ITA Airways to become 5th Lufthansa airline as Group takes controlling stake
May 12, 2026
The Lufthansa Group is set to take majority control of ITA Airways after confirming it will exercise an option to increase its stake in the Italian carrier from 41% to 90%.
Announced on 12 May, Lufthansa will acquire an additional 49% stake in ITA Airways for €325 million (£274 million/$351 million). The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval from the European Commission and the US Department of Justice.
The move marks a major step in Lufthansa’s rapid integration of ITA Airways into its wider European airline network, with the group already describing the Italian flag carrier as functioning as its “fifth network airline” in many areas.
Lufthansa first acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways in January 2025 under a privatisation agreement with Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). Following completion of the latest transaction, the Italian state will retain the remaining 10% stake, although Lufthansa said this tranche could also be acquired in 2028.
Lufthansa says ITA integration is ahead of schedule
Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr said integration of the airline had progressed faster than expected, with most customer-facing systems already aligned with the wider Lufthansa Group.
“Following the acquisition of the first 41 percent stake in ITA Airways last year, we promised the fastest airline integration in our history,” Spohr said. “We have not only kept this promise. We were even faster.”
According to Lufthansa, ITA Airways is already integrated into:
- Lufthansa Group booking and sales systems,
- the Miles & More loyalty programme,
- Star Alliance,
- and the group’s premium lounge network.
Spohr said the only major customer-facing integration element still pending is approval for the North Atlantic joint venture.
“Passengers already experience ITA Airways as an integrated part of the Lufthansa Group,” he said.
ITA’s cargo capacity is equivalent to three 777 freighters
Lufthansa also highlighted growing integration in the cargo business, with Lufthansa Cargo already marketing ITA Airways’ belly freight capacity.
According to Spohr, the additional cargo volume available through ITA is equivalent to adding three Boeing 777 freighters to Lufthansa Cargo’s network.
The speed of the integration reflects Lufthansa’s broader strategy of building a tightly connected European airline group spanning Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy through multiple brands operating under a shared commercial structure.
For Lufthansa, the acquisition significantly strengthens its position in the Italian market through ITA’s hubs at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate, while giving the group a stronger foothold in southern European and long-haul Mediterranean traffic flows.
The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval before Lufthansa can formally assume majority control.
Featured image: Lufthansa
