Wizz Air raises the bar for low-cost travel with the introduction of WIZZ Class, a new optional service designed for cost-conscious passengers seeking privacy.

WIZZ Class is on selected flights

The service is available for purchase on selected flights to and from Budapest, Bucharest Otopeni, Warsaw, London Luton, London Gatwick and Rome Fiumicino. For those choosing WIZZ Class, one of the middle seats in the first rows (1B or 1E) will remain reserved. As the first row already offers extra legroom, the service will provide more comfort for relaxing or working while flying in the airline's usual single-class cabin. 

“We have listened to our passengers' requests”

WIZZ Class will be available as an additional option during the booking process for those purchasing the Smart and Plus packages, on the seat selection page. These packages already include priority boarding with a 10kg trolley, now with the WIZZ Class integration, passengers will also get a blocked middle seat and a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage snack.  “Business travel is growing across our network and we have listened to our passengers' requests,”  said Silvia Mosquera, Wizz Air's commercial officer. 

More space and high-efficiency configuration 

“They ask us for a bit more space and speed, but they don't want to pay the business class prices of traditional airlines. WIZZ Class responds to this demand, offering passengers the space they want and the service they deserve, without compromising on our simple and affordable model. We also confirm our commitment to remaining a single-class carrier to maintain our efficiency goals. Unlike traditional business class offerings, WIZZ Class does not require expensive cabin upgrades. The solution is simple: reserving only two middle seats gives customers space to stretch out and work, while maintaining the high-efficiency configuration Wizz Air is known for.

Toscana Aeroporti scored a new traffic record in 2025 with 9.8 million passengers, a growth of +8.4% over 2024.  

Record numbers for Florence’s Vespucci Airport

The company that manages both Pisa and Florence airports recorded 9.8 million passengers, a solid performance of both traffic segments: the international component growing by +8.8%, while the domestic one rose by +7.4%.  Florence’s Vespucci Airport handled 3.8 million passengers, equal to an increase of +9.4% compared to 2024, numbers that make 2025 its best year ever. Driving the excellent performance was the international traffic segment (+12.2%), which accounted for 87.2% of total passengers. This high percentage was not affected by the drop in the domestic segment: -6.4% compared to 2024. The most popular connections were Paris, London, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Munich.  

Pisa’s Galilei Airport handled almost six million passengers

2025 was also an excellent year for Pisa airport, which saw a growth in traffic in every month of the year compared to 2024. Galilei Airport handled almost six million passengers, 7.8% more than the previous year, the best result ever for Pisa’s airport. As in Florence, the highest percentages were recorded in Pisa by the international traffic segment, which grew by 6.3% (compared to 2024 which was 74.7% of the total.

“This record validates our industrial vision” 

“Closing 2025 with the record result of 9.8 million passengers is a clearest demonstration of the vitality and strategic centrality of the Tuscan Airport System,- said Marco Carrai, president of Toscana Aeroporti. -This record result, obtained with growth in every single month of the year in both Florence and Pisa, definitely validates our industrial vision. 2026 opens with a clear perspective: transforming these traffic volumes into structural value. The urgency of completing the planned infrastructural investments, from the expansion of Pisaìs terminal to the realization of the Florence Masterplan, is no longer just a strategic objective, but a dutiful response to a demand for mobility that we are ready to satisfy efficiently and sustainably with a concrete and positive impact on our region.” 

Cathay Pacific is boosting capacity between Hong Kong and Rome Fiumicino, which will be linked by four flights a week this summer.

Airbus A350-900 flights four days weekly

From 30 March to 24 October 2026, the seasonal route between Hong Kong and Rome - operated with Airbus A350-900s- will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The increase in frequencies responds to growing passenger demand and further expands travel opportunities both for Asian travellers eager to discover Rome and Italy's rich cultural heritage and  those flying to the Asia-Pacific region.

“Offering customers…a wide and flexible range of travel solutions” 

With this expansion, Cathay Pacific consolidates its presence in the Italian market, where it currently operates direct flights from Milan Malpensa. “The increase in frequencies to Rome reflects the strong demand for travel from and to Hong Kong and the entire Asia-Pacific region,- said Adrien Ng, Cathay’s area head Southern Europe. -It also underscores our commitment to offering customers an increasingly wide and flexible range of travel solutions. Italy is a key market for us, not only because of its global tourism relevance, but also because of its strategic role in fostering trade and cultural ties between Europe and Asia".

Connections to numerous Asia-Pacific destinations

Passengers travelling from Asia can reach Rome directly from Hong Kong, landing in one of the world's most iconic cultural capitals and an ideal gateway to explore Italy's artistic, historical and gastronomic excellence. Passengers departing from Rome will benefit from connections to numerous Asia-Pacific destinations via Cathay Pacific's main hub in Hong Kong.

