Lufthansa City Airlines has launched operations from Frankfurt Airport, beginning with a Frankfurt–Manchester flight on 9 February 2026 as part of a rapid European expansion.
Summary: Lufthansa City Airlines has opened operations from Frankfurt Airport with its first Frankfurt–Manchester flight on 9 February 2026, expanding its short-haul network, growing its fleet to include seven A320neos at Frankfurt by September 2026, and increasing staffing to support the wider route map.
Lufthansa City Airlines has begun flying from Frankfurt Airport as part of a strategic push to broaden its European short-haul presence. The carrier inaugurated its Frankfurt operations with a Frankfurt–Manchester service on 9 February 2026, operated by an Airbus A320neo, signaling an accelerated expansion following its initial launch from Munich in 2024.
Frankfurt hub strengthens European footprint
Establishing a second base at Frankfurt — one of Europe’s busiest aviation centres — provides Lufthansa City Airlines with a central platform to coordinate flights across key markets. The Frankfurt hub is intended to improve connectivity, increase frequency on popular city pairs and support the airline’s longer-term ambition to grow its regional market share.
Initial routes and planned summer expansion
From Frankfurt the airline began with services to Manchester, Berlin and Valencia. The route map will expand in March 2026 with new flights to Düsseldorf and Málaga, and a larger summer programme will add destinations including London Heathrow, Stockholm, Bilbao, Hamburg, Helsinki, Ibiza, Marseille and Bucharest.
- Inaugural Frankfurt–Manchester flight: 9 February 2026 (Airbus A320neo)
- Initial Frankfurt routes: Manchester, Berlin, Valencia
- March 2026 additions: Düsseldorf, Málaga
- Summer 2026 additions: London Heathrow, Stockholm, Bilbao, Hamburg, Helsinki, Ibiza, Marseille, Bucharest
Fleet growth to support higher frequency
Frankfurt will host seven Airbus A320neo aircraft by September 2026, supplementing the 13 A320neos already in service from the Munich base. This enlarged fleet will help the airline increase flight frequencies on established routes and test services to new markets across Europe.
Workforce expansion underway
To staff the growing operations, about 60 employees have already joined the Frankfurt team. The carrier plans to recruit roughly 80 additional cockpit crew and 200 cabin crew. Lufthansa City Airlines currently employs around 450 people in total, a figure expected to rise as the fleet and route network expand.
Alliance membership and passenger connectivity
Having joined Star Alliance in September 2025, Lufthansa City Airlines can offer passengers easier onward connections beyond Europe. The Frankfurt hub further enhances linkages to international markets by improving schedule coordination and facilitating transfers with partner carriers.
What this means for travelers and the industry
For passengers, the airline’s Frankfurt presence should translate into more flexible short-haul options, increased frequencies on key city pairs and smoother connections across the Star Alliance network. Airlines and airports will watch how the dual-hub strategy—Munich plus Frankfurt—affects regional competition, slot utilisation and demand dynamics on European routes.
So what? The expansion signals that Lufthansa City Airlines is positioning itself as a significant short-haul player in Europe. Travelers can expect more choices and potentially better timings on intra-European trips, while the broader market may see increased competition that influences pricing, capacity and service levels.
Travel tip: If you fly within Europe later this year, check the new Frankfurt-based routes for improved schedules and connections via Star Alliance partners.
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