Deutsche Lufthansa AG has announced that it will exercise its option to acquire a majority stake in ITA Airways, increasing its ownership from 41% to 90%.
The German airline group will purchase an additional 49% stake for €325 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to approvals from the European Commission and the United States Department of Justice.
Following completion, ITA Airways will become fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group operationally and financially. The remaining 10% stake will continue to be held initially by Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, with an option for Lufthansa to acquire it in 2028.
Carsten Spohr said the integration process has progressed faster than expected since Lufthansa first acquired a 41% stake in January 2025. According to him, most customer-facing systems are already integrated, including booking, fare systems and the Miles & More loyalty platform.
Passengers of ITA Airways already benefit from integration into the Star Alliance network, premium lounge access and coordinated sales systems with Lufthansa Group airlines.
The cargo business integration has also expanded, with Lufthansa Cargo now marketing ITA Airways’ cargo capacity, equivalent to approximately three Boeing 777 freighters.
The acquisition strengthens Lufthansa’s position in Southern Europe and reinforces its multi-airline network strategy, where ITA Airways becomes the group’s fifth network airline alongside Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines.
Industry analysts view the move as one of the most significant airline consolidation developments in Europe in recent years, aimed at improving network connectivity, operational efficiency and competitiveness against major European airline groups.