Air Canada and ITA Airways announced a codeshare agreement on Monday, significantly expanding travel options for passengers between Canada, Italy, and other strategic regions. Effective from July 21, the partnership allows both airlines to offer seamless and attractive connectivity for both business and leisure travelers.
Route Expansion and Passenger Benefits
Under the agreement, Air Canada will place its code on ITA Airways-operated flights from Rome-Fiumicino Airport to ten strategic destinations. In Italy, these include Lamezia Terme, Palermo, Catania, Florence, and Bari. In Africa, passengers can travel to Cairo, Tunis, and Algiers, as well as connect to Tirana (Albania) and Tel Aviv (Israel), though the latter is temporarily suspended.
Conversely, ITA Airways will use its code on Air Canada flights from Toronto-Pearson to Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and St. John’s. The agreement also includes routes from Canada to the United States, covering Boston, Orlando, Dallas, and Fort Lauderdale.
This new cooperation framework promises greater flexibility, shorter wait times, and a more integrated travel experience for passengers moving between the two continents.
A Forward-Looking Alliance
Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada, remarked: “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with ITA Airways through this new codeshare agreement, which complements our robust network to Italy.”
Galardo emphasized that this enhancement will provide convenient connections for Air Canada travelers arriving in Rome, as well as for ITA customers landing in Toronto, with access to key cities across Canada and the U.S.
Joerg Eberhart, CEO and Managing Director of ITA Airways, described the agreement as a crucial step in the airline’s growth strategy: “This partnership improves connectivity for our passengers between Italy and North America, our primary market outside Italy.”
He also highlighted its value for North American residents of Italian origin, who will enjoy seamless connections to their homeland, paired with a travel experience that reflects the excellence of “Made in Italy.”
Star Alliance and Loyalty: Next Steps
Both companies are already working on integrating mutual benefits into their loyalty programs, including mileage accrual and redemption. Additionally, the process for ITA Airways to join the Star Alliance network as a full member is underway, with the goal of completion by early 2026. This will further strengthen the synergy between the two flag carriers.
Sustained Growth in Route Networks
The agreement adds to Air Canada’s growing offerings to Italy. For the summer season, the airline operates up to 39 weekly flights and over 13,000 weekly seats to the European country. In May, it launched a new route between Montreal and Naples, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast, complementing its direct connections to Rome, Milan, and Venice.
Air Canada also offers intermodal connections with Trenitalia, Italy’s primary rail operator. These partnerships enable travelers to continue their journey to 30 additional destinations within the country via high-speed, regional, and overnight trains.
ITA Airways: Seasonal Strategy and European Expansion
For the current summer season, ITA Airways serves 59 destinations—16 intercontinental, 27 international, and 16 domestic—and has added 12 seasonal Mediterranean destinations from Rome and Milan. These include the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca), Greek islands such as Rhodes, Heraklion, and Corfu, and the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria.
Furthermore, the Italian airline has strengthened its connectivity to over 100 additional destinations through codeshare agreements with Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Air Dolomiti, solidifying its position as a key player in the European and intercontinental aviation landscape.
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