ITA Airways set to join Star Alliance, leaving SkyTeam at month's end

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ITA Airways set to join Star Alliance, leaving SkyTeam at month's end

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Dieter Vranckx Lufthansa Group's Chief Commercial Officer | Lufthansa Group

By Sky Industry News

Apr 4, 2025

Lufthansa Group announced that ITA Airways has been approved to join Star Alliance, marking a pivotal step in its integration into the airline alliance. This move follows ITA Airways' planned exit from SkyTeam on April 30. The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance has supported ITA Airways' integration, with Lufthansa assisting the process.

Dieter Vranckx, Lufthansa Group's Chief Commercial Officer, expressed pride in ITA Airways joining as the fifth network airline from the group. "ITA Airways' future membership will provide Star Alliance customers with many new opportunities for personalized travel planning. I am confident that ITA Airways will be an excellent addition to the Star Alliance portfolio," remarked Vranckx.

The onboarding process for ITA Airways is scheduled to be completed by early 2026. This will allow the addition of 360 daily flights to the Star Alliance network, primarily from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport and Milan Linate Airport.

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Theo Panagiotoulias, Star Alliance CEO, highlighted the confidence in ITA Airways, saying its inclusion would bolster the network. Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, stated, "This is a significant milestone in ITA Airways’ growth, and we look forward to offering our customers the future privileges of the world’s largest airline network."

SkyTeam confirmed ITA Airways' departure from its alliance by April 30, thanking the airline for its three-year partnership. Lufthansa Group, which acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways in January, aims to eventually own 100% of the shares. The airlines will further synchronize operations starting March 30, sharing terminals and flight schedules at both Frankfurt and Munich Airports.