If you're flying from Germany to Bangkok, Sydney or Johannesburg these days, odds are you're not changing planes in Frankfurt. New figures from the Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry (BDL) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) show that 54% of passengers travelling from Germany to Far East and Southeast Asia in 2024 connected through hubs outside the EU — up from 43.8% in 2019 and just 33.7% in 2010.
The biggest winners are Istanbul, Doha and Dubai. Transfers through Turkish and Gulf airports more than doubled over 14 years, climbing from 12.6% of that traffic in 2010 to 28.2% in 2024. Meanwhile, direct flights and connections through German hubs like Frankfurt and Munich fell from 56% to 36%.
Why the switch? Price is the obvious driver. The report points to Europe's rising climate charges, higher aviation taxes and growing operating fees, which have pushed up fares on flights departing Western Europe. Turkish Airlines via Istanbul or Emirates via Dubai routinely undercut the Lufthansa-via-Frankfurt option. But it's not just cost — a single layover in Istanbul or Dubai can get you to Australia, whereas routing through Western Europe often means two connections.
The pattern isn't limited to Asia. On Germany-Africa routes (excluding Mediterranean destinations), share of traffic transferring through Türkiye and the Gulf went from 11% in 2010 to 23.4% in 2019 and 32% by 2024. The shift extends to cargo too: the report notes Frankfurt has lost its position as Europe's top air-freight hub to Istanbul Airport.
BDL chief executive Joachim Lang warns Germany risks drifting off the international air-traffic map as passengers and freight migrate to non-EU hubs — a competitive problem for an exporting nation, and, he argues, no climate win either if emissions simply move elsewhere.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: when booking long-haul from Europe, compare the non-EU hub routings, not just the flag carriers. Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates often win on both fare and convenience, especially from cities with easy connections to Istanbul, Doha or Dubai.
