Lufthansa Group will increase its ownership stake in ITA Airways from 41% to 90% later this year after receiving approval from its Supervisory Board to exercise an existing purchase option.

The German airline group confirmed that it will acquire an additional 49% stake in the Italian carrier in June 2026 for a previously agreed purchase price of €325 million.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval, including clearance from the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, with completion expected during the first quarter of 2027.

Integration Of ITA Airways Moving Faster Than Planned

Lufthansa said the decision reflects the rapid progress already made in integrating ITA Airways into the wider Lufthansa Group network.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG first acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways on 17 January 2025 as part of a strategic partnership agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Under the original agreement signed in 2023, Lufthansa secured recurring annual options to acquire additional shares in the airline.

The Italian government will continue to hold the remaining 10% stake after the latest transaction, although Lufthansa may acquire that final tranche in 2028.

Customer Systems Already Largely Unified

Lufthansa Group chief executive Carsten Spohr said the integration of ITA Airways has progressed faster than originally anticipated.

Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting, Spohr said Lufthansa had aimed to complete all major integration steps within 18 months but had already integrated most customer-facing systems ahead of schedule.

Passengers can now access unified booking, fare and sales systems, while ITA Airways has also joined the Miles & More frequent flyer programme and Star Alliance network.

Most premium lounge access has also been aligned across the two airlines.

Cargo Business Also Expanding

Lufthansa said integration is also advancing within the cargo division.

Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has been marketing ITA Airways’ freight capacity, which the company said is equivalent to adding the capacity of three Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.

Spohr described the partnership with ITA Airways as a successful strategic expansion that strengthens Lufthansa’s position within the European aviation market.

Final Full Integration Planned

Once the transaction closes, ITA Airways will be fully integrated into Lufthansa Group both organisationally and financially.

The acquisition further expands Lufthansa’s multi-airline strategy, which already includes carriers across Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.