ITA Airways announces new long-haul route: next stop Houston
ITA Airways is starting to expand its reach again. From May 1, 2026, Rome Fiumicino will be connected for the first time [...]
ITA Airways
HOU
United States of America
ITA Airways is starting to expand its reach again.
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From May 1, 2026 Rome Fiumicino will be connected for the first time with Houston, one of the most dynamic cities in Texas and a gateway to the world of energy, medical research and aerospace.
Making this debut even more relevant is the fact that Never before have Rome and Houston been joined by a direct flight. The new route was created to meet the growing demand between Italy and the United States, but also to strengthen the company's long haul strategy, which has built an important part of its growth on North America.
Rome Houston, the details of the direct flight
The route will be launched with Three weekly frequencies in May, which will become five June through October. Departing from Rome in the late morning, arriving in Houston in the early afternoon, the return flight to Fiumicino is designed to facilitate business or leisure travelers: you take off in the evening from Houston and land in Rome the next day, mid-morning, in time to continue to several Italian destinations.
Operating the link will be theAirbus A330-900, of which ITA in recent days received a new specimen, the first in over 1 year.
An increasingly robust North American network
With Houston, ITA Airways brings to nine destinations served in North America, confirming the United States as the carrier's first international market. In fact, from Fiumicino it is already flying to New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., with the summer addition of Chicago e Toronto.
This growth is accompanied by strategic partnerships, such as the codeshare with United Airlines and Air Canada, which multiply travel options and expand the network of connections to and from North America.
Commenting on the opening of the route, the CEO Joerg Eberhart spoke of a historic day for the company:
"For the first time Rome and Houston will be joined by a direct flight. This is a key step in our expansion in the American market and the consolidation of the Fiumicino hub. This route is part of the path that will lead us to join Star Alliance in 2026, as part of our integration into the Lufthansa Group."
Words also enthusiastically welcomed by the U.S. Ambassador to Italy, Tilman J. Fertitta, who stressed the importance of economic and cultural relations between Italy and Texas, calling himself "excited" about the new bridge between Houston and Rome.
It could also be the day of the Star Alliance debut
Given the timing, the flight to Houston, one of United's hubs, could also be the one to make its Star Alliance debut; at present there is no certainty about this, but the prediction of an ITA at 100% in Star Alliance by summer 2026 is highly likely.
