For those who haven’t been following the saga of ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia, the airline is currently undergoing a period of stabilization following its founding in 2021. After launching the carrier, the Italian government sought a buyer that could ensure a stable future. That partner was identified in Germany’s Lufthansa, leading the eponymous Group. In this article, we will analyze the composition of the ITA Airways fleet in 2026.
Table of Contents
- The Lufthansa Era Begins: Star Alliance and New Strategies
- Farewell Alitalia: The Retirement of the A330-200
- A321neo: The “Mini-Widebody” Game Changer
- The 2030 Industrial Plan: The Rome Hub
- 100% Airbus Transition: ITA is aggressively dumping Alitalia’s aging, gas-guzzling legacy metal. Standardizing on next-gen Airbus aircraft (A320neo, A330neo, A350) is a strict yield management play to slash fuel burn by 25% and dodge expensive EU carbon penalties (ETS).
- Long-Haul Pivot (2026-2030): The latest business plan abandons low-margin European feeding to prioritize high-yield intercontinental routes. With an aggressive widebody delivery schedule, Rome (FCO) is being positioned as the Lufthansa Group’s premier southern hub.
- SkyTeam Exit, Star Alliance Entry: Following the Lufthansa acquisition, ITA joins Star Alliance in 2026. Their Volare program is syncing with Miles & More, turning ITA’s new A330neo and A350 Business Class cabins into prime redemption targets for Star Alliance miles.
The Current State of the ITA Airways Fleet
| Aircraft Model | Units in Service | Type | Operational Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A350-900 | 6 | Wide Body (Flagship) | Premium Routes (Buenos Aires Tokyo Los Angeles) |
| Airbus A330-900neo | 18 | Wide Body (Workhorse) | Definitive replacement for A330-200. |
| Airbus A321neo | 9 | Narrow Body (Long Range) | 3-Class Configuration (Tel Aviv Riyadh Dakar) |
| Airbus A320neo | 19 | Narrow Body | Medium-haul backbone. |
| Airbus A320-200 | 28 | Narrow Body | Phase-out in progress. |
| Airbus A220-300 | 17 | Regional / Short | Domestic and thin European routes. |
| Airbus A220-100 | 12 | Regional / City | Exclusive for London City Airport. |
| TOTAL | 109 | – | – |
Projected orders and deliveries for the ITA Airways fleet through 2030.
| Aircraft | Order Status | Operational Role |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A330-900neo | Deliveries ongoing | Expansion to North America and India. |
| Airbus A321neo | Deliveries ongoing | Frequency increase to Middle East and Africa. |
| Airbus A220 | Deliveries ongoing | Completing replacement of old A319/A320ceo. |
The Lufthansa Era Begins
The terms were clear from the start. With the birth of the new flag carrier, the Italian government needed to find a partner rather than remaining the sole shareholder indefinitely.
After an exploratory phase followed by negotiations, the partnership was signed with Lufthansa.
The German group acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways, holding an option to increase to a majority stake in the short term.
Entry into the German group meant ITA Airways had to face an alignment process with the other airlines controlled by Lufthansa.
The first fundamental change was leaving the SkyTeam alliance to join Star Alliance, home to all Lufthansa Group airlines.
Alignment of the frequent flyer program is also highly probable. Currently, ITA Airways operates an independent program called Volare. However, it is the only airline in the group with this setup.
It is very likely that Volare will be terminated after its umpteenth extension to April 2026, with the definitive adoption of Miles & More.
Fleet Milestone: Farewell to the “Old Alitalia”
December 31, 2025, marked a historic date: the last Airbus A330-200 inherited from Alitalia left the fleet.
Gone with it are the worn-out “Magnifica” cabins, the non-functioning entertainment systems, and that sensation of “old” that haunted the airline in its early years.
However, the exit of the Alitalia aircraft hasn’t completely solved the issue of long-haul product consistency.
Today, the Business Class passenger faces two very different experiences, albeit both modern.
The Design Paradox: A330neo vs A350
Although the A350-900 is technically the flagship for range and capacity, it doesn’t fully embody the true identity of ITA Airways.
These aircraft were purchased “off the shelf” in 2022. They were planes originally ordered by Hainan Airlines (and others) but not taken up.
