ITA Airways Launches Flight Pass Prepayment Program

Simple Flying

By Pranjal Pande

Published Mar 13, 2022

Italy's new flag carrier is rolling out a flight pass option to allow frequent travelers to bag discounts on multiple bookings.

ITA holds access to crucial slots and routes in Italy, explaining the major interest in the newly formed airline. Photo: Getty Images

ITA (Italia Trasporto Aereo) Airways has introduced a new flight pass program to bring more frequent flyers to the carrier. The program allows passengers to buy a set number of tickets in advance to countries or regions to use over any period. This will enable companies and frequent flyers to easily schedule travel without worrying about surge pricing or other issues.

Making it easy

Italy's flag carrier, ITA, has become the latest airline to roll out an advanced ticketing model. The system works simply: passengers can choose to travel between any two cities, such as Rome to London, a fixed number of times, say 12 flights. ITA will sell these tickets for £62 ($80) each way, shaving off £20 ($26) off each flight if booked separately.

This means frequent flyers can simply log in to the website, select a date to travel (within 14 to 90 days of departure), and jet off without any additional payment. However, cheaper passes are subject to blackout dates, so business travelers may choose to go for the flexible option, allowing travel on any date for an extra cost.

ITA has partnered with Optiontown, a well-known name in the space for its flight passes. The company also hosts passes for carriers like Singapore Airlines and more. Photo: ITA/Optiontown

Broader prospects

However, this doesn't only apply to individual travelers. Companies have the opportunity to buy passes in advance and offer tickets to up to 24 employees on each route. This means saving thousands of dollars on planned trips by avoiding surge pricing due to booking large numbers of tickets at the same time. However, adding each passenger increases pass prices, so it's important to see average fares to guarantee value.

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For example, a pass for 24 flights between Barcelona and Rome in six months from March to September, booked a day in advance, with blackout dates, and for up to 24 employees would run a company £2,376, or £99/flight. This can be good value for corporations that frequently traverse Europe, especially as travel opens up.

Why create this?

Many might be wondering why airlines are willing to shave off hundreds or thousands of dollars by selling tickets in advance. The reason for this is twofold, starting with revenue. Flight passes bring in advance cash for airlines, usually nonrefundable, allowing them to trade unsold tickets six months in the future for funds today. This is highly lucrative, especially during the pandemic, and has made flight passes very common in recent months.

ITA has been struggling financially and is currently in the process of selling a stake to Lufthansa or other interested airlines. Photo: Getty Images

The second reason has to do with ITA's plans for flight subscriptions in the future. According to Aviacionline, the carrier sees this new option as the first step to rolling out a monthly payment system that will see passengers receive travel credits for a fixed amount. This would be the first of its kind in Europe and could be a gamechanger for frequent flyers, especially if it excludes blackout dates and allows close-in bookings.

What do you think about ITA's flight pass? Let us know in the comments!