Lufthansa Cargo expands network with ITA Airways partnership from Rome

Lufthansa Cargo’s deepening partnership with ITA Airways has taken a major step forward, with more than 1,000 tonnes of freight already moving from Rome-Fiumicino under Lufthansa Cargo’s own air waybill number in the first two weeks of expanded operations.

The rollout, aligned with the start of the winter schedule on October 26, 2025, marks the near-complete implementation of the capacity-sharing agreement launched in June. With the exception of routes to and from the US and Canada — still pending regulatory approval — Lufthansa Cargo is now marketing ITA Airways’ belly capacity across the global network.

The expansion positions Rome-Fiumicino as Lufthansa Cargo’s fifth European hub, joining Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna and Brussels. The airline says the additional Rome-operated routes will boost its available belly capacity by roughly 20%.

The enhanced network brings customers a sweeping suite of new options. Lufthansa Cargo is now offering up to 30 weekly connections from Rome to South America, including Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and up to 21 weekly flights to Asia, covering Bangkok, New Delhi and Tokyo-Haneda. Seasonal services to Mauritius and Malé have also been added. In North Africa and the Middle East, the cooperation opens as many as 71 weekly connections to destinations such as Cairo, Accra, Dakar, Dubai and Riyadh.

Rome’s integration also strengthens the carrier’s road feeder and continental operations, linking southern Europe more tightly with the group’s major hubs in Germany, Belgium and Austria.

“Rome’s first cargo shipments under our AWB mark an important milestone,” said Ashwin Bhat, Lufthansa Cargo CEO. “With a powerful hub in southern Europe, our network becomes the broadest in Europe, reinforcing our ambition of ‘Enabling Global Business.’”

The expanded partnership stems from the Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of a stake in ITA Airways. Since June, Lufthansa Cargo has been progressively adding ITA’s capacity into its sales platform to broaden the group-wide offering and improve flexibility in a shifting global cargo market.