Volare, ITA Airways' loyalty program grows: points pooling and cards for kids coming soon

2024 will be a key year for ITA Airways. Not only because of the outcome of theagreement with Lufthansa, but also for themassive network expansion and fleet that is expected in the coming months.

The Flight Club discussed this with ITA's Chief Commercial Officer and CEO of Volare, Emiliana Limosani, during an exclusive meeting during the days of BIT, the International Tourism Exchange in Milan.

Let's start with Volare. The year 2024 opened with good news for program members, thanks to your decision to renew status.

"It's a decision that was made to Strengthen the loyalty of our members and on that basis proceed toward the ambitious goals we have set for this year."

What are the numbers of the program, almost two years after its introduction?

"At the end of 2023 we had one million 600 thousand members, which has already grown to one million 750 thousand. The goal is to cross the two million mark between March and April and end the year at two million 600 thousand. To date, 63% of the membership is made up of Italians and 37% by foreigners, mostly Americans, Brazilians, French, Germans, Spanish and Japanese. Our other goal will be to bring this participation into balance through loyalty campaigns in our most important foreign markets that involve accelerating the accumulation of points."

Will the program change over the course of this year?

"The big news will be its extension in the second half of March to children and families. Our little travelers can enroll in Volare as young as two years old, instead of from 16 as it is now.

E there will be a family program, in which an adult with one child or two adults and up to three children will be able to participate, through which the adult(s) will also be able to use the points accumulated by their children to combine them with their own and purchase prize tickets, simply by transferring the balance of the child(ren) to their account through a function that will be included on the site."

Who, to date, is the 'king' of Volare members?

"Our 'top' member of the Executive level. made on our planes 305 flights and accumulated 387,000 points from the beginning of the program. Expanding on this, I can tell you that 5% of enrollees have Plus, Premium, or Executive status, while 95% are 'Smart,' the basic level of the program."

Moving from Volare to ITA, we are about to enter a crucial period for summer sales. Are you witnessing the same 'early booking' seen last year?
"Compared to last year, we are witnessing a Slight slowdown in bookings for the summer season, meaning that passengers seem intent on wanting to take more time. This is despite the fact that prices are, for a number of reasons, lower than they were a year ago also for the summer. Our advice, for those who want to find affordable fares, is obviously not to wait too long."

And how are sales on the newly announced routes going?

"We already now have important numbers on Chicago and Toronto, and in general on North and South America, the United States and Brazil in particular. For us, long-haul is a key market, with which we made 50% of revenues in 2023. And that also helps us support medium and short haul, if we think that 45% of revenues from long haul comes from point-to-point traffic, while 55% comes to us from long haul traffic that uses Rome as a stopover."

This importance of long haul, in terms of revenue, how will it be 'sustained' during 2024, in terms of fleet?

"Overall, we will grow from the current 83 to 96 airplanes, with the arrival of 28 new generation aircraft against the exit of 15 older generation aircraft and a fleet that, by the end of 2024, will consist of new generation aircraft for the 66%. In total, we will have 74 narrow-body aircraft for short- and medium-haul and 22 wide-body aircraft dedicated to long-haul."

All the new 'blue' and 'blue' of ITA Airways: who's in and who's out (but will be made up)

Have you set a date yet for the retirement of the last A330-200 from the fleet?

"No, but it is likely to happen between 2025 and 2026."

And, with respect to the A350 retrofits, with the addition of the Premium Economy cabin, where do you stand?

"We haven't started yet. We will do it between March and June 2024, but we still don't know what the timing of upgrading the six airplanes we have in our fleet will be."

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