With more flights to the East or South Africa, we would also have more strength in the second and third wave... With more solid waves, the flight feeder network, the so-called 'feeding', also works much better. There is greater productivity."

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, ITA Airways currently operates 100 in-house aircraft, including twelve A220-100s, twelve A220-300s, ten A319-100s, eighteen A320-200s, nineteen A320-200Ns, seven A321-200NX(LR)s, five A330-200s, eleven A330-900Ns, and six A350-900s.

The company is also expecting deliveries of 26 jets - four A220-300s, twelve A320-200Ns, two A321-200NX(LR)s, six A330-900Ns, and two A350-900.
CH Aviation
Photo: K.C.Wong

ITA Airways Set to Start Integration into Star Alliance

Photo: Ton Jochems

ITA Airways has officially received approval to start the integration process into Star Alliance following a verdict by the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board (CEB). Building on its induction into the Lufthansa Group earlier this year, this decision paves the way for its much anticipated entry into the world's largest airline alliance. The onboarding process will now move at full throttle.
Celebrating the milestone, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Theo Panagiotoulias stated: "In early 2026, ITA Airways is expected to officially join the Star Alliance network as a full member. The decision by our Chief Executive Board underscores the strong confidence our members have in ITA Airways. As a gateway for Italy, its addition strengthens our global network, offering seamless and connected journeys to more travellers worldwide."
Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, said: "We are excited to join the Star Alliance network and to bring the excellence of Made in Italy into the alliance, further enhancing its global reach. This is a significant milestone in ITA Airways' growth, and we look forward to offering our customers the future privileges of the world's largest airline network."
ITA Airways will add 360 daily flights to the Alliance network, further strengthening the Alliance's footprint in the European region. The biggest growth will come from its home cities, especially Rome and Milan, which are currently served by 16 Star Alliance members collectively.
Leveraging their legacy within the Alliance, Lufthansa Group is mentoring ITA Airways through its integration journey into Star Alliance.
"I am proud that ITA Airways will become the fifth hub airline of the Lufthansa Group to join Star Alliance. As the mentor of the membership process, we will do our utmost to ensure a smooth and swift integration. ITA Airways' future membership will provide Star Alliance customers with many new opportunities for personalised travel planning. I am confident that ITA Airways will be an excellent addition to the Star Alliance portfolio," said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group.
Upon completing induction, the Star Alliance network will grow to 26 member airlines, offering over 18,000 daily flights connecting 192 countries.

 

FLEET - ITA Airways takes first A220-100

ITA Airways (AZ, Rome Fiumicino) has taken delivery of its first A220-100, deploying it into commercial service on the restricted and high-yielding Milan Linate-London City route almost immediately.

EI-HLA (msn 50068) was ferried directly from Montréal Mirabel to Rome Fiumicino on October 31-November 1, 2023. Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows it was then repositioned to Linate on November 2 and operated its first revenue flight to London City on November 3. So far, the aircraft has only been used on this route. It is configured for up to 125 passengers in a single-class layout.

ITA Airways has six more A220-100s on direct order from Airbus. The airline is only the third operator of the variant globally, following Swiss and Delta Air Lines. It also operates seven A220-300s on lease from Air Lease Corporation with plans to add a further nine of the type from the same lessor. The -300 is not certified to operate at London City airport.

Prior to EI-HLA's delivery, ITA Airways had wet-leased an E190 from Eastern Airways (T3, Humberside) to operate the London City route. The up to 3x daily route can be flown with a single aircraft.

CH Aviation / Photo: ITA AIRWAYS 

FLEET - ITA AIRWAYS FIRST AIRBUS A321NEO

The first Airbus A321neo to join the ITA Airways fleet has rolled out Airbus' Hamburg site paint shop in Germany.
It sports the ITA Airways’ blue livery and bears the name of Massimiliano Rosolino, Italian swimmer, and Olympic Champion in 2000 in Sydney.
The Airbus A321neo is a major innovation for the Company and its addition further consolidates ITA Airways' all-Airbus fleet strategy, which currently stands at 79 aircraft, and includes the new generation A220, A320neo, A330neo and the A350.
The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ A320neo Family and offers unparalleled range and performance.

Efficient and quiet, the new A321neo brings 22% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat and enables 50% noise footprint reduction compared to previous-generation aircraft in its category. It is the first ITA Airways narrow body featuring a three-class configuration: Business Class (12 seats), Premium Economy (12 seats) and Economy (141 seats of which 12 are dedicated to Comfort Economy).
The cabin interior, entirely designed by Walter de Silva, perfectly conveys Italian elegance and style. Distinctive elements of the new A321neo include the Airspace cabin with new colors and new materials, the state-of-the-art seats, new ITA Airways customized interior lighting and XL overhead bins.
In addition, each seat is equipped with the latest generation “on-demand” video and audio entertainment system featuring 17.3” (Business), 15.6” (Premium Economy) and 13.3” (Economy) low reflectance touchscreen displays with 4K resolution for a simple, smooth, and intuitive user experience.
Thanks to the new IFE system, passengers will enjoy an experience comparable to popular multimedia applications, with bimonthly programming consisting of a wide selection of movies, TV series, music playlists, interactive games, and 3D interactive flight map.
The Wi-Fi connection system allows passengers to connect with their device to the in-flight network and text, surf, or stream content, depending on the purchased connectivity package.
The A321neo will join the fleet by the end of this year to serve ITA Airways' medium-haul routes.

 ITA AIRWAYS

FLEET - ITA Airways takes delivery of first all-blue Airbus A220

ITA Airways took delivery of its first all-blue Airbus A220, an outlier in its current fleet of A220-300s.

The aircraft, registered as EI-HHM, landed at Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) after it refueled at London Stansted Airport (STN) on its way from the Mirabel, Canada, Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Montreal Mirabel International Airport (YMX) on August 26, 2023.

Photos.ITA
 

NEW AIRCRAFT - 1st flight for 1st ITA Airways A330neo

A happy moment for ITA Airways on 27 April 2023 as its first Airbus A330neo took to the skies for the very first time. The aircraft, A330-900 F-WWYO (2035) conducted a 3:45 hour testflight from Toulouse. Delivery is expected in June and the aircraft will become EI-HJN.

The aircraft is the first of seventeen A330-900s the airline has acquired. Ten of these have been ordered directly with Airbus, the remaining seven are leased from AerCap (two) and Air Lease Corporation (five). ITA Airways will use the new A330s to replace its current fleet of eight A330-200s. The first destinations it will fly it to from Rome-Fiumicino will be Delhi, Miami (FL), New York-JFK (NY), and São Paulo.

Next to the A330s, ITA Airways growing fleet consists of four A220-300s, eighteen A319s, 27 A320s, five A320neos, and six A350-900s.

Scramble

Photo: ITA Airways

 

NEW AIRCRAFT - ITA AIRWAYS / A320NEO / F-WWTN msn 11313

Alain Charpentier
 

The first A320 Neo in the Airbus fleet has just finished painting operations and will be operational soon! It is dedicated to Giacinto Fachetti, captain of the European National Champion and Vice World Champion

Photos: ITA Airways
 

ITA Airways unveils special livery

ITA Airways unveiled a special livery on one of its aircraft to promote tourism in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. The aircraft, Airbus A320 EI-DTG (3921) was repainted at Ostrava and is flying commercially again since the date of unveiling.

Something to keep an eye out for when spotting!

Photo:ITA Airways.

 

ITA Airways (Italy) took delivery of one A220-300, serial 55177, on lease.

 ITA Airways (Italy) is launching A220-300 flights from Rome Fiumcino as of 09 October 2022

ITA AIRWAYS