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Lufthansa (LH) Guide

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Flights from Frankfurt and Munich across Europe and to every continent, fleet and cabins, baggage, check-in and how to find cheaper Lufthansa fares. Ask a question
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In short

Lufthansa is the flag carrier of Germany, headquartered in Cologne with hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. It flies to about 229 destinations in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. A Star Alliance founding member, Lufthansa uses Miles & More. Long-haul flights offer First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

Lufthansa is Germany’s flag carrier and the main airline of the Lufthansa Group, which also includes SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways and Eurowings.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Lufthansa. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Lufthansa is the flag carrier of Germany and the main airline of the Lufthansa Group, flying from hubs at Frankfurt and Munich to around 229 destinations worldwide. It suits travellers who want a full-service airline with a large long-haul network from Germany, and anyone collecting Miles & More across the group's airlines.

From Deutsche Luft Hansa to the 1953 company

The name goes back to Deutsche Luft Hansa, founded in 1926 and wound up in 1951. Today's company was founded in Cologne on 6 January 1953 under the name Luftag and began commercial flights in 1955. Lufthansa was the launch customer for the Boeing 737 and in 1970 became the first European airline to put the Boeing 747 into regular passenger service. In 1997 it was one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, now the world's largest airline alliance.

The pandemic forced a 9 billion euro government rescue in 2020, which gave the German government a 20 per cent stake. Skytrax gave Lufthansa five stars in 2017 and cut the rating to four stars in 2022.

The Lufthansa Group

The group is the largest airline group in Europe by revenue and the second-largest by passengers. In 2025 it carried about 135 million passengers, earned revenue of 39.5 billion euros and employed about 103,000 people. Corporate headquarters are in Cologne.

Besides Lufthansa itself, the group owns SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti and Lufthansa City Airlines. It holds 41 per cent of ITA Airways with an option to buy more, and 50 per cent of the leisure airline SunExpress. Lufthansa CityLine stopped flying in 2026, and regional feeder flights from Frankfurt and Munich have moved to Lufthansa City Airlines.

Frankfurt and Munich hubs

Frankfurt Airport is the main hub, and Munich is the second. Between them they connect German and European cities with long-haul routes to North and South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Star Alliance partners such as United and Air Canada add more connections on the same ticket.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Lufthansa official website

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Good to know

  • Founded1953
  • Other gatewaysMUC
  • Online check-inYes

Everything you should know

Airline codes

LH · DLH

IATA · ICAO · callsign “LUFTHANSA”

Every Lufthansa flight number begins with LH. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code DLH, and the radio callsign is LUFTHANSA.

Key facts

Main hub

Frankfurt (FRA)

Frankfurt Airport

Also flies abroad fromMunich (MUC)

Network

About 229 destinations

Europe · North America · Asia · Middle East · Africa · Latin America

Lufthansa runs two large hubs, Frankfurt and Munich, with flights to almost every European country and long-haul routes to all inhabited continents.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Economy

and Premium Economy, Business, First

Up to four cabins: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy, with the new Allegris seats on newer long-haul aircraft. Long-haul aircraft offer up to four cabins: First on selected aircraft, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Allegris is Lufthansa's newer long-haul cabin design, and it is being fitted to part of the fleet, so the seat you get depends on the aircraft.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Lufthansa is rolling out its new Allegris cabins on long-haul aircraft from 2024. Its regional subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines flies short routes from Munich and Frankfurt. Official website: lufthansa.com.

Frequent flyer

Miles & More

Member of Star Alliance

Lufthansa is a founding member of Star Alliance; its programme is Miles & More.

How it works

Start a new search

Before you book Lufthansa, run the same dates through bookingMentor: rival airlines on routes from FRA appear in one set of results.

Wishing you a smooth trip with Lufthansa.

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At a glance

Lufthansa (IATA: LH, ICAO: DLH) is the flag carrier of Germany, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Cologne, with hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. A founding member of Star Alliance, it flies around 270 aircraft to about 229 destinations worldwide, with First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins on long-haul flights.

