Lufthansa to Fully Absorb ITA Airways Into Group by 2027

Italy’s ITA Airways is poised to become a fully integrated part of the Lufthansa Group by the first quarter of 2027, as the German aviation group moves to increase its stake in the Rome based carrier to 90 percent and fold it operationally and financially into its multi brand network.

From Minority Stake to Near Total Control

The path to full integration began with Lufthansa’s agreement to acquire a 41 percent stake in ITA Airways, a deal cleared by the European Commission in mid 2024 and finalized in January 2025 through a capital increase. Publicly available information describes this initial tranche as a cornerstone in reshaping Italy’s loss making former flag carrier into a member of a larger European airline family.

Recent announcements indicate that Lufthansa now plans to exercise an option in June 2026 to purchase an additional 49 percent of ITA Airways for around 325 million euros, lifting its ownership to 90 percent. Reports from aviation and business outlets describe the move as a shift from minority investor to effective controlling shareholder, subject to approval from European and United States competition authorities.

According to published coverage of Lufthansa’s plans, completion of the majority acquisition is expected in the first quarter of 2027. At that point, the group intends for ITA Airways to be fully integrated both organizationally and financially into its structure, alongside existing network airlines such as Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines.

Rome Fiumicino is set to be developed as the group’s fifth hub, reinforcing Italy’s role within Lufthansa’s long haul and intra European network. Industry analysis highlights that this hub strategy is central to the business case for the transaction, giving the group deeper access to Mediterranean, Africa and Latin America flows originating in Italy.

What “Full Integration” Will Mean for Travelers

For passengers, much of the integration is already visible. Coverage of the deal notes that ITA Airways has joined Miles & More, Lufthansa Group’s loyalty program, as a fully integrated partner as of April 2026, replacing ITA’s former Volare scheme. That move effectively aligns earning and redemption rules, status benefits and upgrade possibilities across ITA and the German group’s existing carriers.

Publicly available information also indicates that ITA left the SkyTeam alliance and is joining Star Alliance, the global network anchored in Europe by Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Once the transition is complete, Italian based travelers will see closer coordination of schedules, shared airport lounges, through checked baggage and harmonized frequent flyer benefits with Star Alliance partners worldwide.

Lufthansa has stated in investor oriented materials that almost all customer facing interfaces between ITA and the rest of the group are already integrated, with the notable exception of services on North Atlantic routes, where additional regulatory scrutiny applies. This includes coordinated digital platforms, aligned fare products and closer cooperation on sales and distribution.

On the cargo side, industry reports say Lufthansa Cargo is already marketing ITA’s belly hold capacity as if it were the equivalent of several additional long haul freighters. For shippers, that translates into more routings via Rome and better connections between Italy’s export oriented regions and key markets in North America and Asia.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Conditions

The latest phase of the transaction remains subject to antitrust and competition review in Brussels and Washington. Earlier European Commission scrutiny of the initial 41 percent stake focused on possible overlaps on short haul routes in Italy and long haul services from Rome, leading to commitments including the release of takeoff and landing slots at Milan Linate and adjustments on certain connecting flows.

Reports indicate that regulators are now assessing whether majority control and deeper integration could reduce competition further on routes where ITA and Lufthansa Group airlines overlap or where rival carriers are already limited. Observers note that authorities will pay particular attention to North Atlantic services and key intra European city pairs linking Italy with Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.

The transaction timetable outlined by Lufthansa assumes that regulators will complete their review in time for closing in the first quarter of 2027. Analysts following the process suggest that additional remedies may be requested, but the earlier green light for the minority stake is viewed as a precedent for some form of approved outcome, albeit potentially with new conditions attached.

Despite the ongoing oversight, Italian governmental stakeholders have publicly framed the deal as a way to stabilize a national carrier that has undergone repeated restructurings and ownership changes over the past two decades. The expectation, reflected in corporate planning documents, is that embedding ITA within a larger group will provide scale, capital access and alliance connectivity that an independent Italian airline struggled to secure.

Impact on Italy’s Aviation Market and Tourism

For Italy’s aviation sector, full integration into Lufthansa Group is expected to reshape competitive dynamics at Rome Fiumicino and Milan’s airports. Industry commentary suggests that ITA’s role will evolve from defending domestic point to point routes toward feeding long haul and intra European services operated in coordination with partner carriers, using Rome as a connecting hub comparable to Frankfurt, Munich or Zurich.

Tourism bodies and regional authorities are watching closely how route maps and capacity will change in the run up to 2027. ITA’s current business plan, drawn up in conjunction with Lufthansa, foresees a gradual expansion of the fleet with a focus on new generation Airbus jets, including more long haul aircraft that can open or reinforce routes to North America, the Middle East and Asia. That growth is expected to create additional inbound seats to Italy’s major tourism destinations, while also giving Italian travelers more options without backtracking through northern European hubs.

Observers also point to the promise of closer air rail integration, especially on corridors linking Rome and northern Italian cities. Planning documents associated with the tie up reference multimodal itineraries that combine high speed trains with connecting flights, a model already used in Germany and Austria and expected to be extended to the Italian market.

There are, however, concerns among consumer groups and rival airlines that the consolidation could reduce competition on some routes, potentially affecting fares and service levels. Low cost carriers remain powerful players in the Italian market, but the combination of ITA and Lufthansa Group will concentrate a large share of premium and connecting traffic under a single corporate umbrella.

A Tight Timeline to 2027

Lufthansa executives have presented the ITA project as one of the fastest integrations in the group’s history, with most commercial and technological links already in place within roughly two years of the initial stake being finalized. According to recent public statements cited in financial and aviation media, the remaining work toward 2027 will focus on back office harmonization, fleet planning, joint ventures and final regulatory clearances, especially for North Atlantic cooperation.

For ITA Airways, the next two years will be shaped by executing a 2026 to 2030 business plan that anticipates growing traffic through Rome, increasing long haul focus and aligning service standards with other Lufthansa Group airlines. The plan also targets improvements in operational reliability and digital customer tools, areas where the Italian carrier has begun to roll out new solutions that echo platforms already used elsewhere in the group.

By early 2027, if the timetable holds, Italy’s national carrier will no longer operate as a largely standalone entity part owned by the state but as a fully embedded member of a cross border airline group. For travelers, tourism operators and the broader Italian economy, the outcome will be measured in the breadth of destinations served from Italian gateways, the resilience of air connectivity during economic cycles and the balance between consolidation and competition in the skies over Europe.