Tourism Breaking News
Today ITA Airways opened its new Chicago O’Hare – Rome Fiumicino nonstop
connection. The inaugural flight, which departed at 3:00 p.m. (local time) from the American city, was operated
with the new Airbus A330neo, the cutting edge of ITA Airways’ fleet and the ultimate reference in technology,
digitalization, innovation, efficiency and “Made in Italy” design.
To celebrate the launch of the new intercontinental route, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today at the
departure gate of Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the presence of Emiliana Limosani, ITA Airways
Chief Commercial Officer and CEO Volare, Thomas Botzios, Consul General of Italy in Chicago, and Amber
Ritter, Managing Deputy Commissioner and Chief Commercial Officer for the Chicago Department of Aviation.
“We are proud to be here today and launch the new nonstop flight between Chicago and Rome.” said Emiliana
Limosani Chief Commercial Officer ITA Airways and CEO Volare “This new destination, the seventh in
North America, further enriches the intercontinental network of ITA Airways and consolidates our expansion
towards the United States, which is the first international market for our Company. The multiple services from
Rome Fiumicino connecting to New York, Boston, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the
newly opened Chicago enhance our efforts to be the reference carrier from the United States to Italy and via
Rome to Europe and the Mediterranean for the Italian community, the international business communities in
North America as well as the major communities in the Mediterranean region”.
“As Consul General of Italy in Chicago, I am very happy and grateful to ITA Airways for this new ChicagoRome connection, which contributes to bringing Italy even closer to the heart of the United States, ensuring
an ideal territorial contiguity between Rome and the American Midwest.” stated Thomas Botzios, Consul
General of Italy in Chicago “An area that sees the presence of some of the main Italian industrial Groups,
and a network of over a hundred SMEs that embody Italian entrepreneurship and its ability to combine
innovation and tradition. I am sure that the over thirty thousand Italians and the one and a half million
Americans of Italian heritage living in the Midwest, represented here by Comites, NIAF, and JCCIA, are eager
to travel this new route that evokes Italy since the very first glance on such beautiful blue aircraft.”
“On behalf of Mayor Brandon Johnson and the entire City of Chicago, I thank our partners at ITA Airways for
their investment in the Chicago market,” said Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee of the CDA, which owns and
operates Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports. “O‘Hare is serving its largest number of Italian
destinations ever in 2024, and this new route will help connect the people of Chicago to all of the rich culture
and history that Rome has to offer.”
“Chicago’s enduring status as a world-class destination is thanks, in large part, to our two airports and their
connections to the world,” said Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO, Choose Chicago. “We are thrilled
to celebrate the launch of ITA Airways new direct service to Rome, and we look forward to welcoming more
visitors from Italy and across Europe to explore everything that Chicago has to offer.”
In the current Summer 2024, the new direct Chicago – Rome connection will initially provide 6 weekly
frequencies, increasing to 7 from June. Moreover, with the new intercontinental destinations opening this summer, and including in addition to Chicago also the Toronto – Rome nonstop flight launching on May 10th,
the Company will offer 140 weekly flights between North America and Italy in the peak of the season.
The opening of the new connection, the seventh to North America, represents a crucial product for ITA
Airways. The United States is indeed ITA Airways’ first strategic market after Italy and the new route will allow
the airline to add a further strategic access not only for point-to-point traffic, but also for onward connections
to other destinations within the Country, combining leisure and business traffic flows.
The new Chicago route is also a further step in ITA Airways’ intercontinental network expansion strategy for
the current summer season, including 57 destinations, with 16 domestic, 26 international and 15
intercontinental. North America, Africa and the Middle East are the markets where the airline will launch
nonstop flights from its Rome Fiumicino hub. In May, direct connections to Toronto and Riyadh will be
launched. In June it will be the turn of nonstop flights to Accra and Kuwait City, in July to Dakar and in August
to Jeddah. Furthermore, in the peak of the summer season, ITA Airways will add 11 seasonal connections,
selected from the most popular Mediterranean tourist destinations, including Greece, Spain, Croatia and the
Italian islands with Rhodes, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Menorca, Heraklion, Corfu, Split, Kefalonia,
Lampedusa, Sardinia and Pantelleria.
The new intercontinental destinations for Summer 2024 join the direct long-haul flights already operated to
New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos
Aires, Tokyo and New Delhi.
ITA Airways started its operations on 15th October 2021 with a fleet of 52 aircraft. At the heart of the Company’s
strategy is its ambition to be an ambassador of Made in Italy by offering personalized services and ensuring
a completely Italian in-flight experience at every stage of the journey. This goal is achieved thanks to important
partnerships with renowned Italian brands, such as Brunello Cucinelli, who designed the uniforms of the crew
and ground staff, Walter De Silva, who created the interiors of ITA Airways’ new aircraft, and starred Italian
chefs, who are signing the on-board gastronomic offerings. One of the Company’s strategic pillars is also its
commitment to sustainability, achieved through a continuous fleet renewal with technologically advanced and
efficient aircraft. ITA Airways’ fleet currently comprises 87 Airbus aircraft, including 44 of the latest generation.
Tickets for all the new flights can be purchased through the ITA Airways sales channels, on the official itaairways.com website and via the Company’s Customer Center, travel agencies and airport ticket offices.
