ITA Airways, the Italian flag carrier, is expanding its transatlantic route network with the introduction of new flights from Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). This marks the first-ever direct route between the two cities and brings the airline’s North American destinations to a total of nine.
The inaugural flight is set for May 1, 2026, and tickets are now available for purchase. The aircraft operating this route will be the carrier’s youngest widebody type, the Airbus A330-900 (A330neo).
Initial flights will operate three times a week, allowing ITA to assess passenger demand. From May 1 to May 31, flights will depart FCO at 10:20 AM on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, arriving at IAH at 3:20 PM local time. The return flight will depart IAH at 6:10 PM, arriving in FCO at 11:50 AM the following day.
Starting June 1, the frequency of flights will increase to five times a week, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the IATA summer season, which ends on the last Saturday in October. The FCO-IAH service will conclude on October 24, 2026, with the possibility of future adjustments based on demand and operational considerations.
The distance between Rome and Houston is 4,938 nautical miles (9,144 km). ITA will operate its three-class Airbus A330neo widebodies on this route, with a total capacity of 291 passengers: 237 in economy, 24 in premium economy, and 30 in business class. The business class seating is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing each passenger with direct aisle access. The airline currently has 11 A330neos in its fleet, with an average age of 1. 9 years, and is expecting an additional six units to be delivered.
In addition to directly connecting Rome and Houston, this new route will also improve connectivity for passengers traveling onward to other destinations in the US and Canada. To support these connections, ITA has recently entered into codeshare agreements with United Airlines and Air Canada, both members of Star Alliance.
ITA is in the process of joining Star Alliance following its integration into the Lufthansa Group, with the finalization of a 41% stake earlier this year. The Lufthansa Group is expected to increase its ownership to 90% in 2022. The airline’s CEO and General Manager, Joerg Eberhart, stated that the route network from Rome allows ITA to be the reference carrier from the US to Italy, Europe, and the Mediterranean for the Italian community and other major communities in the region.
Aside from the newly announced Houston route, ITA also offers direct flights to seven other US destinations: New York (JFK)