ITA Airways (AZ)

ITA Airways is changing its image with a new international campaign called “Simply Italian”. The airline has chosen Sharon Stone to embody this new positioning. The American actress becomes the brand’s global ambassador.

The campaign highlights the airline’s Italian identity. It emphasises its hospitality, style and attention to passengers. ITA Airways also wants to show that the experience begins as soon as passengers board.

The campaign was created with the POPE Creative Studio agency. It consists of several short-form pieces, centred on everyday scenes.

The campaign has already launched in Italy. It will roll out from 22 September 2026 in the United States and Brazil. ITA Airways is therefore targeting key markets, particularly North America, where the airline aims to strengthen its visibility among travellers.

ITA Airways is changing partners. By joining Star Alliance, the Italian airline is offering more connection options for its passengers. This strategic shift enables more efficient connections between the Rome-Fiumicino hub and the networks of major airlines such as Lufthansa and United Airlines. Travellers now benefit from unified loyalty programmes through the Lufthansa Group’s “Miles & More” scheme, as well as broader access to Star Alliance lounges at airports around the world. The airline is optimising its flight schedule with the addition of more than 350 daily flights through this partnership with Star Alliance and is strengthening its presence on long-haul routes, particularly to North America and Asia. ITA Airways is thus reshaping the map of destinations accessible on a single ticket from Italy. With this integration, ITA Airways is simplifying its customers’ international journeys and relying on this collective strength to accelerate its growth.

ITA Airways is rolling out SITA OptiFlight across its entire fleet. This solution calculates the optimal climb profile for each flight. It adjusts speed, acceleration phases, altitude changes and the climb Mach number.

The Italian airline relies on artificial intelligence, weather data and machine learning. For passengers, the objective is simple: to fly with more efficient operations and lower fuel consumption.

ITA Airways is already reporting measurable gains. It is targeting savings of more than 7,100 tonnes of fuel and more than 22,100 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided in 2025 and 2026.

This initiative is part of the airline’s strategy to reduce its operating costs and environmental impact. ITA Airways has been 59% owned by the Italian state and 41% by Deutsche Lufthansa AG since January 2025.

Starting in 2026, ITA Airways will offer 2 direct Rome–Tel Aviv flights scheduled every day between Rome-Fiumicino Airport and Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion Airport. ITA Airways is thereby revitalizing its international air network and responding to growing demand for business and leisure connections in the region. With this strategic route back in service, Rome is strengthening its role as a European hub to the Middle East and providing Italian travellers with direct access to Israel, against a backdrop of improving geopolitical and commercial prospects. The addition of this destination enables the Italian airline to further diversify its long-haul offerings while anticipating a return to normality for international flights. The reopening of the direct Rome–Tel Aviv route by ITA Airways symbolizes a return of confidence in the aviation sector between Italy and Israel. Set off to discover Tel Aviv, explore the old city of Jaffa and admire its historic port. Take a stroll along Rothschild Boulevard and discover the colourful Carmel Market.