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United Airlines and Italy's ITA Airways to start loyalty partnership ahead of Star Alliance move
Edward Russell
Contributor
Edward Russell is a contributor for TPG. An AvGeek at heart, he covered the airline business at FlightGlobal for eight years and previously covered finance in New York and Hong Kong.
Sept. 09, 2025
•
3 min read
United Airlines and Italy's ITA Airways to start loyalty partnership ahead of Star Alliance move
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United Airlines and Italian carrier ITA Airways will debut a new partnership later this month as part of the latter's integration into the Lufthansa Group.
The carriers will begin a codeshare and loyalty tie-up Sept. 15, ITA said and United confirmed on Tuesday. The pact is a precursor to the Italian airline joining Star Alliance with United and other airlines in early 2026.
ITA is in the process of exiting the SkyTeam alliance.
United MileagePlus: Guide to earning and redeeming miles, elite status and more
The Lufthansa Group bought a 41% stake in ITA from the Italian government at the beginning of 2025. The German group is in the process of integrating ITA, which was formed out of the assets of Alitalia in 2020, into its portfolio of airlines and partnerships, including with United.
Under the pact, members of ITA's Volare loyalty program and United's MileagePlus program can earn and redeem points on either airline's flights. Elite members will also have access to both carriers' lounges.
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A United spokesperson confirmed that MileagePlus members will earn valuable status points and segments when flying on ITA as well.
The codeshare will see ITA placing its "AZ" code on United-operated flights to select U.S. airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Denver International Airport (DEN) and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The airlines' shared U.S. gateways include Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C.
And in Europe, United will place its "UA" code on certain ITA flights, including those to Florence Airport (FLR), Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) and Turin Airport (TRN), all in Italy. The carrier will connect to ITA at gateways like Brussels Airport (BRU), Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO).
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The ITA-United pact is a precursor to the Italian airline joining the existing joint venture between Air Canada, the Lufthansa Group and United. A joint venture is a regulator-approved tie-up where airlines can coordinate everything from schedules to fares and sales in a certain market (in this case, between North America and Europe).
Lufthansa executives, including Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr, have confirmed the plan to incorporate ITA into the transatlantic pact without providing a firm timeline.
"If you force ITA to fly against all three American carriers, who are all like 10-times the size of ITA, and even Emirates that also operates on the North Atlantic out of Milan, ITA will have no sustainable future," Spohr said in 2024.
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Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.