ITA Airways has become an official partner of the Houston Rockets under an international marketing agreement that will promote the Italian airline in the United States and the NBA franchise in Italy. The deal covers brand placements at Rockets home games, in-arena marketing and campaigns across the team’s digital and social channels, with some activities involving players and former team stars. It complements ITA’s direct Rome–Houston service, launched in May 2026.
Promotional activities for fans will include instant-win contests and access to premium experiences. The partnership is also intended to promote travel to Italy among Houston-area audiences and build interest in the Rockets among Italian basketball fans.
Houston is the ninth destination in ITA’s North American network, which also includes New York, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto. The Rome route began with three weekly flights and increased to five weekly frequencies from June. ITA reports that the service is performing above expectations, but has not provided figures to support the assessment.