Two mid-sized North American cities are getting non-stop links to Germany, and both come with a side of new-cabin shine.
The bigger news for sun-seekers: from August 3, 2027, Lufthansa will fly year-round between Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) and Munich (MUC) using an Airbus A350-900. It's the first time Arizona's capital gets a direct line to Bavaria, and the timing works nicely for travellers in both directions — the Munich departure leaves at 1:20 p.m. and lands in Phoenix at 4 p.m. the same day, while the return leg departs at 5:50 p.m. and reaches Munich at 1:25 p.m. the next day. The route will carry Lufthansa's Future Onboard Experience, the airline's refreshed long-haul service concept it began rolling out earlier in the year.
The second addition is a first for Ohio's capital. Starting May 5, 2027, Lufthansa becomes the only airline to offer non-stop trans-Atlantic service from Columbus, connecting John Glenn Columbus International (CMH) with Frankfurt (FRA). It runs three times a week on a Boeing 787-9, with the Frankfurt flight out at 11:15 a.m. and arriving Columbus at 2 p.m., and the return leaving at 4:20 p.m. for a 6:15 a.m. touchdown in Frankfurt. Notably, this route gets the Allegris cabin — Lufthansa's redesigned long-haul product across all four classes, from economy up through its much-talked-about first-class suite.
Why it matters: both routes remove a connecting flight for travellers who previously routed through Chicago, New York or Washington. For Phoenix residents, Munich is the natural gateway to Bavaria, Austria and the Alps, plus a strong summer base for Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets. For Columbus, Frankfurt is Lufthansa's main hub, meaning one-stop connections to essentially anywhere in Europe, Africa and beyond — no backtracking through a coastal gateway required. The choice of aircraft matters too: the A350 and 787-9 are among the quietest, most fuel-efficient long-haul planes flying, and the Allegris-equipped 787 gives Columbus flyers a genuinely new product rather than a hand-me-down cabin.
For route watchers, it's also a signal of where Lufthansa sees demand: secondary US cities with strong corporate and university ties, served year-round or near-year-round rather than as seasonal summer extras. If you're based in either city, it's worth booking early — inaugural-year fares on new trans-Atlantic routes are often sharper than they'll be once the route beds in.
Story via Global Traveler.
