ITA Airways launched the first-ever nonstop flight between Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on 1 May 2026, operated with an Airbus A330-900neo. The inaugural service was greeted by a water arch salute from the Houston Fire Department and attended by government officials from Italy and the United States, including Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
In May, the route operates three weekly frequencies — Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays — with a Rome departure at 10:20 a.m. and Houston departure at 6:10 p.m. local time. From 1 June through 24 October 2026, frequency increases to five weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday). The A330-900neo is ITA's newest long-haul aircraft, featuring a 'Made in Italy' interior design and operated exclusively by ITA on this corridor.
Houston becomes ITA's ninth North American destination, joining New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Toronto. The route had no historical precedent: despite Houston's size as the fourth-largest U.S. city and a major energy hub with strong Italian-American community ties, no nonstop Rome–Houston service had ever existed before ITA's launch.
Chairman Sandro Pappalardo said the route 'brings people and cultures closer together and reinforces our role as ambassador of Made in Italy worldwide,' per the ITA Airways official press release. Houston Airports and Business Travel News both confirmed the launch independently.
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Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Rome and Houston.