ITA Airways Joins Star Alliance with Miles & More as Its New Loyalty Program

It's been a long time coming, but ITA Airways is officially making the move.

As of April 1, 2026, ITA Airways is joining Star Alliance and adopting Lufthansa Group's Miles & More as its loyalty program, becoming the alliance's 26th member airline. Volare, ITA's own loyalty program, sunset on March 30.

For Canadians who fly to Italy, this changes the game with Aeroplan. And business class award space is already showing up.

ITA Airways Joins the Lufthansa Family

Lufthansa Group acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways in early 2025, and ITA quietly left SkyTeam around the same time, ending its partnership with airlines like Air France, KLM, and Delta.

With Star Alliance membership taking effect on April 1, ITA joins a roster that includes Air Canada, Lufthansa, United, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Turkish Airlines, among others. More than 350 daily flights come into the alliance network with this addition.

Miles & More members will be able to earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights, and Star Alliance Gold members will enjoy lounge access at ITA's lounges in Rome, Milan, and Catania, along with priority boarding and extra baggage when flying ITA.

Volare Program Sunsetting

ITA's own loyalty program, Volare, officially closed on March 30, 2026. If you still have points sitting in a Volare account, here are the remaining deadlines:

• April 1 to June 30, 2026: convert remaining points into a Volare Gift Card voucher
• By April 30, 2026: redeem points for products, services, or charitable donations through Volare's commercial partners

Miles & More is also offering a free status match for Volare elite members, with matched status valid through February 2027. If you hold Volare status, this is worth doing before the program closes.

Due to Italian regulations, Volare points won't automatically convert to Miles & More miles. You'll need to actively redeem or convert them before the deadlines above.

Booking ITA Airways with Aeroplan

This is where things get interesting for us.

Back in February, Aeroplan quietly added ITA Airways as a redemption partner, letting you book ITA flights with points. At the time, it was redemption-only: no earning, no Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs), and no elite perks on ITA flights.

That changes now. With ITA formally in Star Alliance, the full suite kicks in. You'll earn Aeroplan points when flying ITA, collect SQCs toward elite status, and enjoy Star Alliance Gold benefits like lounge access and priority boarding.

ITA operates a seasonal Toronto (YYZ) to Rome (FCO) route on the A330neo. On the Aeroplan partner chart, that prices at 40,000 points in economy or 70,000 points in business class one-way.

While the partnership was announced earlier this year, premium cabin inventory on ITA has been hard to find. That's starting to change. Business class award space is now appearing on the non-stop Toronto to Rome route, pricing at 70,000 Aeroplan points + $119 (CAD) one-way.

Compare that to Air Canada's own metal on the same route, which can easily price past 150,000 points with dynamic pricing.

For now, this appears to be last-minute inventory, with space showing up close to departure rather than months out. That makes it a great option for spontaneous travellers or anyone looking to rebook a less-than-ideal itinerary. Have your points ready, as these seats tend to disappear quickly.

Beyond Rome, ITA connects to destinations across Italy, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Creative routings like Toronto to Rome to Tokyo can work out to 87,500 Aeroplan points one-way in business class, making Rome a useful hub for multi-leg itineraries.

ITA Airways Business Class Product

ITA's long-haul business class on the A330neo and A350 features a 1-2-1 configuration with fully lie-flat seats and direct aisle access. It's a modern, competitive hard product. The Toronto route is currently operated by the A330-900neo.

Service and catering reviews have been mixed during ITA's transition phase, though if it's anything like the rest of Italy, the food and drink should be a highlight.

Just as ITA comes into the Star Alliance fold, Scandinavian Airlines recently moved in the opposite direction, leaving Star Alliance for SkyTeam. One in, one out.

Conclusion

ITA Airways is joining Star Alliance and adopting Miles & More as of April 1, 2026. If you still have Volare points, convert them to a gift card voucher before June 30, 2026.

For Aeroplan collectors eyeing Italy this summer, I'd act on the business class availability while it lasts. At 70,000 points + $119 (CAD) one-way from Toronto to Rome, you're paying less than half of what Air Canada would charge on its own metal. Even if the space stays last-minute for now, it's worth monitoring as ITA settles into the alliance.

If you hold Volare elite status, take advantage of the free Miles & More status match before the window closes.