RDU — German airline Lufthansa will begin nonstop service to Frankfurt in 2024, giving Triangle-area travelers easy access to Germany and beyond with streamlined connections to Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa and more, the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority announced Tuesday.
“This is an exciting day at RDU as we welcome Lufthansa to the Raleigh-Durham market,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “We are thrilled to announce nonstop service to Frankfurt, a popular German destination and airline hub that provides convenient access to popular destinations around the globe.”
Service to Frankfurt is set to begin June 6, 2024, and will operate five days a week on an A330-300 aircraft. Frankfurt is a hub for Lufthansa Group, the largest airline group in Europe, and the third Star Alliance member airline to serve RDU along with United Airlines and Air Canada.
Airport officials say the nonstop flight’s distance is approximately 4,277 miles.
“We are thrilled to increase our footprint in the U.S. with the announcement of the new Raleigh-Durham to Frankfurt route,” said Dirk Janzen, Vice President Passenger Sales, The Americas, Lufthansa Group Airlines in a statement. “With Raleigh-Durham’s growing economy and infrastructure, as well as its numerous universities and academic institutions, it made perfect sense to serve this region with our flights that offer global connectivity.”
“The United States remains Lufthansa Group’s most important market outside of the Europe and we could not be happier to open new gateways, offering additional travel opportunities, as well as linking your vibrant community to Europe’s leading financial and cultural centers,” Janzen added.
Lufthansa will be RDU’s 16th airline and Frankfurt will be its eighth international destination. So far in 2023, RDU has added 21 new destinations and 46 new routes.
Over 25 years, the Lufthansa flight route is expected to have an economic impact of approximately $3.3 billion in North Carolina.
