Italy’s ITA Airways has taken two steps closer to full integration with the Lufthansa Group, which now owns 41% of the Italian flag carrier.
As of Wednesday, ITA’s Volare loyalty program has been folded into Lufthansa’s Miles & More program, and the airline itself is now a member of Star Alliance, led by Lufthansa and United.
Italy’s deal with Lufthansa, which bought its share from the Italian government, allows it to buy the remaining shares as early as next year.
Miles & More, the world’s 6th largest airline points scheme, is already shared by Lufthansa and most of its subsidiaries and affiliates including Air Dolomiti, Austrian, Brussels, Croatia, Discover, Eurowings, LOT Polish, Lufthansa City, Luxair and Swiss.