Key facts about Lufthansa
HeadquartersCologne, Germany
Fleet typesBoeing 747-8, 787-9, Airbus A350-900, A380, A330, A340, A320 family
Frequent flyerMiles & More
Official websitelufthansa.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
These are the cities on Lufthansa’s published route map. Timetables change through the year, so check the Lufthansa schedule before you plan around a route. Search flights

Germany & Europe

Frankfurt (FRA) departures11 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

Lufthansa flies about 274 aircraft. European routes use the Airbus A320 family. Long-haul flights use the Airbus A330, A340, A350 and A380 and the Boeing 747-8 and 787-9. The A380 has been retired and returned to service more than once,.

  • Airbus A350-900 Wide-body Long-haul routes, mostly from Munich
  • Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Wide-body Long-haul routes with Allegris cabins
  • Boeing 747-8 Wide-body High-demand long-haul routes from Frankfurt
  • Boeing 747-400 Wide-body High-demand long-haul routes from Frankfurt
  • Airbus A380 Wide-body Selected high-demand long-haul routes
  • Airbus A330 Wide-body Long-haul routes
  • Airbus A340 Wide-body Long-haul routes
  • Airbus A319 / A320 / A321 (incl. neo) Narrow-body Domestic and European routes

Cabin classes

Four cabins on many long-haul flights; Business and Economy in Europe.

Economy All flights

Light, Classic and Flex fares

Seat selectionMeals on long-haulSnack and drink in Europe

Premium Economy Long-haul

More room and better service

Extra legroomWider seatTwo checked bags on many fares

Business All flights

Flat beds on long-haul; Allegris on new aircraft

In Europe Business has a blocked middle seat; on long-haul it offers flat beds, with Allegris suites on newer aircraft.

Lounge accessPriority servicesExtra baggage

First Selected long-haul

Lufthansa’s top cabin

Private seat or suiteFirst Class Terminal in FrankfurtFine dining

Miles & More

The Lufthansa Group’s frequent flyer programme, free to join.

Members earn miles and points on Lufthansa, Lufthansa Group airlines and Star Alliance partners, and redeem them for award flights, upgrades and partner rewards. Frequent flyers can reach Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle status.

Miles & More is the frequent flyer programme for Lufthansa and the other group airlines, and it is also used by partners such as LOT and Luxair. Status levels are Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle, and status gives Star Alliance benefits such as lounge access.

Travel tip: Frankfurt and Munich are large airports, so allow time for transfers, especially between Schengen and non-Schengen gates. Check in online on the Lufthansa website or app, and check the baggage allowance for your fare type there, because different fare types include different items.

Baggage allowance

On Lufthansa, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your LH e-ticket.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Depends on fare
Extra bags
Cheaper before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Economy Light fares include only a cabin bag; Classic and Flex fares include a checked bag. Long-haul fares include checked baggage, and Premium Economy, Business and First include more.

Pro tip: connecting in Frankfurt or Munich? Allow time for passport control if you move between Schengen and non-Schengen flights.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Lufthansa check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Frankfurt Airport.

  • Online check-in available
  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Where your flight allows it, check in on lufthansa.com or app with your surname and booking reference or e-ticket number.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Before leaving for the airport, check that your passport is valid and that you hold any visa or entry document needed at the other end of your Lufthansa flight. Domestic LH passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Each airport has its own Lufthansa check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international LH departures.

    Well before departure
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    Hand in checked luggage at the Lufthansa counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.

    Lufthansa counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Lufthansa website.
Check in with Lufthansa
Save money

Cheap tickets

A few booking habits that tend to cut the cost of flying Lufthansa.

  1. 01

    Look across the week

    If your dates can move, look at LH flights across the whole week. Midweek seats are often cheaper than weekend ones.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak seasons

    Summer, Christmas and major trade fairs in Frankfurt and Munich (such as Oktoberfest) push fares up.

    Summer & trade fairs
  3. 03

    Compare Lufthansa fare types

    The lowest LH fare is not always the cheapest trip once bags and seats are added. Compare the fare types before you pay.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Compare Frankfurt and Munich

    Many long-haul destinations are served from both hubs, and the fare can differ.

    FRA vs MUC

  5. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Lufthansa alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Lufthansa flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Lufthansa.
We check these Lufthansa answers with the airline’s own sources and aviation references every season.

General

Lufthansa is a founding member of Star Alliance, set up in 1997. Partners include United, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines and LOT, so you can earn and use Miles & More miles across the alliance.