AeroItalia (XZ, Rome Fiumicino) has signed a dry-lease agreement for five B737-8s from Air Lease Corporation, adding two to an earlier tentative deal for three such aircraft from the lessor. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and continue into the second quarter of 2027.

The new type will begin revenue operations at the end of 2026, chief executive Gaetano Intrieri confirmed in a LinkedIn post. He told ch-aviation that the B737-8s will be for pure growth and will not be replacing any currently operated B737-800s.

The airline currently operates nine B737-800s and two ATR72-600s. The Boeing fleet has an average age of 20.4 years. Apart from its in-house fleet, AeroItalia also wet-leases one B737-700 and one E190 from Hello Jets and Marathon Airlines, respectively.

AeroItalia signed its first B737-8 agreement with Air Lease Corporation in 2022, at that time planning to lease three units of the type due in 2023 and 2024. Those deliveries did not materialise, and the airline previously told ch-aviation that it would focus on B737-800s, partially due to the lack of engine maturity for the B737-8. Intrieri confirmed to ch-aviation that the new agreement would incorporate the old deal, for a total of five aircraft.