Air Italy Will Start New Flights to LAX and SFO from Milan MXP in April 2019, great news for those seeking nonstop award flights to Europe. From Milan, Air Italy has flights to Rome, Naples, Palermo, and Olbia, and nonstop flights elsewhere in Europe include Paris CDG (Air France), London (British Airways), Amsterdam (KLM), Madrid (Iberia), Barcelona and Bilbao (Vueling), Frankfurt and Munich (Lufthansa), Zurich (Swiss), Vienna (Austrian Airlines), Prague (Czech Airlines), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), Oslo and Stockholm (Norwegian Air), Lisbon (TAP Air Portugal), Riga (airBaltic), Helsinki (Finnair), among others.
Air Italy is the former Meridiana, which was officially rebranded as Air Italy on March 1, 2018, after Qatar Airways took a 49% in the company in 2017.
Air Italy Milan MXP to San Francisco SFO
Air Italy's flights between Milan and San Francisco will operate 4 times a week starting April 10, 2019, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays:
- Departs Milan 1:35pm, Arrives San Francisco SFO 5:10pm (IG937)
- Departs SFO 7:10pm, Arrives Milan the next day at 4:05pm (IG938)
Air Italy Milan MXP to Los Angeles LAX
Air Italy's flights between Milan and LAX will operate 4 times a week starting April 3, 2019, on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays:
- Departs Milan 1pm, Arrives Los Angeles LAX 4:50pm (IG943)
- Departs LAX 6:50pm, Arrives Milan the next day at 3:55pm (IG944)
Award Flights Using Avios
Air Italy is not a part of Oneworld, so you can't use American AAdvantage or other oneworld carrier miles for them; you can, however, use British Airways Avios. The Avios award chart is distance based, so while Air Italy flights from Milan MXP to New York JFK are 75,000 Avios + $210, the Air Italy flight from Milan to SFO or to LAX is 90,000 Avios + $391. Expect to pay 90,000 Avios + $548 for the flights from SFO to Milan or LAX to Milan, as taxes are higher when originating in the U.S.
Now, this was a much better deal when there was an AMEX 40% Transfer Bonus to Avios, which expired November 15, 2018, but if you transferred AMEX Membership Rewards points with the transfer bonus and are seeking a nonstop award flight to California from Europe, this could be a good use of them. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Citi ThankYou points to British Airways Avios, so there are multiple options if you don't already have a stash of Avios.
Air Italy Business Class
Keep in mind that Air Italy Business Class is at a slight angle, so not quite as flat bed a seat as some other business class products. That, plus the lower taxes when originating in Europe, could make it a better bet for the daytime flights from Europe, although I'd still fly Air Italy Business Class from California if the alternative was a connection somewhere on the East Coast, as there's a lot to be said for a longer nonstop business class flight to Europe without any connections in the middle of the night.
If you've flown Air Italy Business Class, what was your experience?
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HT: Ben
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