Two mid-sized American cities are getting a direct line to Germany. Lufthansa has confirmed it will add both Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix, Arizona, to its summer 2027 schedule — and for Columbus, this is a genuinely historic first.
Starting May 5, 2027, Lufthansa will fly Frankfurt to Columbus three times a week (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays) using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The airport authority is billing it as Central Ohio's first nonstop service to Europe, full stop. Better yet for anyone booking the front cabin, this particular 787-9 will carry Lufthansa's newest Allegris business class — 28 of those suites, plus 28 premium economy seats and 231 in economy, for 287 seats total. The outbound flight leaves Columbus at 4:20 p.m. and lands in Frankfurt at 6:15 the next morning, timed nicely for same-day connections across Europe, Africa and Asia.
Why Columbus? The announcement points to 38 German-based companies already operating in the region, which means two-way traffic including corporate travellers willing to pay for premium seats. The route also came together with help from JobsOhio's Air Service Restoration program, which uses revenue guarantees to de-risk new international service. The catch: three flights a week is thin, so the route will need strong demand to survive once launch support fades.
Phoenix follows on August 3, 2027, with an Airbus A350-900 flying Munich–Phoenix three times weekly (Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays). It's Lufthansa's first commercial service anywhere in Arizona, despite the airline running its pilot training school in the state. The pitch here is less about Munich itself and more about the hub: Munich connections can spare Phoenix travellers a change at a crowded US gateway before crossing the Atlantic. One caveat — unlike Columbus, Lufthansa has not promised Allegris on the Phoenix route, so expect the older A350 business class, at least initially.
For travellers, both routes change the equation. Columbus residents no longer need a domestic hop to Chicago, New York or Washington before heading to Europe, and Phoenix gains a second one-stop-free option beyond its existing British Airways service to London. If you're flexible on dates and chasing the newer business class, book through Columbus. If you're heading deeper into Europe and prefer Munich's more compact hub to Frankfurt, Phoenix may suit you better — just verify the cabin before locking in a premium fare.
