ITA Airways and Saudia end reciprocal FFP benefits while Rome–Jeddah route suspended
ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier, and Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier Saudia are officially ending their reciprocal frequent-flyer benefits.
According to ITA Airways, the partnership is due to terminate on November 15, 2025, ending the ability for members of ITA’s Volare program and Saudia’s Alfursan program to earn or redeem miles on each other’s flights. The FFP partnership was short-lived as it was only launched in June 2024.
The move comes amid a wider strategic realignment for both airlines. ITA Airways exited the SkyTeam alliance earlier in 2025 and is due to join Star Alliance, as Lufthansa became the new shareholder for the Italian carrier.
At the same time, ITA Airways is scaling back its presence in Saudi Arabia. In its recent schedule update, the carrier removed all operational flights between Rome Fiumicino and Jeddah from January 1 through March 28, 2026. Service on the route had already been suspended since October 26, 2025, cutting direct connectivity between Italy and the kingdom.
However, the airline still lists three weekly flights for the summer 2026 season beginning March 29 but the route has not been confirmed for the time being.
With ITA Airways shifting toward a new alliance framework and Saudia refining its international network, both carriers are clearly charting new, separate courses.
Saudia meanwhile expanded its September and October its codeshare partnership with duo carriers Air France and KLM. It includes among others code share routes from Amsterdam and Paris to Bergen, Edinburgh, Krakow, Lisbon, Lyon, Manchester or Porto.
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