After a two-year haggling, Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of a 41% stake in ITA Airways has finally been completed, adding a sixth airline in the company’s catalogue, along with Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Lufthansa and Swiss.
The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the aviation group concluded the transaction on Friday, 17 January. The remaining 59% stake will initially continue to be held by MEF, with the option for further integration at a later date.
The two parties had already agreed in May 2023 that Deutsche Lufthansa AG would acquire a minority stake of 41% in ITA Airways, however, the European Commission carried an investigation into the possible anti-competition concerns. The remedies proposed by the group to ensure continued competition were approved by the Commission on 29 November 2024, while other competition authorities outside the EU have since also approved the acquisition.
The first step of the investment was implemented on Friday by means of a capital increase of €325 million. Options for the acquisition of the remaining shares in ITA Airways have been agreed between the Lufthansa Group and MEF and can be exercised from this year.
Benvenuta and welcome to the Lufthansa Group family, ITA Airways.
— Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) January 17, 2025
We are thrilled to be taking off together to turn the sky more azzurro. We are celebrating becoming even more international, more diverse and having even more choice for our travelers. ✈️
There’s more to come. pic.twitter.com/RajDnM5DVO
Italy will thus become a further “home market” for the group. The country is already the company’s second most important international market after the USA, outside the existing home markets of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium. The Rome Fiumicino Airport will be the sixth and southernmost Lufthansa Group hub, while Milan-Linate, as a metropolitan airport in the economically strong northern Italy region, with the second largest catchment area in the EU, will also play a prominent role in the group.
“The ITA Airways team has written an impressive success story in recent years and, with great energy, passion and expertise, has built an airline that is already the pride of an entire nation. We look forward to continuing this success story of ITA Airways together. With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe. Our joint passengers worldwide will benefit from improved offers and optimized connections as early as this upcoming summer flight schedule,” said Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr.
ITA Airways will be retained as a strong brand and developed further, the German company explained in a statement. In a few weeks, ITA Airways frequent flyers will be able to collect their points or miles either in ITA Airways’ existing “Volare” program or already in Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group’s loyalty program.
In addition, Miles & More participants will be able to earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights. Further collaborations, such as joint codeshare connections, mutual use of the respective lounges and the planned admission to the Star Alliance aviation alliance, are to follow successively.
