ITA Airways has officially become part of the Lufthansa Group.
The German aviation giant has finalized a deal for a 41% stake in the Italian state-owned airline. The MEF (Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance) retains the remaining 59%, with options for further acquisitions by Lufthansa in the future.
The two parties agreed in May 2023 that Deutsche Lufthansa AG would acquire a minority stake in ITA Airways. The European Commission recently approved the participation by approving the remedies in November 2024. Other competition authorities outside the EU have since also approved the participation.
"We are proud to finally welcome ITA Airways to the Lufthansa Group. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this, especially in Rome, Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt," said Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
With ITA Airways now integrated, Italy becomes an additional “home market” for the Lufthansa Group, already the group’s second most important international market outside the U.S.
According to Skytrax, Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) will serve as Lufthansa’s southernmost hub.
“With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe. Our joint passengers worldwide will benefit from improved offers and optimized connections as early as this upcoming summer flight schedule,” Spohr added.
ITA Airways will maintain its brand identity while undergoing integration into the Lufthansa Group. Frequent flyers will soon be able to earn and redeem miles across ITA Airways' “Volare” program and Lufthansa’s “Miles & More” loyalty scheme. Codeshare agreements, mutual lounge access, and eventual admission into the Star Alliance are also on the horizon.
Founded in 2021, ITA Airways has grown rapidly with a fleet of 99 Airbus aircraft, serving nearly 70 destinations globally. The airline carried approximately 18 million passengers in 2024.
As part of its integration, ITA Airways announced leadership changes. Joerg Eberhart has been appointed CEO, succeeding interim leaders Antonino Turicchi and Andrea Benassi. Lorenza Maggio will be the Chief Strategy and Integration Officer, managing the airline’s strategic development. Michael Trestl, formerly Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines, will oversee ITA Airways’ integration into the Lufthansa Group.
The Lufthansa Group’s investment in ITA Airways begins with a capital increase of €325 million (CAD$483,470,000). With its integration, ITA Airways becomes the group’s fifth network airline, joining Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines.
Details of the integration will be announced at a press conference in Rome on 03FEB 2025.
