Italian flag-carrier operating from hubs at Rome Fiumicino, Milan, Turin, Venice, Naples and Catania. Domestic flights serve 25 cities, while international flights serve 48 destinations in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. Air One is Alitalia's low cost subsidiary.

Founded as Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali. On 31 October 1957, the company merged with Linee Aeree Italiane (LAI) and took on the name of Alitalia Linee Aeree. On 1 October 1997 Alitalia created a regional subsidiary, Alitalia Express to operate scheduled domestic, regional and charter flights on its behalf.

In March 2006 Alitalia was declared the winning bidder for low cost carrier Volareweb.com. However, the deal was frozen two months later after protests by rival bidder Air One.

In May 2007 three bidders for a minimum 49.9 per cent stake in Alitalia were short-listed, however by 18 July 2007, before the winner could be announced, all three had withdrawn from the process.

In March 2008 the Alitalia Board accepted a conditional takeover offer from Air France-KLM. The offer was however withdrawn on 21 April 2008, due to opposition from Alitalia Unions and incoming Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi. On 30 May 2008 the Italian Government announced the launch of a fresh initiative to sell a 49.9 per cent stake in the airline. On 20 November 2008 Alitalia's administrator agreed to sell the airline to an investor consortium, Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI), made up of sixteen private companies, each of which took a 6.25 per cent share in the carrier. CAI, led by Piaggio chairman Roberto Colaninno announced that it planned to lease or buy 93 of Alitalia's 173 aircraft and hire 12,600 of Alitalia's 20,000 staff. The transfer of assets took place 30 November 2008. Operations under CAI ownership, originally due to start on 1 December 2008, were delayed until 12 January 2009. Plans also called for Air One to become a separate but subsidiary carrier, and the two airlines began operating a new joint timetable on 13 January 2009. Air One was subsequently positioned as Alitalia's low cost subsidiary. On 19 January 2009, Air France-KLM was announced as Alitalia's strategic partner, taking a 25 per cent equity stake at a cost of €323 million (US $431 million).

Fleet

• 88 x Airbus A320 family
• 2 x Airbus A330
• 14 x Boeing 737
• 6 x Boeing 767
• 10 x Boeing 777
• 1 x Dassault Falcon 2000
• 20 x McDonnell Douglas MD-82
• 10 x Bombardier CRJ900

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