Columbus will get its first-ever nonstop flight to Europe in May 2027, when Lufthansa begins service between John Glenn Columbus International Airport and Frankfurt, Germany, airport and airline officials announced on October 19. The route gives Central Ohio travelers a direct transatlantic option they have never had before, ending years of connecting through other U.S. hubs to reach Europe.
The Columbus Regional Airport Authority, Lufthansa, JobsOhio and One Columbus announced the service jointly. Flights will operate three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, starting May 5, 2027. Flights will depart Columbus at 4:20 p.m. and arrive in Frankfurt at 6:15 a.m. local time the next morning, a schedule built to connect with morning departures across Lufthansa’s network. Bookings opened on Tuesday, October 20.
Lufthansa will fly the route with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner configured for 287 passengers. The aircraft features the airline’s Allegris cabin, with 28 lie-flat business class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 231 economy seats. Through Frankfurt, Lufthansa’s largest hub, Columbus passengers will be able to reach more than 130 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India on a single connection.
Airport authority President and CEO Daren Griffin called the announcement a tremendous milestone for the Columbus region and Ohio, saying the nonstop provides a direct link to one of the world’s strongest global networks and establishes Ohio’s gateway to continental Europe. Lufthansa Group Vice President Dirk Janzen said the airline was pleased to connect Columbus and Ohio directly with its Frankfurt hub, describing the service as the first intercontinental flight from the city and an important step in the group’s expansion in the United States.
The route also carries direct business weight. The airport authority said 38 German-based companies operate in the Columbus region, and Germany is the third-largest source of international investment in Ohio, behind only Japan and Canada. More than 750 German-owned establishments operate in the state, supporting approximately 41,000 jobs, and Ohio businesses exported nearly $1.4 billion in goods to Germany in 2023, according to figures cited in the announcement.
The service was secured through JobsOhio’s Air Service Restoration program, which shares revenue guarantees with regional partners to reduce risk for airlines launching new routes. JobsOhio said the program has helped bring 32 new routes and 15 expansions to five Ohio airports since 2020. Governor Mike DeWine said Ohio is committed to partnering with Lufthansa, calling the route transformative for access to markets in Germany, Europe and the world.
For residents, the change is practical: a family trip, a business meeting or a university exchange in Europe will no longer require a first flight to Chicago, Detroit or an East Coast hub. Officials also expect the flight to make Columbus easier for international visitors, investors and talent to reach. The route will be Ohio’s first and only nonstop flight to Germany, and the airport authority said it will serve the hundreds of passengers who already travel from Columbus and across Ohio to Europe each day.
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