Lufthansa’s merger with ITA could reshape US-Italy flight routes

With Lufthansa's merger with ITA Airways moving forward, there is speculation about changes to the US-Italy route network. Lufthansa initially plans to acquire a 41% stake in ITA Airways, maintaining its multi-hub strategy across Europe. The CEO of Lufthansa Group, Carsten Spohr, stated that the merger is beneficial for all stakeholders involved and will strengthen competition in the Italian market.

Spohr emphasized Italy's significance as an important market outside the group's home countries and highlighted ITA Airways' potential to connect Italy with Europe and beyond as part of the Lufthansa Group. An agreement has been reached between Lufthansa Group and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to finalize the merger.

Currently, US-based airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines serve major Italian gateways such as Rome and Milan. ITA Airways has scheduled numerous weekly flights from Rome-Fiumicino to various US destinations. By June 2025, they plan to increase these frequencies significantly.