ITA Airways launches first-ever direct Rome-Houston flights with A330neo jets, bringing Italian carrier’s North American network to nine destinations.
ITA Airways will launch direct flights between Rome and Houston starting May 1, 2026, marking the first nonstop service between the two cities, the Italian flag carrier announced.
The new route from Rome Fiumicino International Airport to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport will operate three times weekly initially, expanding to five weekly flights beginning June 1. The service will run through Oct. 24, 2026, during the IATA summer season.
Tickets are now on sale for the transatlantic route, which will be operated with ITA’s Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. The widebody jets feature 291 seats in a three-class configuration, including 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout providing direct aisle access, 24 premium economy seats, and 237 economy seats.
From May 1 through May 31, flights will depart Rome at 10:20 a.m., arriving in Houston at 3:20 p.m. local time on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Return flights will leave Houston at 6:10 p.m., arriving in Rome at 11:50 a.m. the following day.
Starting June 1, ITA will add Monday and Saturday flights to the schedule, maintaining the same departure times through the end of October. The airline said flight frequencies may be adjusted based on demand and operational considerations.
Houston becomes ITA’s ninth North American destination, joining year-round service to New York JFK, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, along with summer seasonal flights to Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles. The carrier also serves Toronto.
The new route will benefit from codeshare agreements ITA recently launched with United Airlines and Air Canada, both Star Alliance members. ITA is integrating into Star Alliance following the Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of a 41% stake in the Italian carrier earlier this year. Lufthansa is expected to increase its ownership to 90% in 2026.
“[The] network from Rome allows us to be the reference carrier from the US to Italy and, via Rome, to Europe and the Mediterranean for the Italian community and other major communities in the region,” ITA Airways CEO and General Manager Joerg Eberhart said.
The airline aims to strengthen Rome Fiumicino as a hub connecting passengers to short-haul flights across Italy and Europe. The codeshare partnerships will enable connections beyond Houston to destinations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
ITA operates 11 A330neo aircraft with an average fleet age of 1.9 years, according to aviation data firm ch-aviation. Six additional aircraft are scheduled for delivery. The carrier also deploys older Airbus A330-200s and larger A350s on its North American routes, depending on capacity requirements.
Star Alliance integration is expected to be completed in early 2026.
Key Takeaways
- ITA Airways will begin Rome-Houston nonstop flights on May 1, 2026, the first direct link between the cities, operating three times weekly initially and expanding to five weekly in June.
- The Italian carrier will use A330-900neo aircraft with 291 seats in three classes, featuring direct-aisle business class seating.
- Houston becomes ITA’s ninth North American destination, supported by codeshare agreements with United Airlines and Air Canada as the carrier integrates into Star Alliance.
- Service runs through October 2026 during the summer season, with potential schedule adjustments based on demand.
