Information on ITA Airways Flights

Among the newer major international airlines, ITA Airways is the flagship carrier of Italy. It replaced the former Alitalia in late 2021 and continued operating many of the same routes as the previous national airline. Proudly Italian, both the plane livery and crew uniforms sport the unmistakable red, white, and green of the national flag. Here’s what to expect when flying ITA Airways, along with a few expert tips to follow.

ITA Airways check-in

The most important check-in guideline to take note of with ITA Airways is the cut-off time. For domestic flights and any destination in the Schengen Area, check-in ends 40 minutes before departure. For other international routes, the cut-off is a full hour before departure.

You can check in online, but you’ll still need to drop any baggage before these cut-off times, so arrive in plenty of time to reach the front of the line by then. I’ve found ITA Airways to be quite serious about their cut-offs, so don’t expect to get away with lateness, regardless of your fare class or airline status.

At the airport, most passengers will check in through the general service line. Those in premium cabins, travelers with ITA Airways elite status, and those with elite status on partner airlines can join the considerably shorter Sky Priority check-in line. In some airports, including the airline’s hub at Rome Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci” Airport (FCO), you’ll spot additional private check-in desks. These are for Business Class Long Haul travelers only.

ITA Airways fare classes

ITA Airways refers to fare classes as travel classes, and offers five distinct options across its fleet, though you’ll only find a maximum of three on any given plane. All ITA planes offer Economy tickets and I’ve found the seats on its updated fleet to be more comfortable than the economy seats on most US airlines. The adjustable leather headrests are especially accommodating.

Economy on ITA also comes with the bonus of a free cold meal tray on international flights over three hours, in addition to snack service. Shorter flights also have the standard snack service, and hot meals are served on long hauls.

On domestic flights, you can upgrade to Superior travel class, which is nearly equivalent to a domestic business class seat on US airlines. Unlike domestic US flights, purchasing this fare class also guarantees priority treatment at check-in, at the gate, and at dedicated airport security lanes. My favorite perk of flying Superior is that middle seats are always left open (except on planes that don’t have middles, of course).

Medium-haul and long-haul flights are both equipped with business class cabins. On Business Class Medium Haul fares, you’ll have similar seats to the Superior cabin found on domestic flights with enhanced services. The exception is on the A321 Neo, where you’ll be treated to a pod with a lie-flat seat. If you’ll be flying on this model, I find the Business upgrade much more worthwhile, though it’s comfortable regardless.

Business Class Long Haul is the most premium travel class offered, and it comes with a host of upgrades. The pods are larger and more comfortable, complete with an amenity kit that includes luxury shower products for a post-flight freshen-up. Even the pre-flight treatment is enhanced. I most appreciate the private check-in desks for this fare and the lounge access that is included.

Finally, long haul international flights also offer a middle-ground cabin called Premium Economy. Similar to US premium economy fares, this dedicated cabin includes first class-style seats with considerably more legroom and pitch (up to 120 degrees on some models) and upgraded meal and beverage service. It also comes with all of the priority access other premium cabins offer.

This cabin is often considerably more expensive than Economy without offering everything Business does, so it may not always be worth the splurge. If you have free upgrade certificates from airline loyalty programs, I recommend putting in for this cabin and increasing your comfort considerably without paying anything. Otherwise, you might want to either go all the way to Business or just enjoy a well-appointed Economy.

ITA Airways alliance

Like its predecessor Alitalia, ITA Airways is a member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. For US-based flyers, that means it’s tied to Delta Airlines, and also includes European partners like KLM and Air France, along with several African, Asian, and Latin American airlines. While not the strongest global alliance, I still find it quite good for travel between Europe and the Americas.

ITA Airways loyalty program

ITA Airways offers the Volare loyalty program for its frequent flyers. Like most airlines, it offers four levels of status with increasing priority and perks for each. Volare members also earn points while flying, and those can be used toward flights, upgrades, and even lounge access when flying ITA.

If you’re a US-based flyer, I don’t recommend attributing your ITA flights toward Volare membership. Instead, accrue your miles and rewards with Delta Airlines, who operate thousands of flights from the US and offer a much greater opportunity to reach higher levels of status. You’ll still be able to reap many rewards on ITA as a SkyTeam Elite Plus member through Delta status.

It’s also worth noting that you can’t apply Volare points toward flights or perks on partner airlines. If you’re a Delta SkyMiles member, however, you can often apply miles toward flights on most partners, including ITA. If you don’t live in Italy, you’ll be seriously limiting your ability to maximize benefits if you devote your loyalty directly to ITA instead of its US partner.

ITA Airways lounges

ITA Airways offers access to 15 lounges across the country and nearly 40 more worldwide. Access is available to premium cabin ticket holders, Sky Team Elite Plus members, and members of Volare’s top two tiers. Volare members can also cash membership points for lounge access.

While some alliance partners like Delta no longer allow passengers to purchase day passes to their lounges, I love that ITA still invites anyone to enter for a fee, pending space availability. ITA passengers benefit from a solid culinary program that extends to most of its lounges, and its flagship lounges are exceptional. My favorite, in Rome, even has an express pizza service for made-to-order meals.

ITA Airways credit card

In partnership with American Express, ITA sells three airline credit cards that help holders accrue points and perks for travel within the airline. Each comes with a greater cost and offers accelerated points accrual and increasing perks.

Unlike US airline credit cards, simply holding an ITA credit card automatically grants you status on the airline, with each premium card offering a greater tier relative to its cost. Still, if you won’t be flying almost exclusively with ITA Airways for a year, I don’t recommend springing for one of these cards.

Instead, opt for a non-airline-specific premium travel credit card like the Platinum Card from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve. These offer accelerated points accrual from travel and hospitality purchases, along with statement credits for premium travel expenses like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, transportation, and more. These two specifically come with lounge access for networks like Centurion and Priority Pass, respectively.

Alternatively, if you’ll be based in Italy for a while and fairly loyal to ITA, you could consider a Delta SkyMiles American Express card. With this, you’ll accrue benefits that can be used on ITA but can also be applied elsewhere, unlike on ITA credit cards. In most cases, you’ll need a US credit history to receive one of these cards though, so this is best for temporary relocations.

ITA Airways’ pet policy

ITA Airways is unusually pet-friendly for a European airline. In fact, the airline recently increased the weight of pets and their carriers allowed onboard to be more welcoming to those traveling with pets. Pet reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance, but I recommend calling the airline directly before booking any ticket for yourself if you want to bring your pet.

Because there is a limit to the number of pets allowed onboard each flight, the airline may not be able to accommodate your furry friend, so it’s best to find out before paying for your own reservation. This is true for both carry-on pets and those flying as cargo. While Europe does not universally follow the same service animal regulations you’ll find in the US, ITA Airways does allow all service dogs to fly free.