ITA Airways Eyes U.S. Routes, Targets Profit by 2027

ITA Airways is evaluating five potential long-haul routes, primarily to North America, as part of its strategy to reach profitability by 2027. CEO Joerg Eberhart shared the airline’s growth outlook in a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, stating that the Italian carrier is also interested in expanding to Asia, though current geopolitical restrictions limit options. “If Russian airspace reopens, we could consider several promising Asian destinations,” he said.

The airline intends to focus long-haul expansion through its primary hub at Rome Fiumicino Airport. Eberhart explained that initiating widebody operations from Milan Malpensa would require a stronger feeder network, which is currently unfeasible given ITA’s fleet size of around 100 aircraft.

Fleet utilization remains a key concern, especially for narrowbody aircraft affected by engine issues. Eberhart noted that strengthening Rome Fiumicino’s second and third daily flight waves with additional long-haul routes would improve feeder traffic and overall operational efficiency. To scale these operations, the airline would need to acquire more widebody aircraft.

“More flights to the East or South Africa would improve connectivity and enhance the productivity of our feeder network,” Eberhart said.

According to ch-aviation, ITA Airways currently operates 100 aircraft, including A220s, A319s, A320s, A321s, A330s, and A350s. The airline also expects 26 additional aircraft, including A220-300s, A320neo, A321neo(LR), A330-900neo, and A350-900 types, as it prepares for strategic long-haul growth over the next few years.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com