Italy’s ITA Airways adopts Lufthansa loyalty program, joins Star Alliance
Italy's ITA Airways is two steps closer to becoming a full member of the Lufthansa Group.
Beginning April 1, the carrier will officially adopt the group's Miles & More loyalty program as its own and join Star Alliance. Flyers can look forward to receiving all their Star Alliance benefits, including elite status perks like priority boarding and lounge access, on ITA flights and those operated by alliance partners.
The moves are part of ITA's integration into Lufthansa. The German group bought a 41% stake in the Italian airline in January 2025 and aims to take full control of the carrier in 2027. Lufthansa aims to leverage the deal to expand its presence in Italy and boost flights to Africa and Latin America via ITA's Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) hub.
Volare becomes Miles & More
ITA's 4 million Volare loyalty program members become Miles & More account holders starting April 1. The addition solidifies the Lufthansa Group program's status as the largest airline loyalty program in Europe, with some 39 million members.
Volare members have until June 30 to convert remaining points into a voucher for use on ITA and partner flights within 12 months.
Miles & More will match Volare members' elite status up to its mid-tier Senator level for no fee.
"Joining Miles & More as fully integrated partner represents a major achievement in our integration with the Lufthansa Group," Joerg Eberhart, CEO of ITA Airways, said in a statement. "Our customers will benefit from one of Europe's most comprehensive and rewarding programs, ensuring greater flexibility and value for their travels."
Miles & More is already the loyalty program for Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss.
ITA in Star Alliance
ITA adds its FCO hub, plus six new destinations, including the Italian airports of Alghero Airport (AHO), Genova City Airport (GOA) and Lampedusa Airport (LMP), to the Star Alliance map, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows.
"With ITA Airways on board, we not only expand our network to and from Italy, but also elevate the connected experience of our customers when travelling across multiple airlines, through access to the world's largest network of airport lounges, more comprehensive loyalty benefits, and other benefits like baggage tracking," Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance, said in a statement.
Lufthansa and United Airlines also seek to include ITA in their transatlantic joint venture known as "A++." The compact allows the airlines, plus Lufthansa's other group members and Air Canada, to coordinate everything from schedules to fares between Europe, the U.S. and Canada.
"The U.S. market is the most important market for us, besides the domestic market in Italy," Eberhart said in an October interview.
ITA serves seven U.S. cities and will add its eighth, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), with thrice-weekly flights from FCO beginning May 1. IAH is a major hub for United, one of the top Star Alliance members.
Eberhart has indicated that further U.S. growth would likely focus on partner hubs, including Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
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