To get them flying quickly, ITA kept the original interiors.
The result is a product inconsistency:
- Airbus A330-900neo (The Real ITA): This is the only wide-body aircraft with interiors 100% designed by ITA Airways. It bears the signature of designer Walter De Silva, uses Thompson Vantage XL seats, and reflects the colors and materials of the Italian brand. An experience aligned and consistent with what is found on the new A321neos.
- Airbus A350-900 (The Adoptee): Features different seats (the Collins Super Diamond), which are excellent but standard. It lacks the custom design touch and, in some configurations, presents differences in galley and lavatory layout compared to the fleet standard.
In summary: while the era of broken Alitalia seats is over, the era of “total standardization” is still far off.
Flying on the A330neo today offers a more authentic “Made in Italy” experience compared to the A350.
The “Game Changer”: A321neo as a Long-Haul Aircraft
Forget everything you know about single-aisle aircraft. The Airbus A321neo of ITA Airways is not the classic plane you take to fly to London or Paris. It is, for all intents and purposes, a “Mini-Widebody”.
ITA configured these aircraft specifically to serve 7-8 hour routes. Routes where passenger demand isn’t high enough to fill a large A330 or A350, but the clientele demands equally high comfort (especially in Business Class).
A Real Business Class on a Single-Aisle Jet
The real revolution is in the front cabin. While competitors (like Lufthansa or Air France) offer “Euro-Business” (economy seat with a blocked middle) on medium-haul flights, ITA Airways has installed true Lie-Flat seats (fully flat beds).
Although other airlines in Europe have equipped the A321neo with lie-flat business class, ITA Airways is the only one on the continent to have chosen a 3-class configuration.
Here is the premium configuration that makes this aircraft unique in Europe:
- Business Class (12 Seats): 1-1 Configuration. Every passenger has direct aisle access and a seat that becomes a bed. It is essentially the same experience as the A330neo, but scaled down.
- Premium Economy (12 Seats): A true separate cabin, actual 2-2 configuration, with wider seats and increased recline.
- Economy (141 Seats): All seats, including economy, are equipped with individual 4K IFE (Entertainment) screens.
The “Thin Routes” Strategy
Why use a small plane to fly far? It’s called the “Thin Routes” strategy.
Destinations like Riyadh, Jeddah, Dakar, Accra, or Tel Aviv have a strong component of business traffic (high yield), but not enough total passenger volume to fill a 290-seat A330 every day.
The A321neo allows ITA to fly these routes daily (high frequency) while keeping costs low and offering a luxury product. It is the aircraft that makes routes profitable which, under the old Alitalia, were systematically loss-making.
The 2030 Industrial Plan: Rome at the Center of the Lufthansa Group
With the official entry into the Lufthansa Group, ITA Airways’ industrial plan has undergone a decisive acceleration.
It is no longer just about “surviving,” but planning strategic expansion.
Due to the saturation of the Frankfurt and Munich hubs, Lufthansa has identified Rome Fiumicino as its new “Southern Gateway”.
This has unlocked investments to speed up the arrival of new long-haul aircraft.
The “30 Widebody” Goal
The “magic number” for ITA Airways’ economic sustainability is 30 wide-body aircraft.
According to the plan revised in 2026, the airline plans to introduce approximately 2 new Airbus A330-900neos per year in the coming fiscal years.
The goal is to reach 2030 with a long-haul fleet composed of:
- 8-10 Airbus A350-900: For high-demand “Flagship” routes (e.g., Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Los Angeles).
- 18-20 Airbus A330-900neo: The backbone of the fleet, extremely efficient for North Atlantic routes and India.
The South American Stronghold
Why the rush for larger planes? The answer lies in the South American market.
Routes to Sà£o Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires are historically the “golden geese” for the Italian airline, thanks to incredibly strong ethnic and business traffic.
The Lufthansa Group, through ITA Airways, now sees a concrete opportunity to challenge Iberia and the IAG Group on South American routes.
Under Lufthansa management, ITA Airways is tasked with funneling all group traffic destined for South America and Africa through Rome, leaving Frankfurt to handle traffic to North America and Asia.
This geographic specialization ensures that the new incoming aircraft will always fly full.