ITA Airways has announced a Caribbean debut for the 2026–27 winter schedule, with direct flights from Rome Fiumicino to Santo Domingo (Punta Cana International) launching on 30 November 2026. The route — the airline’s first to the Dominican Republic — will operate three times weekly on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with return fares starting from around €599.
The New Route Network
Beyond the Caribbean launch, ITA Airways is adding several new long-haul routes from Rome this autumn:
- Rome → Mauritius (SSR) from 2 October 2026 (twice weekly)
- Rome → Maldives (MLE) from 1 November 2026 (twice weekly)
- Rome → Hurghada, Egypt from 15 October 2026 (three times weekly, positioned as a Red Sea beach option)
Domestically, the autumn schedule brings new connections between regional Italian cities and popular international leisure destinations. Eight cities — including Catania, Bari, Bologna, Turin, and Naples — are gaining new direct international routes for the first time or significantly increasing frequencies on existing ones.
What This Means for Travellers
For visitors planning to combine an Italy trip with Caribbean or Indian Ocean destinations, the new ITA routes reduce the need to connect through hub airports in London, Paris, or Frankfurt. The Rome–Santo Domingo service in particular opens up direct routing from southern Europe to one of the Caribbean’s most popular all-inclusive markets.
For our full guide to flying into Italy — including which airports serve which regions, how to connect onward to Sicily, Sardinia, and the Amalfi Coast, and tips on booking ITA codeshare itineraries — see our flights to Italy guide.
Planning Around the New Routes
If Rome is your base, the Fiumicino to Santo Domingo route departs Terminal 3 (the international terminal). Check-in opens three hours before departure; ITA recommends arriving no later than 90 minutes before the gate closes on long-haul services.
For the Hurghada and Maldives routes, the airline is marketing them as part of package deals with Italian and European tour operators — standalone seat-only fares are available but may carry a premium compared with the package rate.
All new routes are now bookable through the ITA Airways website and major global booking platforms. To compare fares across all carriers, use our flights to Italy partner.