Adds details, timing, background

BERLIN, May 12 (Reuters) - Lufthansa Group LHAG.DE will exercise an option to lift its stake in Italy's ITA Airways to 90%, tightening its grip on the Rome-based carrier as industry consolidation accelerates in Europe.

The German group's holding in ITA will rise by 49 percentage points from 41% through the purchase of a second block of shares for 325 million euros ($382 million) next month, Lufthansa said on Tuesday.

It expects the majority acquisition to be completed in the first quarter of 2027 after European Union and U.S. approval.

Lufthansa said ITA is already firmly integrated as the group's fifth network airline in many areas, underlining its strategy to build Rome into a hub for routes to South America and beyond.

Speaking at the airline's annual general meeting, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said the group had delivered "the fastest airline integration in our history" with ITA.

That had driven a decision to exercise the purchase option as early as June of this year, he added.

ITA, which is currently majority-owned by the Italian government, reported its first annual net profit of 209 million euros in 2025, helped by early cost benefits from its tie-up with Lufthansa, the carrier said in March.

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