ITA Airways has officially set a timeline for its departure from the SkyTeam alliance, with the transition beginning on February 3, 2025, and concluding by April 30, 2025. Once this process is complete, passengers will no longer be able to earn or redeem miles with most SkyTeam carriers for travel on ITA Airways.
Joining Star Alliance in 2026
Following its SkyTeam exit, ITA Airways is set to join the Star Alliance, home to Lufthansa Group airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, and others. However, this transition will be a gradual process, with ITA Airways expecting to fully integrate into Star Alliance in the first half of 2026.
In the meantime, some bilateral frequent flyer agreements may be introduced, particularly with Lufthansa’s joint venture partners like Air Canada and United. However, full mileage earning and redemption options across Star Alliance are not expected to be available until ITA Airways officially joins in 2026.
Lufthansa Miles & More Partners with ITA Airways Volare
Despite not yet joining a new global airline alliance, ITA Airways and Lufthansa are strengthening their loyalty program collaboration. Effective immediately:
- Lufthansa Miles & More members (36 million) can earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights.
- ITA Airways Volare members (2.7 million) can earn and redeem points on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines flights.
For now, this is likely the most significant reciprocity available for earning and redeeming miles on ITA Airways.
ITA Airways and Lufthansa Strengthen Business Alignment
Starting March 30, 2025, with the summer travel schedule, Lufthansa Group and ITA Airways will further integrate their operations:
- Terminal relocations – ITA Airways will move to Terminal 1 at Frankfurt (FRA) and Terminal 2 at Munich (MUC) to be closer to Lufthansa, streamlining connections. At all other Lufthansa Group hubs, ITA Airways already operates from the same terminals.
- Reciprocal lounge access – Premium ITA Airways passengers will gain access to Lufthansa lounges, and Lufthansa Group premium passengers will have access to ITA Airways lounges.
- Codeshare agreements – Lufthansa Group and ITA Airways will launch codeshare flights covering more than 11 routes, allowing seamless ticketing across both networks. These flights will become bookable from February 25, 2025.
- Coordinated flight schedules – Lufthansa Group hubs, including Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC), Zurich (ZRH), Vienna (VIE), Brussels (BRU), Rome (FCO), and Milan (LIN), will optimise schedules to improve connectivity for passengers.
Lufthansa Group’s Investment in ITA Airways
Lufthansa officially finalised its €325 million ($334 million) acquisition of a 41% stake in ITA Airways in January 2025. The remaining 59% remains under Italian government ownership.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr expressed confidence in ITA Airways’ potential, highlighting the airline’s importance within Lufthansa Group’s network, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings.
ITA Airways’ Future Under Lufthansa
With ITA Airways transitioning from SkyTeam to Star Alliance and aligning with Lufthansa Group, major operational and loyalty program shifts are underway. As of late March 2025, passengers will see:
- Integrated flight schedules
- Codeshare agreements
- Shared terminal operations
- Reciprocal lounge access
Although ITA Airways’ full Star Alliance membership is set for 2026, its partnership with Lufthansa is already bringing significant benefits to travelers.
