The Lufthansa Group is consolidating its leading position in the European air transport market through a significant strategic acquisition. As the company officially confirmed on May 12, 2026, it will acquire a majority stake in the Italian national airline ITA Airways.
By exercising a contractual option, Lufthansa is acquiring a further 49 percent of the shares from the Italian state for a purchase price of €325 million. This increases the German aviation giant's stake from 41 percent to a total of 90 percent. This move marks a decisive turning point in the restructuring of Italian civil aviation and firmly integrates ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group's brand portfolio, which already includes airlines such as Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines. The complete acquisition of the remaining ten percent is planned for a later date, giving Lufthansa unrestricted control over what is strategically its second most important foreign market after the USA.
Integration into the global network of the Lufthansa Group
The decision to acquire a majority stake comes as no surprise to industry experts, as it represents the logical conclusion of a consolidation strategy that has been in the works for years. Lufthansa made it clear from its initial minority stake that the goal is the complete integration of Alitalia's successor company. This process is already well advanced at the operational level. A significant milestone was ITA Airways' formal accession to the Star Alliance on March 31, 2026. This definitively ended its years-long affiliation with the rival SkyTeam alliance, with far-reaching implications for global traffic flows and the hub structure in Europe.
Alongside the alliance change, key customer interfaces were harmonized. ITA Airways discontinued its own loyalty program, Volare, and integrated its customers into Lufthansa's Miles & More system. Changes were also made on the ground: Since the beginning of 2026, the Italian airline has been using Lufthansa's exclusive terminals at its German hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, optimizing transfer processes for passengers and creating synergies in ground handling. Jörg Eberhart, CEO of ITA Airways, described the move as a vote of confidence in the company's operational performance under German management.
Economic framework conditions and regulatory hurdles
The purchase price of €325 million for the increase to 90 percent is based on a complex valuation method that was already established when Lufthansa first acquired a stake in 2023. The Italian government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni considers the sale a success, as it finally brings the chapter of the loss-making state-owned airline to a close. For Lufthansa, the acquisition significantly strengthens its presence in the Mediterranean region, a market with high demand in the business travel and premium segments.
Despite the agreement between Rome and Frankfurt, the deal is not yet finalized. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, but is subject to rigorous antitrust reviews. Both the European Commission and the US Department of Justice must approve the acquisition. The antitrust authorities in Brussels are paying particular attention to safeguarding competition on transatlantic routes and short-haul connections between Italy and Central Europe. It is anticipated that, in return for approval, the Lufthansa Group will have to relinquish certain take-off and landing slots at Milan-Linate and Rome-Fiumicino airports to competitors.
Italy as a strategic cornerstone of the group's strategy
The importance of Italy to Lufthansa can hardly be overstated. After the USA, the country accounts for the highest volume of business and leisure travel for the group. With the integration of ITA Airways, Lufthansa secures direct access to the Rome-Fiumicino hub, which will serve as the southern gateway for connections to Africa and Latin America. This relieves pressure on the northern hubs and offers the group new growth opportunities in markets that have previously been primarily served by competitors such as Air France-KLM or the IAG Group.
In addition to the geographical advantage, Lufthansa benefits from a modernized fleet. ITA Airways has invested heavily in Airbus A320neo family aircraft and Airbus A350 long-haul aircraft in recent years. This modern fleet structure reduces operating costs and increases flight reliability. Through the joint procurement of spare parts, insurance, and fuel, as well as the consolidation of IT infrastructure, the Lufthansa Group expects annual synergy effects in the hundreds of millions.
Outlook on future brand architecture
How ITA Airways will position itself within the group in the long term is similar to the successful model of Swiss or Austrian Airlines. The brand will retain its Italian identity to maintain local customer loyalty, while administrative and strategic functions will be increasingly centralized in Frankfurt. The Italian route network will be more closely integrated with the flight schedules of the other group companies to achieve maximum aircraft utilization.
The aviation industry is closely monitoring this consolidation move. In a market environment characterized by rising infrastructure costs and fierce competition, large corporations are increasingly relying on economies of scale. With the acquisition of ITA, the Lufthansa Group underscores its ambition to remain the dominant player in European airspace. If regulatory approvals are granted as planned, ITA Airways will operate as a fully integrated member of the group from 2027, thus ushering in a new era in Italian aviation history, one in which economic stability and international connectivity take center stage.