Lufthansa to integrate Italy’s ITA and forge partnership with United Airlines

The Lufthansa group, as part of its bid for TAP, will include the possibility of the Portuguese airline joining a lucrative transatlantic partnership with United Airlines and Air Canada. 

According to the online news source ECO, the process will be identical to the one already underway with ITA Airways.

TAP is part of the Star Alliance miles programme, like Lufthansa, but does not have access to the joint venture for the North Atlantic, a geographical area that accounted for about a fifth of the German group’s revenues between January and September. Transatlantic routes are usually among the most profitable for European aviation groups and have a significant impact on their profitability.

Lufthansa’s proposal for the privatisation of TAP will include the possibility of the Portuguese carrier being integrated into the partnership with United Airlines and Air Canada, similar to the same process underway for ITA Airways. 

TAP flies to nine destinations in North America. This region, together with South America (the most predominant), accounted for half of TAP’s revenues in the first half of 2025.

Integration into the joint venture depends on authorisation from regulatory authorities on both sides of the Atlantic as it involves a coordination agreement on flight supply, pricing and revenue sharing.

The request for ITA Airways to be integrated into the joint venture in the US was delivered about two months ago. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr stressed, in a recent interview with Il Sole 24 Ore, the importance of the “Italian government’s support” to secure Washington’s approval.

Lufthansa hopes to conclude the most significant part of the integration of ITA by mid-2026 before the TAP 49.9% share sale.