ITA Airways Unveils New Commercial Benefits as it Joins Lufthansa Group

ITA Airways Chairman Sandro Pappalardo, Deutsche Lufthansa AG CEO Carsten Spohr and ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart. Photo source: ITA Airways

Following its official entry into the Lufthansa Group, ITA Airways on Monday presented new commercial initiatives during its first press conference of 2025 at its Rome Fiumicino headquarters.

One of the key announcements was the launch of a partnership between ITA Airways’ Volare loyalty program and Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More. The collaboration allows ITA Airways’ 2.7 million Volare members to earn and redeem points on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines flights. Likewise, the 36 million members of Miles & More can now do the same on ITA Airways flights.

More benefits for travelers starting in March

The partnership will roll out additional benefits for passengers during the 2025 IATA summer season, beginning on March 30:

– Lounge Access: ITA Airways passengers will gain access to over 130 Lufthansa Group lounges worldwide, while Lufthansa Group passengers can use ITA Airways lounges.
– Simplified connections: ITA Airways will operate from Lufthansa Group terminals at Frankfurt and Munich airports, ensuring smoother and faster transfers for passengers.
– Codeshare agreements: ITA Airways and Lufthansa Group carriers will introduce codeshare agreements, giving passengers access to a combined network of 250 destinations.
– Harmonized schedules: Flight schedules between key Lufthansa Group hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels) and ITA Airways’ main airports (Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate) will be coordinated for shorter and more convenient connections.

“This role is a great responsibility for me,” said ITA Airways Chairman Sandro Pappalardo. “In a climate of total and deep collaboration with the Lufthansa Group, I am confident that the airline will soon achieve its goals and offer passengers and the country greater connectivity and global recognition.”

New alliance membership

In another significant move, ITA Airways announced that it has officially begun the process of exiting the SkyTeam alliance, with completion expected by April 30, 2025. The airline will continue bilateral agreements with selected SkyTeam members to ensure continuity for customers.

ITA Airways is now preparing to join Star Alliance — the world’s largest global aviation alliance — with full integration expected by early 2026.

“We have finalized another historic step for ITA Airways by exiting SkyTeam and preparing to join Star Alliance,” said ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart. “These changes, along with our partnership with Lufthansa Group, will bring customers new benefits and a more complete travel experience.”