It’s been a long time coming, but ITA Airways is finally making it official.
Starting April 1, 2026, ITA Airways will join Star Alliance and adopt Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More as its loyalty program. The airline’s own Volare program is sunsetting on March 30, just two days before the switch.
For Canadians who fly to Italy, this is a significant development – and one that’s been in the works for a while.
ITA Airways Joins the Lufthansa Family
The writing has been on the wall ever since Lufthansa Group acquired a 41% stake in ITA Airways in early 2025. ITA quietly left SkyTeam around the same time, ending its partnership with airlines like Air France, KLM, and Delta.
Now, with Star Alliance membership confirmed for April 1, ITA joins a roster that includes Air Canada, Lufthansa, United, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Turkish Airlines, among others.
Miles & More members will be able to earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights, and Star Alliance Gold members will enjoy lounge access, priority boarding, and extra baggage when flying ITA.
Volare Program Sunsetting
ITA’s own loyalty program, Volare, will officially close on March 30, 2026. If you have points sitting in a Volare account, you’ll want to act quickly.
Here are the key deadlines:
- By March 30, 2026: redeem points for award flights with participating partners (for travel within the following 12 months)
- April 1 – 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.
It’s worth noting that, 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.
Earning and Redeeming with Aeroplan on ITA
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. The catch was that it was redemption-only: no earning, no Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs), and no elite perks on ITA flights.
That changes on April 1. Once ITA formally joins 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.
As a refresher, ITA operates a seasonal Toronto (YYZ) – 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.
Beyond Rome, ITA connects to destinations across Italy, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Creative routings like Toronto–Rome–Tokyo can work out to 87,500 Aeroplan points one-way in business class, making Rome a useful hub for multi-leg itineraries.
One thing to watch: when Aeroplan first added ITA, long-haul business class award space was thin. With full Star Alliance integration, there’s reason to hope availability improves, though ITA may end up behaving like SWISS or Austrian on Aeroplan – space exists, but you’ll need to plan ahead.
The timing is notable, too. 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 will officially join Star Alliance and adopt Miles & More on April 1, 2026. Volare sunsets on March 30, so if you have points there, use them before the deadlines.
If you’re an Aeroplan collector eyeing Italy, the timing couldn’t be better. You could already book ITA with points since February – now you’ll earn Aeroplan points and SQCs on those flights, too. At 70,000 points one-way in business class from Toronto to Rome, that’s a redemption I’d seriously consider this summer.
If you hold Volare elite status, take advantage of the free Miles & More status match before the window closes.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
