Columbus, Ohio, will get its first nonstop flight to Europe in May 2027, when Lufthansa launches service between John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
Lufthansa will launch the service May 5, 2027, the airline said Monday. The new flights will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Bookings are scheduled to open Oct. 20, 2026.
The service will provide Columbus-based travelers with nonstop service to Germany and access to Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub, which offers connections to hundreds of destinations.
The Star Alliance carrier will fly a Boeing 787-9 with 28 Allegris business class suites, 28 premium economy seats and 197 economy seats on the new CMH route.
"The new service will provide both business and leisure travelers with a convenient nonstop connection to Germany, as well as onward destinations across our Lufthansa Group network," Dirk Janzen, vice president of passenger sales for the Americas at the Lufthansa Group, said in a statement. "The launch of this route is an important step in our continued expansion in the United States, our most important market outside the Lufthansa Group's home markets."
The new route adds Columbus to a growing list of central U.S. airports gaining transatlantic service: Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Nashville International Airport (BNA) and St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) are also seeing new European connections announced for next summer on Delta Air Lines, Air France and Icelandair, respectively.
American Airlines and United Airlines also plan to add new destinations in Europe from their transatlantic gateways at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Washington's Dulles International Airport (IAD).
CMH — unlike its Ohio peers Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) — has never boasted a nonstop service to Europe. This was even true when the airport was a hub for America West Airlines, which itself never flew across the Atlantic; America West merged with US Airways in 2005. CVG was previously a hub for Delta Air Lines, and CLE was previously a hub for Continental Airlines.
The new Lufthansa flight benefits from revenue guarantees provided by the state agency JobsOhio.
Members of Lufthansa's Miles & More loyalty program can earn and redeem miles on the new route, as can those in partner United's MileagePlus loyalty program.
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