Lufthansa adds a bevy of new routes across the US and Canada for 2024
Lufthansa is expanding.
The conglomerate, which owns Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines along with its namesake airline, is adding a slate of new routes to cities across North America as part of its 2024 schedule.
Next June, Lufthansa will enter two new markets: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). The German carrier plans to fly from both airports to its hub at Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
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For MSP, the addition of Lufthansa brings the airport's airline count up to 18; it's the first new transatlantic carrier for the airport in over four years, according to a press release from MSP. Last month, Irish carrier Aer Lingus announced its own new service from MSP, though its nonstop flights to Dublin are technically a resumption of a route that ended in early 2020.
RDU, the second-busiest airport in North Carolina, is already served by international carriers Air Canada, Air France, Bahamasair and Icelandair, making Lufthansa the fifth international carrier to operate out of the Research Triangle airport. In adding the route, Lufthansa cited RDU's proximity to major academic institutions, namely Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University, along with the area's burgeoning tech industry and research facilities.
"The expansive connections between these facilities, especially technology hubs, and those in Europe, the Middle East and India, make the route an important conduit for academics and business travelers," the company said in a statement.
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The German carrier is also adding a new daily route from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to its hub at Munich Airport (MUC) beginning in summer 2024.
Swiss, a Lufthansa subsidiary, will also operate flights between Dulles International Airport (IAD) and its base at Zurich Airport (ZRH) starting March 28, 2024. Lufthansa already flies from IAD to Brussels Airport (BRU), along with its hubs in Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna.
"This long-awaited connection between Washington and Zurich, by Switzerland's flag carrier, further enhances our offering in the U.S. Capital as we connect this growing gateway to all five Lufthansa Group hubs, and subsequently to hundreds of destinations around the world," said Dirk Janzen, Lufthansa's vice president of passenger sales in the Americas.
During the peak months of the summer travel season, Lufthansa is also going to fly an Airbus A380 from IAD to Munich — a first for Lufthansa — further signaling a triumphant return of international travel. Lufthansa previously retired its A380 fleet due to the COVID-19 pandemic but recently brought the aircraft back for a flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in June.
Currently, Lufthansa flies the A380 from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and BOS. It plans to put the double-decker jet on flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) later this fall.
Swiss will also expand its footprint in Canada, with a new seasonal route from Toronto to Zurich making its debut May 10, 2024. The carrier already flies a route between Montreal and the Swiss city.
Beyond the new routes, Lufthansa is also increasing the frequency of its routes from Austin, Dallas and San Diego, anticipating growing leisure and business travel demand in those cities. At San Diego, specifically, Lufthansa said it would double its schedule, offering daily flights from San Diego International Airport (SAN) next summer.
"Expansion means more routes, more frequencies and easier connections," Janzen said in a statement. "Customers will absolutely experience this with the ease and comfort of our vast network that spans the globe."