Lufthansa Group is continuing its takeover of Italy’s national carrier ITA Airways. Deutsche Lufthansa AG will exercise its option in June this year to acquire an additional 49 percent stake in the Italian airline, increasing its ownership from the current 41 percent to 90 percent. The decision by Lufthansa’s Executive Board was approved by the Supervisory Board at its meeting held yesterday.
Lufthansa will pay 325 million euros for the second block of shares, in line with the previously agreed purchase price. The transaction remains subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, primarily from the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Completion of the process is expected in the first quarter of 2027, after which ITA Airways is set to be fully integrated into Lufthansa Group, both organizationally and financially.
Lufthansa acquired a 41 percent stake in ITA Airways on 17 January 2025, becoming a minority shareholder in the Italian carrier. The agreement signed with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance in June 2023 already included an annual option to purchase an additional 49 percent stake. That option is now being exercised. The Italian state will initially retain the remaining 10 percent of shares, although Lufthansa may also acquire that stake in 2028.
ITA Airways is already integrated into Lufthansa Group in many areas as the group’s fifth network airline, alongside Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. The integration has so far included joint sales, booking and fare systems, the Miles & More frequent flyer program, access to the group’s lounge network and membership of Star Alliance.
Lufthansa Group CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board Carsten Spohr said at the Annual General Meeting that, after acquiring the first stake in ITA Airways, the group had promised the fastest integration of an airline in its history. According to Spohr, that goal has not only been met but exceeded, as almost all customer-facing interfaces have already been integrated. The exception remains North Atlantic flights, for which regulatory approvals related to the merger are still pending.
The integration is not limited to passenger operations. Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has also been marketing ITA Airways’ cargo capacity, which Lufthansa says corresponds to the additional capacity of around three Boeing 777F freighters. The successful integration of both passenger and cargo operations is cited as one of the reasons Lufthansa decided to exercise the option to acquire a majority stake already this year.
By taking a 90 percent stake in ITA Airways, Lufthansa Group will further strengthen its position in southern Europe and in the Italian market, one of Europe’s most important aviation markets. For ITA Airways, the move marks the continuation of its transformation after the closure of Alitalia and a deeper integration with one of Europe’s largest airline groups.
