• Tom Boon-169
    Lufthansa
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    LH/DLH
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport
    Year Founded:
    1953
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    Airline Group:
    Lufthansa Group
    CEO:
    Carsten Spohr
    Country:
    Germany

Lufthansa celebrated its first nonstop flight between Munich Franz Josef Strauss International Airport (MUC) and San Diego International Airport (SAN), flying the route with its newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. The airline now has 27 non-stop routes from Germany to the United States, including eight from Munich. Let’s investigate further.

Landing in San Diego

On March 30, Lufthansa operated its first-ever nonstop flight between Munich and San Diego. Initially, the airline will serve this new route three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays; by May, Lufthansa will add service on Tuesdays and Saturdays, having five weekly frequencies.

Lufthansa first announced the route in mid-December 2021. Don Bunkenburg, Senior Director of Sales US, Central, West & Central America, Lufthansa Group, said,

“The United States is one of our most important markets, and California remains a top priority for expansion in the US. With a robust economy and thriving corporate landscape, San Diego is the perfect gateway for our new service to Munich, Europe’s leading 5-star airport and one of our main hubs in Germany. Furthermore, our customers flying to and from San Diego will be able to experience quality service on our flagship aircraft – the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 aircraft.”

Lufthansa operates the new route with its newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-900, which can carry up to 293 passengers in a three-class configuration. The airline offers 48 seats in business class, 21 seats in premium economy, and 224 seats in economy classes.

Lufthansa San Diego 3
Lufthansa has launched a new route between Munich and San Diego. Photo:: San Diego International Airport.

San Diego improves long-haul connectivity

With the arrival of Lufthansa, San Diego is improving its international long-haul connectivity.

In April 2022, San Diego International will have 120 long-haul flights to Europe and Asia, including Lufthansa’s newest route. According to Cirium, SAN will receive one daily flight from British Airways, coming from London Heathrow, four weekly flights from Japan Airlines coming from Tokyo-Narita, and three weekly flights from Munich by Lufthansa.

Overall, San Diego International offers non-stop routes to ten routes outside the United States, having 49 weekly international flights.

Air Canada flies from Vancouver and Toronto; Alaska Airlines flies to Puerto Vallarta and San José del Cabo in Mexico; British Airways flies to London; Japan Airlines operates direct services to Tokyo; Lufthansa to Munich; Southwest Airlines to San José del Cabo; Swoop to Edmonton; and WestJet to Calgary.

San Diego and Germany have many economic ties, particularly with the Munich region; therefore, Munich had been among SAN’s list of popular European destinations without a nonstop flight, said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO.

Lufthansa’s long-haul connectivity from Munich

Munich has bounced back as one of Lufthansa’s long-haul hubs. The airline has added three long-haul destinations this year: Rio de Janeiro, San Diego, and Bangkok.

“With 21 long-haul destinations –ten more than in 2021 – Lufthansa offers an extremely attractive long-haul program from Munich again,” said the airline on social media.

In April, Lufthansa will offer the following flights to non-European destinations:

  1. Bangkok, Thailand. One daily flight
  2. Mumbai, India. Three flights per week
  3. Boston, United States. One daily flight
  4. Cairo, Egypt. Six flights per week
  5. Charlotte-Douglas, United States. Five flights per week
  6. Cape Town, South Africa. Five flights per week
  7. Delhi, India. Three flights per week
  8. Denver, United States. One daily flight
  9. Dubai, UAE. Four flights per week
  10. Newark, United States. One daily flight
  11. Rio de Janeiro. Five flights per week
  12. Hurghada, Egypt. One flight per week
  13. Seoul, South Korea. Five flights per week
  14. New York JFK, United States. Five flights per week
  15. Los Angeles, United States. One daily flight
  16. San Diego, United States. Three flights per week
  17. San Francisco, United States. One daily flight
  18. Tbilisi, Georgia. One daily flight
  19. Tel Aviv, Israel. 16 flights per week
  20. Tunis, Tunisia. One flight per week
  21. Montreal, Canada. Five flights per week
  22. Vancouver, Canada. Five flights per week
  23. Toronto, Canada. Five flights per week.

What do you think of Lufthansa’s new flight to San Diego? Let us know in the comments below.