ITA Airways is expanding its transatlantic route network by introducing new flights from Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), marking the first-ever direct route between the two cities. With the addition of Houston, the airline’s network will expand to nine North American destinations.
The Italian flag carrier has already opened ticket sales, with the inaugural flight set for May 1, 2026. The aircraft operating this route will be the carrier’s youngest widebody type, the Airbus A330-900 from the A330neo family.
The seasonal service will begin with three nonstops per week, ramping up to five nonstops per week on June 1st - just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The service will operate through at least October 24th.
Simple Flying, which first reported that this service was a possibility last June, explains the logic behind it:
The new FCO-IAH route will improve connectivity not only for passengers traveling directly to Houston, but also for those connecting onward to destinations across the US or Canada. To support these connections, ITA has recently launched codeshare agreements with United Airlines and Air Canada, which are both members of the Star Alliance. It is also worth noting that the Italian flag carrier is in the process of joining Star Alliance, following its integration into the Lufthansa Group.
I'm always happy when Houston adds more nonstop flights to international destinations, and as somebody who spent a few days in Rome three years ago and wants to go back, I can see myself making use of this service. Hopefully it will be successful enough to warrant year-round, rather than seasonal, service.
One Mile at a Time and KHOU have more.
