ITA Airways Eyes All A350 Long Haul Under Lufthansa Drive

ITA Airways is emerging as a central pillar of Lufthansa Group’s long haul ambitions from Rome, with industry reports pointing to an all Airbus A350 strategy that could ultimately sideline the airline’s A330neo fleet on key transatlantic and South American routes.

Lufthansa Tightens Its Grip as ITA Becomes Fifth Network Airline

Publicly available corporate disclosures show that Lufthansa Group is moving rapidly to consolidate control of ITA Airways, exercising an option in May 2026 to lift its stake from 41 percent to 90 percent, subject to final regulatory clearances. The move follows earlier European Commission approval for joint control between Lufthansa and Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, positioning ITA as the group’s fifth network airline anchored at Rome Fiumicino.

Ratings agency analyses and airline statements indicate that ITA’s young, all Airbus fleet and Rome hub are seen as complementary to Lufthansa’s existing centers in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels. Integration work, from revenue management alignment to network planning, has already begun, with Rome expected to play a sharper role in funneling traffic between Europe, North America, South America and parts of Asia.

Within this context, long haul fleet decisions at ITA take on broader strategic weight for Lufthansa Group. Any shift in Rome’s widebody mix, particularly toward a single aircraft family, will influence how the combined group balances capacity, costs and premium product consistency across its global network.

All A350 Vision Puts Spotlight on A330neo Exit Scenarios

Specialist aviation outlets report that ITA Airways is evaluating a notable simplification of its long haul fleet built around the Airbus A350, with the Airbus A330neo gradually phased out over the coming years. The airline has already committed to retiring its older A330 200 aircraft, extending operations only temporarily on some routes while newer types ramp up.

Analysis published by industry trackers suggests that, under Lufthansa’s stewardship, ITA could ultimately converge on an A350 only widebody fleet for intercontinental flying. This would align with the wider Lufthansa Group trend toward new generation twin jets and fewer sub fleets, as seen in the accelerated drawdown of four engine types such as the A340 600.

The potential early exit of the A330neo is striking because the jets are still relatively young and were central to ITA’s initial relaunch strategy. However, commentators point out that the scale benefits of a single widebody family, combined with commonality across the group’s maintenance and training systems, may outweigh the sunk cost of recent deliveries if Lufthansa targets long term efficiency.

Rome’s North America Network Faces Possible Aircraft Shake Up

Route data services show that ITA’s A330neo fleet is currently deployed heavily on North American services from Rome Fiumicino, including New York JFK, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Washington Dulles, Chicago O’Hare and Toronto, with Houston due to join the network in 2026. These links have formed the backbone of ITA’s transatlantic push and are marketed around the A330neo’s modern cabins.

If an all A350 strategy is fully adopted, these Rome to North America routes are likely to be among the first to see systematic aircraft swaps, as capacity planning is reworked within the Lufthansa Group. Aviation analysts expect that high volume markets such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles would be early candidates for A350 deployment, positioning Rome as a premium long haul gateway aligned with Lufthansa’s broader product refresh on the type.

Any transition would need to be carefully staged to protect ITA’s growing presence in the United States and Canada. Schedule filings and booking data already hint at step by step adjustments in widebody utilization, and observers are watching for future Airbus order conversions or delivery deferrals that might formalize a pivot away from the A330neo on transatlantic sectors.

South American Links and Wider Network Growth Under Review

Beyond North America, ITA’s A330neo fleet currently ties Rome to major South American cities such as São Paulo and Buenos Aires, according to route mapping services. These flights provide Italy’s primary nonstop connectivity to Brazil and Argentina and tap into strong leisure, visiting friends and relatives, and business flows.

Under an all A350 vision, these South American services would eventually migrate to the larger and longer range type, potentially enabling schedule densification or onward connectivity improvements via Rome. Network specialists note that aligning South America with a single widebody family could simplify crew planning and enable more flexible aircraft rotations between Latin America, North America and Asia routes.

At the same time, ITA’s published corporate updates highlight a continued fleet growth and modernization program, suggesting that Rome’s intercontinental footprint is set to expand rather than contract. The question for observers is not whether ITA will grow, but which aircraft will underpin that growth and how quickly any A330neo drawdown unfolds across the southern hemisphere network.

Fleet Simplification as a Cornerstone of Lufthansa Group Strategy

Across the Lufthansa Group, fleet simplification has become a recurring theme, with numerous long haul and short haul types retired or earmarked for exit in favor of fuel efficient next generation aircraft. Industry coverage of group strategy presentations emphasizes reduced complexity, lower unit costs and a more uniform passenger experience as key objectives.

Folding ITA into this philosophy, commentators expect Lufthansa to push for a clear division of labor among its network airlines and aircraft families. An A350 centric long haul fleet from Rome would dovetail with A350 and 787 deployments elsewhere in the group, allowing shared maintenance pools, joint training programs and harmonized cabin products to support premium revenue.

While no final, detailed public roadmap has been set out for the A330neo’s timeline at ITA, aviation watchers view the current signals as a strong indication of where strategy is headed. For travelers on Rome’s long haul routes to North and South America, the coming years are likely to bring more A350s at the gate and a visible reshaping of Italy’s flag carrier as it is woven more tightly into Lufthansa’s global network.