Ryanair returns to Trapani-Marsala Airport with four new international routes: Brussels Charleroi, Baden-Baden, Katowice, Bratislava (and a domestic to Pescara). 

Over one million passengers a year 

The Irish low cost airline will operate two weekly flights on the Trapani-Bratislava, Trapani-Katowice and Trapani-Bruxelles Charleroi routes, and three weekly on the Trapani-Baden Baden and Trapani-Pescara routes. "These are part of Ryanair's wider investment in Trapani-Marsala, which includes the opening of a new base from January 2026 with two new aircraft one for winter 2025/2026 and two for summer 2026 -  a $200 million investment), Trapani-Marsala now becoming Ryanair's third Sicilian base, over one million passengers a year,  and more than 800 local jobs - said Fabrizio Francioni, head of communications Italy. 

Trapani-Marsala is Ryanair's third Sicilian base 

“This follows the decision of the Sicilian Region to abolish the municipal surtax at the island's smallest airports, with Trapani-Marsala now becoming Ryanair's third Sicilian base, and its twentieth in Italy, This further improves international accessibility and ensures year-round connectivity for Sicilians, favouring inbound tourism and a constant flow of visitors to support the local economy throughout the year".

“Trapani is flying high again”

"After eight years of absence, the Ryanair base is returning to Trapani-Birgi and I am particularly proud to be able to welcome it, for the second time, under my presidency, said Salvatore Ombra, president of Airgest. This propels us towards periods with increasing passenger flows: passenger growth will be 33% over 2024 and in the summer we will have a 22% increase compared to 2025.  The return of the Ryanair base, which will increase to two aircraft from March, means more flights, more passengers, and more opportunities. Trapani is flying high again. This is the result of the fruitful cooperation and support of the Sicily Region which as of this January abolished the Trapani-Birgi municipal surtax with the aim of increasing routes and tourism.” 

Air India will return to the skies over Rome, reconnecting Delhi-Rome Fiumicino from 25 March 2026.

Four weekly Boeing 787-800 flights

After an absence of almost six years on 25 March four weekly non-stop flights from Delhi will guarantee Italian travellers greater choice not only for direct access to the Indian capital but also for direct connections to South-East Asia through the airline's hub in Delhi. The service to and from Rome will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with Boeing 787-8s, with 18 flatbeds in Business Class and 238 seats in Economy. 

“Rome, a natural addition to Air India's expanding network”

"Connecting India to the rest of the world remains among our top priorities. India and Italy have deep cultural, economic and commercial affinities that make Rome a natural addition to Air India's expanding network,- said Nipun Aggarwal, Air India's chief commercial officer. -These non-stop flights not only increase direct connectivity between the two capitals but also offer Italian travellers more choice and connections with stopovers at our Delhi hub to destinations in the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia.

Italy is one of India's largest trading partners in Europe

“Air India's return from Delhi to Rome Fiumicino is a major development that contributes to the prospect of further growth on long-haul markets in 2026,- adds Ivan Bassato, chief aviation officer Aeroporti di Roma. -This new flight responds to an increasing demand in the main traffic segments, strengthening economic and cultural ties between Italy and India and expanding opportunities for exchange between the two countries.” Italy is one of India's largest trading partners in Europe and passenger traffic between the two countries is increasing steadily, thanks to the presence of a large Indian community in Italy and the growing interest of Indian travellers in Italian art, history, cuisine and experiences. Air India's flights to Rome are scheduled to offer connections via Delhi to destinations such as Bangkok, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Phuket and Singapore.

Wizz Air is adding three new routes from Armenia, Moldova and Northern Macedonia to Bari's Karol Wojtyla Airport.

Bari is a strategic crossroads for the Mediterranean area

The new routes from Yerevan (Armenia), Chișinău (Moldova) and Skopje (North Macedonia) underline the importance of Puglia in the airline’s growth strategies, transforming Bari into a strategic crossroads for the Mediterranean area. The route from Yerevan was inaugurated on 26 October and operates twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. The flights from Chișinău are operated three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and those from Skopje, twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.

Cancellations were reduced by 68.6% 

From January to October 2025 the company operated over 3,800 flights and carried more than 756,000 passengers. Operational excellence is evident in the reliability and punctuality figures: a 99.8% completion rate, an increase in punctuality of +11.9% year-on-year and a drastic reduction in cancellations of -68.6%. "The start-up of the routes from Yerevan, Skopje and Chisinau represents a further step in the path of growth and internationalization of our airport system, says Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia. -These connections strengthen the role of Puglia as a natural bridge between the Balkan and Caucasian areas and Europe, fostering cultural, tourist and economic exchanges of great value. We thus reaffirm our commitment to boosting connectivity, encouraging the deseasonalization of tourism and supporting local businesses.”

