ITA Website is routing via LHG hubs: how to avoid?
Apr 19, 2026 | 11:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2025
Posts: 525
ITA Website is routing via LHG hubs: how to avoid?
Hi guys,
Was looking at an xxx FCO ZRH itineray and usally this is not a problem at all when booking via the ITA website.
However, now it's forcing me to go direct or via FRA/MUC/VIE.
Would much rather go via FCO as it's quite a bit cheaper + got time on this itinerary anyway.
I do get that route via OTAs, also for a very reasonable price.
Is there a way to force this routing aside from calling in?
In general I always book direct, but in this case it would be via Trip.com.
Do have status with Trip and with my limited experience CS seems good. No status with LHG.
Was looking at an xxx FCO ZRH itineray and usally this is not a problem at all when booking via the ITA website.
However, now it's forcing me to go direct or via FRA/MUC/VIE.
Would much rather go via FCO as it's quite a bit cheaper + got time on this itinerary anyway.
I do get that route via OTAs, also for a very reasonable price.
Is there a way to force this routing aside from calling in?
In general I always book direct, but in this case it would be via Trip.com.
Do have status with Trip and with my limited experience CS seems good. No status with LHG.
Apr 19, 2026 | 9:48 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, TK E (bye bye BA)
Posts: 5,237
Hi guys,
Was looking at an xxx FCO ZRH itineray and usally this is not a problem at all when booking via the ITA website.
However, now it's forcing me to go direct or via FRA/MUC/VIE.
Would much rather go via FCO as it's quite a bit cheaper + got time on this itinerary anyway.
I do get that route via OTAs, also for a very reasonable price.
Is there a way to force this routing aside from calling in?
In general I always book direct, but in this case it would be via Trip.com.
Do have status with Trip and with my limited experience CS seems good. No status with LHG.
Was looking at an xxx FCO ZRH itineray and usally this is not a problem at all when booking via the ITA website.
However, now it's forcing me to go direct or via FRA/MUC/VIE.
Would much rather go via FCO as it's quite a bit cheaper + got time on this itinerary anyway.
I do get that route via OTAs, also for a very reasonable price.
Is there a way to force this routing aside from calling in?
In general I always book direct, but in this case it would be via Trip.com.
Do have status with Trip and with my limited experience CS seems good. No status with LHG.
In few occasions I was not able to get a preferred itinerary on ITA, but when coming from Google Flight it was available.
Apr 27, 2026 | 9:52 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BCN/SIN/ZRH
Programs: SEN*** (LT FTL) , Ex (TK Elite+, OW Sapphire, Meli Platimun), Hyatt Gold, Bonvoy.
Posts: 968
In the past month AZ flights were inserted into LH Group timetable thus the prices have risen significantly and also LH priorize all Italian destination to be flown via FCO and AZ. Destinations such as GVA, ZRH, LIN and other IT destinations (ex EU) are no longer available, or the prices have doubled. There were flights (via FCO) to/from all those cities for as low as 62€ one way, now they are 110€ one way or 180€ return, that is exactly what LH Group used to charge for all EU destinations. I also learnt that IT destinations were 140€ return now they are also much more expensive, and domestic business class fares jumped from 89 to 130€ o/w.
Apr 27, 2026 | 11:01 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, TK E (bye bye BA)
Posts: 5,237
I can see multiple options across LHG for several IT destinations. Departing BRU to TRN, for example, I have both AZ and LH/EN. Sometime AZ is cheaper, sometime LH is.
Domestic flights in Y seems to have more or less the same prices than before, it's J that's become more expensive, in my opinion.
Domestic flights in Y seems to have more or less the same prices than before, it's J that's become more expensive, in my opinion.
Apr 29, 2026 | 8:27 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: AFKL Platinum, SAS EBG (STE+), TK Elite (*G), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,396
Have you tried forcing the routing via FCO using the multi city feature? This usually works well for me on LHG so assuming they adopted the corporate booking tool, it should work with ITA too.
May 1, 2026 | 3:41 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2025
Posts: 525
Ended up booking via Trip for the first time.
Hadn't checked multi city for a layover as it's only 2hr and wasn't sure about protection etc or if it would have been cheaper.
Noticed that skyscanner offered it on and off, now ITA matrix also has an export to Google Flight function.
Anyways, now 2x the a321neo with what should be lie-flat business intra EU
Hadn't checked multi city for a layover as it's only 2hr and wasn't sure about protection etc or if it would have been cheaper.
Noticed that skyscanner offered it on and off, now ITA matrix also has an export to Google Flight function.
Anyways, now 2x the a321neo with what should be lie-flat business intra EU