Two new U.S. cities
Lufthansa is adding Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix, Arizona, to its map in summer 2027. Both are part of what the Lufthansa Group calls its most extensive route expansion since the pandemic began in 2020. The group says it adds ten new long-haul routes across its airlines, and the summer schedule went on sale on Oct. 20, 2026.
Frankfurt to Columbus starts May 5, 2027. It will fly three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with a Boeing 787-9 fitted with Allegris, Lufthansa's newest cabins. According to the Columbus airport's announcement, the jet has 287 seats: 28 lie-flat business class seats, 28 in premium economy and 231 in economy. Flights leave Columbus at 4:20 p.m. and land in Frankfurt at 6:15 a.m. local time.
Munich to Phoenix starts Aug. 3, 2027. It will also fly three times a week, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with an Airbus A350-900. Lufthansa has not yet published flight times for Phoenix.
Why Columbus and Phoenix matter
The Columbus Regional Airport Authority says this is Central Ohio's first nonstop flight to Europe and Ohio's first and only nonstop to Germany. Lufthansa says it is the first and only European airline to fly nonstop to the region. The airport counts 38 German-based companies in the Columbus area, so business travel is a big part of the case.
The partners also point to JobsOhio's Air Service Restoration program. It shares revenue guarantees with airlines to lower the risk of starting new routes. The announcement does not say how much support this route gets.
Phoenix is a different story. Lufthansa calls it one of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S. and says it has never had a direct link to any Lufthansa Group hub. The Phoenix flight will run from Munich, Lufthansa's second hub, rather than Frankfurt.
Through Frankfurt, Columbus travelers can reach more than 130 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India, the airport says. The 6:15 a.m. arrival lands early enough for morning connections across Europe.
More new flights in the plan
The U.S. routes are the headline, but the plan goes further.
- Tokyo-Narita: Daily from Frankfurt from March 28, 2027, on a 787-9 with Allegris. This one has been on sale since Oct. 6.
- Nagoya: Seasonal flights from Frankfurt return March 29, 2027, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Delhi: A second seasonal Munich flight from March 28, 2027, on an A350-900.
- Edmonton: Discover Airlines flies from Frankfurt from June 1, 2027, three times a week.
- Los Angeles: Austrian Airlines returns in late April 2027.
- Dubrovnik, Cairo and Beirut: Daily Lufthansa flights to Dubrovnik return, Brussels Airlines adds Cairo and Austrian adds Vienna–Beirut from June to September.
Lufthansa is also adding flights to Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Hyderabad, Chennai and Montreal from Frankfurt, and to Bangalore, Chicago, São Paulo and Singapore from Munich. We covered two other parts of the same plan earlier: ITA Airways' Rome–Caracas route and SWISS's new Zurich–Toulouse flights.
Where to wait before you fly
Lufthansa has not said which lounge, if any, its business class guests or Star Alliance Gold members will use in Columbus or Phoenix.
In Columbus, Lounge Frog lists one lounge today: the Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio Partner in Concourse B, near Gate B32. It is open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., so it will be open for the 4:20 p.m. departure. Priority Pass members can pre-book, and anyone can pay to get in, from $45 online or $60 at the door. Whether the Frankfurt flight leaves from Concourse B has not been announced.
Lounge Frog's directory shows a wider choice at Phoenix Sky Harbor, including a United Club, a Centurion Lounge, a Chase Sapphire Lounge and Escape Lounges. See our Phoenix lounge guide for the full list. Until Lufthansa names a terminal, it is too early to say which ones will be close to your gate.
Our take
Three flights a week is a careful start, not a big bet. That has a cost for travelers. If you miss a Wednesday flight to Frankfurt, the next nonstop is Friday. If your plans can shift, book a flexible fare or know your backup route through a larger hub.
Still, this is good news for both cities. Columbus gets lie-flat seats to Europe without a connection, on Lufthansa's newest cabins from day one. Phoenix gets what Lufthansa says is its first direct link to any Lufthansa Group hub. The flights do not start until 2027, so there is time to watch fares before you commit.
