RIMINI, Italy—Italian carrier Aeroitalia is preparing for international expansion in 2027 as it takes delivery of a new Boeing 737-8 aircraft and seeks to position itself as a network carrier rather than a traditional LCC.
Speaking at Routes Europe 2026 in Rimini, Italy, Aeroitalia Chief Commercial Officer Massimo Di Perna said the expanded fleet will accelerate growth outside of Italy after establishing a domestic presence since launching operations in 2022.
“Next year will be the year of international expansion in an organic way,” Di Perna said. “We are already developing a network strategy. We are here [at Routes Europe] to meet airports in order to understand the opportunities.”
The airline currently operates a mix of 737-800s, ATR 72-600s and Embraer E175/E195s and expects to take five 737-8s from Air Lease Corporation, with the first due for delivery in March 2027 and the remainder arriving between June and July next year.
“In peak summer [2026] we will have 20 aircraft, but from March next year we will have the new 737 MAX aircraft arriving,” Di Perna said. “This means that we have to grow organically outside Italy.”
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While much of Aeroitalia’s growth has been centered on domestic Italy, including offering public service obligation routes connecting the Italian mainland to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the carrier has already begun expanding internationally. The airline opened a base at Salerno Amalfi Coast Airport in May and will provide flights to Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Mykonos and Santorini during the summer season.
The carrier has also expanded operations in Sardinia, where it is basing a sixth aircraft at Cagliari Elmas Airport during summer 2026 and offering almost 730,000 departure seats, up 27% year-on-year.
According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Aeroitalia is the third-largest provider of domestic capacity in Italy during the summer 2026 season with about 3.7 million departure seats, equating to a 12.4% capacity share. Ryanair is the largest domestic operator with 46.8% of the market, followed by ITA Airways on 21.9%.
Di Perna said Aeroitalia now sees itself as a network airline focused on connectivity rather than a pure LCC. He pointed to the airline’s interline partnerships with Air France, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways as evidence of the strategy. “You can connect from Palermo via Rome with Delta to New York,” Di Perna said.
However, despite the growth ambitions, he acknowledged mounting pressure from rising fuel costs across the industry and the risks associated with expanding beyond Italy into increasingly competitive markets.
“This is exciting, but it’s also risky because we go to compete,” Di Perna said. “We are already competing in Italy with the main LCCs, but we are going outside. We need to take this challenge.”
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