New Flight Links via Rome Simplify Travel Between Europe and Distant Cities
Starting 1 July 2025, passengers will be able to book long-haul flights that combine Lufthansa Group carriers with ITA Airways under a single itinerary. The updated codeshare agreement applies to Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines when linked with ITA Airways departures from Rome. Previously, this collaboration was restricted to European routes, and the new expansion marks a shift toward broader intercontinental integration.
The arrangement includes:
- Departures from Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna or Brussels
- Connections via Rome on ITA Airways flights
Destinations served:
- Bangkok
- Riyadh
- Jeddah
- São Paulo
- Rio de Janeiro
- Cairo
Additional features include:
- Single-ticket itineraries across all segments
- Automatic baggage transfers between connecting flights
- No repeated check-in procedures at transfer points
This setup may assist passengers departing from regional airports with limited access to intercontinental routes by offering a continuous journey through Rome.
Among the destinations now linked, Bangkok offers the chance to drift through the canals of Thonburi, where old wooden houses lean over the water, or take it slow with a loop around Lumphini Park which is a patch of green in the middle of all the traffic where people jog, stretch or just sit and watch turtles. In Rio de Janeiro, you can wander through the quiet paths of the Botanical Garden where tropical plants grow in the shade, or head into Lapa where an old aqueduct towers above mosaic-covered stairs that climb up the hillside. These stops offer insight into both cultural heritage and urban landscapes without requiring additional detours.
Travellers heading to Cairo can explore the Islamic Quarter, with centuries-old mosques and narrow market streets, or visit Zamalek, a leafy island area home to galleries and green spaces. In São Paulo, Ibirapuera Park combines open air with modernist structures, while Vila Madalena highlights local creativity through its graffiti-covered alleys and small studios. These routes might suit travellers who want a straight path into local culture without bouncing through several airports first, using Rome as the main hand-off point.
The expanded codeshare makes it easier to string together flights between Europe and far-off places without juggling different airlines or buying several tickets. If you're flying out of a place without long-haul flights, switching planes in Rome helps keep the trip stitched together without too much fuss. This reflects an industry trend toward simplifying complex international journeys through shared booking systems.