It has been a very long time coming, however ITA Airways is formally making the transfer.
As of April 1, 2026, ITA Airways is becoming a member of Star Alliance and adopting Lufthansa Group’s Miles & Extra as its loyalty program, changing into the alliance’s twenty sixth member airline. Volare, ITA’s personal loyalty program, sundown on March 30.
For Canadians who fly to Italy, this modifications the sport with Aeroplan. And enterprise class award area is already exhibiting up.
ITA Airways Joins the Lufthansa Household
Lufthansa Group acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways in early 2025, and ITA quietly left SkyTeam across the identical time, ending its partnership with airways like Air France, KLM, and Delta.
With Star Alliance membership taking impact on April 1, ITA joins a roster that features Air Canada, Lufthansa, United, SWISS, Austrian Airways, and Turkish Airways, amongst others. Greater than 350 every day flights come into the alliance community with this addition.
Miles & Extra members will be capable of earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights, and Star Alliance Gold members will take pleasure in lounge entry at ITA’s lounges in Rome, Milan, and Catania, together with precedence boarding and further baggage when flying ITA.
Volare Program Sunsetting
ITA’s personal loyalty program, Volare, formally closed on March 30, 2026. If you happen to nonetheless have factors sitting in a Volare account, listed below are the remaining deadlines:
- April 1 to June 30, 2026: convert remaining factors right into a Volare Present Card voucher
- By April 30, 2026: redeem factors for merchandise, companies, or charitable donations by way of Volare’s business companions
Miles & Extra can also be providing a free standing match for Volare elite members, with matched standing legitimate by way of February 2027. If you happen to maintain Volare standing, that is value doing earlier than this system closes.
As a consequence of Italian laws, Volare factors will not routinely convert to Miles & Extra miles. You will have to actively redeem or convert them earlier than the deadlines above.
Reserving ITA Airways with Aeroplan
That is the place issues get attention-grabbing for us.
Again in February, Aeroplan quietly added ITA Airways as a redemption accomplice, letting you guide ITA flights with factors. On the time, it was redemption-only: no incomes, no Standing Qualifying Credit (SQCs), and no elite perks on ITA flights.
That modifications now. With ITA formally in Star Alliance, the complete suite kicks in. You will earn Aeroplan factors when flying ITA, acquire SQCs towards elite standing, and luxuriate in Star Alliance Gold advantages like lounge entry and precedence boarding.
ITA operates a seasonal Toronto (YYZ) to Rome (FCO) route on the A330neo. On the Aeroplan accomplice chart, that costs at 40,000 factors in economic system or 70,000 factors in enterprise class one-way.
Whereas the partnership was introduced earlier this 12 months, premium cabin stock on ITA has been arduous to search out. That is beginning to change. Enterprise class award area is now showing on the continuous Toronto to Rome route, pricing at 70,000 Aeroplan factors + $119 (CAD) one-way.
Examine that to Air Canada’s personal metallic on the identical route, which may simply value previous 150,000 factors with dynamic pricing.
For now, this seems to be last-minute stock, with area exhibiting up near departure quite than months out. That makes it an awesome possibility for spontaneous travellers or anybody trying to rebook a less-than-ideal itinerary. Have your factors prepared, as these seats are likely to disappear rapidly.
Past Rome, ITA connects to locations throughout Italy, North Africa, the Center East, and Asia. Inventive routings like Toronto to Rome to Tokyo can work out to 87,500 Aeroplan factors one-way in enterprise class, making Rome a helpful hub for multi-leg itineraries.
ITA Airways Enterprise Class Product
ITA’s long-haul enterprise class on the A330neo and A350 encompasses a 1-2-1 configuration with totally lie-flat seats and direct aisle entry. It is a fashionable, aggressive arduous product. The Toronto route is at present operated by the A330-900neo.
Service and catering evaluations have been combined throughout ITA’s transition section, although if it is something like the remainder of Italy, the food and drinks must be a spotlight.
Simply as ITA comes into the Star Alliance fold, Scandinavian Airways lately moved in the wrong way, leaving Star Alliance for SkyTeam. One in, one out.