Italy is Wizz Air’s first market

Currently, Wizz Air operates 12 routes to Bari from eight countries, offering over 1.1 million seats in 2025 and consolidating its position as the second largest carrier by market share (11.6% ) at the airport. Bari's network already includes Tirana, Sofia, Budapest, Warsaw Chopin, Wroclaw, Bucharest Băneasa, Bucharest Otopeni, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova and Timisoara, and now expands with Yerevan, Chișinău and Skopje. Italy confirms its position as Wizz Air's first market in terms of the number of passengers carried on the company's entire international network, with almost 77,000 flights to and from Italy in 2025, over 245 active routes in 32 countries and more than 17.1 million passengers carried (+9% compared to the same period in 2024). Currently, the company operates out of 27 Italian airports with an offer of 23.4 million seats in 2025 and 27 aircraft based at five airports.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel has listed Sardinia  as one of the destinations not to be missed in 2026.

“Places and experiences that… are worth a trip in 2026”

The traditional selection made by Lonely Planet saw 25 destinations and 25 experiences on the podium for the first time. “For the first time we have decided not to draw up a ranking of countries, regions and cities that are absolutely not to be missed,- explained Angelo Pittro, director of Lonely Planet Italy. -This year we are proposing 25 places and 25 experiences that, in our opinion, are worth a trip in 2026. The reasons may be different and this is why everyone will create their own personal ranking within our selection, taking into account personal tastes and aspirations.”.

Centering on Sardinia’s archaeological treasures 

The Sardinia honoured by Lonely Planet is not just its nature and the sea. It is an alternative Sardinia, centred on the charm of its archaeological treasures, as the regional councillor for tourism, crafts and trade, Franco Cuccureddu, pointed out during the presentation. “In addition to its undoubted natural beauty, for example with the beaches of Cala Goloritzè and Cala Mariolu in the Gulf of Orosei, La Pelosa in Stintino and the Spiaggia Rosa in Budelli, Sardinia also has archaeological, historical and folklore treasures. The latest is the recognition given this year to the Domus de Janas, which entered the UNESCO World Heritage List on 12 July.”

For ItaliAbsolutely 2025 was a highly successful and satisfying year; we took a closer look at lesser-known Italy and established a closer relationship with foreign buyers. ItaliAbsolutely has a mailing list of some 70,000 global specialists who sell Italy, and our daily news and views are presented in over 4,000 articles that introduce buyers to the most interesting and marketable dynamics of the industry in Italy. ItaliAbsolutely is where international buyers discover the Italy they can sell.

But ItaliAbsolutely does not stop here with the portal and the special edition printed magazines, it also becomes a series of events. In fact every year we also promote what Italy has to offer from North to South at international events, on fam trips and on webinars involving hundreds of travel agents.

And again this year the print magazine will be distributed abroad, at ITB Berlin, Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum and WTM London. Under our partnership with ITB Berlin the special edition will be given to all the buyers attending the prestigious international event, ensuring greater visibility for the Italian companies and destinations featured. ItaliAbsolutely uses English as its mother tongue and is not translated by Google or other systems.

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics drive rail travel demand in Northern Italy.

Milan is reinforcing its role as a gateway

The rise in rail travel is reported by Rail Europe which points out that booking figures show that Milan is reinforcing its role as the main international gateway, while Venice and Verona are emerging as key rail-connected destinations on Olympic travel itineraries. Rail Europe is seeing strong booking activity on major high-speed lines including Milan-Venice and Milan-Verona. At the same time, cross-border rail traffic to Milan from major European hubs, including Paris and Zurich, remain consistently high.

“Rail plays a key role…across national borders”

“Major international events highlight the need for reliable and seamless mobility,- says Björn Bender, CEO and executive chairman Rail Europe. -Rail plays a key role in connecting cities, regions and Alpine destinations across national borders. With the Milan-Cortina Games approaching, rail is a flexible and efficient way of travelling in northern Italy, supported by strong international connections and a well-developed regional network. Milan occupies a central position in this changing tourism landscape. For many visitors to the Olympics, it represents the nearest major international air terminal. In parallel, the city serves as a primary railway hub connecting northern Italy with France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

Verona will host the closing ceremony

Rail connectivity is also crucial for access to the Alpine regions hosting winter sports events. Destinations such as the Valtellina can be reached via Tirano, with train connections from Milan and cross-border connections from Switzerland via the Chur-St. Moritz corridor. Recent infrastructure improvements on these routes have increased the comfort and frequency of services, strengthening the role of international railways in winter sports travel. Verona, which will host the closing ceremony of the Olympics, is equally well integrated into the railway network of northern Italy. Its connectivity allows travel planners to combine participation in the Olympics with wider itineraries in the Veneto and Alpine region, positioning rail as a practical alternative to road travel. Cortina d'Ampezzo, rail travel is typically combined with local transport from nearby railway stations such as Calalzo di Cadore or Dobbiaco. This model keeps the railway at the centre of the journey, while addressing access to the last mile, with total journey times from Milan generally varying between five and six and a half hours, depending on connections.