ITA Airways Eyes North America Expansion

ITA Airways is plotting an expansion of its international network as it focuses on more long-haul markets.

Driven by the backing of Lufthansa Group, which completed a 41% acquisition of the Italian carrier at the beginning of 2025, new opportunities are within reach.

In an exclusive interview with Corriere della Sera, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Joerg Eberhart, commented on new long-haul routes being studied.

ITA Airways boasts one of the youngest fleets in the industry, let alone in Europe. Therefore, as its reliance on next-generation planes increases, so does its ability to serve new markets.

Long-haul routes not currently on the network are being studied, and five markets are being evaluated to determine which are feasible and when launches could be deemed realistic.

Although the airline did not publicly mention specific cities in the interview with local media, the carrier’s interest in expanding its presence across North America has been long documented, and many popular cities in the Star Alliance network are not currently served.

ITA Airways does have to navigate some obstacles in its ability to serve international traffic, with airspace restrictions spurred on by conflict with Russia—something worth considering when developing its network to Asian destinations.

ITA Airways Places Importance On Lufthansa Group

Given Lufthansa Group’s grip on ITA Airways and its planned increase to a majority, a fair degree of liaison work will determine the best location to send ITA Airways-operated aircraft moving forward.

The Italian carrier for the Group presents endless opportunities, for this is a country that it struggled to crack into for an extended period due to increased competition.

Now, with a grip on the Italian company, there’s a greater chance to use the fleet to their advantage, establish connectivity, and establish relationships with many other airlines worldwide, aided by the planned joining of Star Alliance in 2026.

ITA Airways knows that while Lufthansa Group will help support itself, that stake could soon be a majority, and significant expansion is required to capture more market share and become feasible in the long term.

With that growth in mind, widebody aircraft will be crucial. They can also act as feeder flights for onward opportunities and secondary cities that require connectivity but may not yet have it.