Lufthansa's 787 Dreamliner. Photo: Lufthansa Lufthansa will launch a direct flight between John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio, United States, and Frankfurt Airport, Germany, in May 2027. This will be the first direct flight from the central Ohio region to Europe, and the first and only route in the country to connect it to Germany without an intermediate stop.
The new route will operate three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights from Columbus will depart at 16:20 and arrive in Frankfurt at 06:15 the next day, local time. Bookings are expected to open on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The flights will be operated on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, featuring Lufthansa's Allegris class. The aircraft in the planned configuration will offer 287 seats, including 28 seats in Business Class with full lie-flat option, 28 seats in Premium Economy Class and 231 seats in Economy Class.
Beyond the shortcut between Ohio and Germany, the new route is expected to allow passengers from Columbus convenient access to Lufthansa's route network via Frankfurt, with connections to more than 130 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.
The line is also intended to strengthen business ties between Ohio and Germany. According to the data released in the announcement, more than 750 German-owned companies operate in the state of Ohio, supporting about 41,000 jobs. Germany is the third-largest source of international investment in the state, after Japan and Canada. In 2023, Ohio's exports of goods to Germany amounted to about $1.4 billion.
The announcement was made in partnership with the Columbus Regional Airports Authority, Lufthansa, the economic development organization JobsOhio and One Columbus. As part of a program to encourage airline route development, JobsOhio and regional partners participate in providing revenue guarantees designed to reduce the risk for airlines when launching new routes.