Eight years after the near collapse of Alitalia, its successor ITA Airways has begun the "integration process" to become a full member of the Star Alliance.
The Italian flag carrier is part of the Lufthansa Group, although it is still 59% owned by the Italian government, and has been accepted by the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board to become the fifth airline controlled by the German aviation group to join.
Upon completion, expected next year, Star Alliance will have 26 global airline members "offering over 18,000 daily flights connecting 192 countries."
The approval to join the world's largest airline group marked the conclusion of a tumultuous period for the airline which is effectively the continuation of Alitalia.
Its predecessor struggled to survive after Etihad Airways pulled it support in 2017, and was eventually rescued by the Italian government in 2020. Although the company was reorganised later that year as ITA, it was stopped from transferring Alitalia branding and flight slots by the European Commission in 2021. The European Union's competition laws did not allow for the non-market transaction to exclude external bidders.
After a competitive process, Lufthansa Group was approved by the Commission to buy a 41% stake in the airline in 2024. The transaction was finalised on 17 January 2025.
As part of this process, ITA left the SkyTeam alliance.
"In early 2026, ITA Airways is expected to officially join the Star Alliance network as a full member. The decision by our Chief Executive Board underscores the strong confidence our members have in ITA Airways. As a gateway for Italy, its addition strengthens our global network, offering seamless and connected journeys to more travellers worldwide," said Star Alliance CEO Theo Panagiotoulias.
ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart said the approval was a "significant milestone".
“We are excited to join the Star Alliance network and to bring the excellence of Made in Italy into the alliance, further enhancing its global reach," he added.
Acting as "mentor" to the Italian airline for the joining process, Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group said: "I am proud that ITA Airways will become the fifth hub airline of the Lufthansa Group to join Star Alliance. As the mentor of the membership process, we will do our utmost to ensure a smooth and swift integration."
ITA Airways will add 360 daily flights to the Alliance network, with the biggest growth from its home cities, especially Rome and Milan, according to the Alliance.
