Lufthansa City Airlines officially commenced flight operations from Frankfurt Airport, the Lufthansa Group's largest hub. Following its successful launch in Munich in summer 2024, the opening of the new base in Frankfurt marks another milestone in the expansion of the Group's newest airline. “With our new base and the targeted expansion of our short-haul network, we are simultaneously strengthening our market position and laying the foundation for further growth within the Group,” emphasizes Peter Albers, Chief Operating Officer of Lufthansa City Airlines.
The first flight, VL946, took off from Frankfurt to Manchester in the late afternoon and was operated by a modern Airbus A320neo with the registration D-AIJN. Berlin and Valencia will be added to the route network in February, followed by Düsseldorf and Málaga in March with a second aircraft. From summer 2026, the network from Frankfurt will be gradually expanded to include further destinations, including London Heathrow, Stockholm, Bilbao, Hamburg, Helsinki, Ibiza, Marseille, and Bucharest.
Fleet growth and staffing expansion
By fall, Lufthansa City Airlines' local Frankfurt fleet will grow to seven Airbus A320neo aircraft. The airline already operates 13 aircraft at its home hub in Munich. In 2025, it operated nearly 16,000 flights carrying around 2 million passengers to 27 destinations.
Lufthansa City Airlines continues to focus on growth and is actively recruiting staff. Around 60 employees have already been hired in Frankfurt, and Lufthansa City Airlines expects to hire a further 80 cockpit crew and 200 cabin crew members in the coming months. The airline currently employs around 450 people.
Since September 2025, Lufthansa City Airlines has been a permanent member of the Star Alliance, providing access to a global network and additional benefits for passengers.
With the opening of its new base in Frankfurt and the continuous expansion of its route network, Lufthansa City Airlines is underlining its role as an important part of the Lufthansa Group and continuing to drive forward the development of European short-haul traffic.
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