Aeroplan has quietly flipped the swap on redemptions with ITA Airways, Italy’s flag service and soon-to-be Star Alliance member.
That is now totally reside and confirmed by Aeroplan: you may redeem Aeroplan factors for ITA-operated flights throughout the service’s community of 70+ locations, both as standalone itineraries or blended with Air Canada and different Aeroplan companions on a single reserving.
For now, it’s a redemption-only partnership. Aeroplan factors accrual, Standing Qualifying Credit score (SQC) earn, and elite advantages on ITA flights will solely arrive as soon as ITA formally joins Star Alliance, which is anticipated in early 2026.
ITA’s Community: Rome as One other Aeroplan Hub
ITA is predicated at Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and operates a mixture of transatlantic and regional routes that line up properly with Aeroplan’s current strengths.
On the North American facet, the important thing level for Canadians is a seasonal Toronto (YYZ) – Rome (FCO) service operated by the Airbus A330-900neo.
South of the border, ITA flies from a number of main US gateways into Rome, which provides you further flexibility in the event you’re prepared to place by way of america earlier than crossing the Atlantic on ITA.
From Rome (FCO), the airline followers out throughout Italy and Europe, plus a curated long-haul community into South America, Africa, the Center East, and Asia.
Consider locations like North and West Africa, the Gulf, the Indian Ocean, and leisure-driven Asian routes reminiscent of Bangkok, Maldives, and Tokyo, quite than attempting to memorise a full route map.
For Aeroplan collectors, the primary takeaway is that Rome turns into an additional European hub choice, related in idea to Zurich or Vienna, with good onward connectivity and strong arduous product.
The standard routing guidelines nonetheless apply, together with the long-standing restriction in opposition to flying North America–South America by way of Europe on a single Aeroplan ticket.
How ITA Costs on the Aeroplan Chart
On North America–Atlantic routes, ITA flights worth precisely the place you’d anticipate on the award chart.
A direct Toronto–Rome flight sits within the 4,001–6,000-mile band, so that you’re taking a look at 40,000 factors in financial system or 70,000 factors in enterprise class one-way.
Longer routes like San Francisco (SFO – Rome (FCO) fall into the 6,001–8,000-mile band, which is available in at 55,000 factors in financial system or 90,000 factors in enterprise class one-way.
For those who tack on home or regional connections at both finish, the overall distance modifications and your band may transfer up, as common. That additionally applies if you cross zones.
For instance, a routing reminiscent of Toronto (YYZ) – Rome (FCO) – Tokyo (HND) costs off the “Between North America and Pacific zones” companion chart; at that distance, you’re taking a look at 87,500 Aeroplan factors one-way in enterprise class, assuming the whole lot stays inside the related distance band.
ITA Airways Enterprise Class
ITA’s long-haul fleet is small however aggressive. On the Airbus A330-900neo, enterprise class options Thompson Vantage XL-style seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, with totally flat beds and direct aisle entry.
There aren’t any doorways on the suites, but it surely’s in any other case a really fashionable and aggressive product.
The Airbus A350-900 contains a reverse-herringbone format that’s broadly similar to Air Canada’s Signature Class cabin.
Seats angle in direction of the window, privateness is strong, and the general expertise ought to really feel very acquainted in the event you’ve flown fashionable enterprise class on different Star Alliance carriers.
On chosen A321 neo routes, ITA has gone a step additional and put in lie-flat enterprise class in a 1-1 format, which is especially fascinating for medium-haul flights to locations like North Africa or the Center East.
Availability: What We’re Seeing So Far
From Toronto (YYZ), financial system awards into Rome (FCO) are already exhibiting and pricing accurately off the companion chart, with 40,000 Aeroplan factors for a technique.
Lengthy-haul enterprise class from North America on ITA Airways, alternatively, is skinny or non-existent at this early stage.
That’s not out of character for ITA, which was by no means notably beneficiant with business-class awards throughout its SkyTeam period, but it surely’s one thing to look at as we transfer nearer to peak transatlantic season.
On shorter and medium-haul legs, enterprise class area is already simpler to identify, together with routes reminiscent of Rome (FCO) – Madrid (MAD) and different regional spokes.
These segments could also be particularly helpful for constructing multi-leg itineraries the place you utilize ITA to push onward from Rome into Africa or the Center East and nonetheless take pleasure in a lie-flat product.
Realistically, ITA might find yourself behaving like SWISS, Austrian, or Brussels on Aeroplan: enterprise area does exist, however you’ll in all probability have to plan forward, be versatile, or get barely fortunate.
Conclusion
Aeroplan’s addition of ITA Airways as a redemption companion is a robust quality-of-life improve for anybody who likes flying to, by, or past Italy on factors.
Rome turns into a extra helpful hub, ITA’s long-haul and narrowbody lie-flat cabins add one other high-quality choice to the companion roster, and the whole lot costs cleanly off the prevailing Aeroplan charts.
For now, it’s all about redemptions: you may e book ITA with Aeroplan factors instantly, however you’ll want to attend till ITA’s Star Alliance entry for incomes, SQCs, and elite perks to kick in.
Within the meantime, we’ll be maintaining a tally of how award area evolves, and we’ll be first in line when significant long-haul enterprise stock lastly reveals up.
