Lufthansa : launches direct flights from Raleigh-Durham to Frankfurt

Today marks a memorable day for Lufthansa as the airline begins non-stop service between Raleigh-Durham, NC and Frankfurt, Germany. This inaugural flight not only offers a convenient connection to Germany, but also marks Lufthansa's initial service to North Carolina from its Frankfurt hub. Furthermore, the route is also the first-ever non-stop connection from Raleigh-Durham International airport to Germany.

Lufthansa's expansion in North Carolina not only strengthens its presence in the region but provides Carolinians with even more options for direct travel to Europe. The new Raleigh-Durham to Frankfurt route, coupled with the existing Charlotte to Munich flight, creates a robust network for seamless connections across Europe and beyond. North Carolina residents now have a world of possibilities at their fingertips, including a direct link to the main business hubs, hi-tech companies and R&D centers of Europe, as well as to high-in-demand places for business travel, such as the Middle East and India. The airline has been flying to Charlotte for nearly 20 years, and together with the RDU flight, Lufthansa now serves North Carolina with 12 weekly frequencies to both of its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.

"Lufthansa is thrilled to bring Raleigh-Durham International Airport its first-ever nonstop connection to Frankfurt, and Germany as a whole," said Dirk Janzen, Vice President Passenger Airlines Sales, The Americas, Lufthansa Group "This new route will provide travelers throughout North Carolina with seamless access to Lufthansa Group's worldwide network, opening up a world of possibilities for business and leisure travel, and helping to further the Group's goal of connecting people, cultures, and economies."

Flight LH408 departs Frankfurt (FRA) at 10:20am and lands at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) at 1:50pm. The return flight LH409 departs Raleigh-Durham at 3:40pm and arrives back in Frankfurt at 6:05am the following day. All times are local. The new Raleigh-Durham service will operate five times weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with an Airbus A330-300 in a three-class configuration. The aircraft includes 42 Business Class, 28 Premium Economy and 185 Economy Class seats to accommodate 255 passengers.

"The launch of service to Frankfurt was 10 years in the making, dating back to our early conversations with Lufthansa in 2014 and culminating in today's arrival of the first nonstop flight from Germany to RDU," said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. "We are thrilled to welcome Lufthansa as RDU's newest international airline partner and provide convenient service to another European gateway."

Frankfurt and beyond

Frankfurt, Germany's most international city, offers a rich culture and history. The Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region is one of Europe's leading economic centers and home to many tourist attractions and sights, including world-class ballet, opera, theaters and art exhibitions. As Germany's fifth largest city, it is the nation's financial powerhouse-home to the German Central Bank and the European Central bank, which manages the euro. It is also the gateway to Germany's robust hi-tech scene.

Lufthansa at Frankfurt Airport

When arriving in Frankfurt, most passengers usually connect to other flights. With Lufthansa Group, customers can easily connect to over 300 destinations worldwide through Lufthansa Group carriers, as well as code share flights with United Airlines and Air Canada, the airline group's North American partners. Lounge offerings in Frankfurt offer a variety of options for those premium passengers that find themselves waiting for the next leg of their trip. Lufthansa lounges vary from a Welcome Lounge that has private showers, warm breakfast offerings and quiet spaces to rest or work to a multitude of First and Business Class lounges that provide a tranquil respite for guests.

Lufthansa expansion across the United States

Following a summer of exciting route expansions, Lufthansa's newest addition of Raleigh-Durham marks the Group carriers' 26^th gateway in the United States. With this, Lufthansa and its group subsidiaries now operates some 400 weekly flights to the United States. This dedication to expanding the Lufthansa footprint across North America is further evidenced by the recent launches of a non-stop route from Seattle to Munich and Minneapolis-Saint Paul to Frankfurt, as well as increased capacity from Munich to Washington D.C. with an A380.

The New Service in Brief

Route	Flight number	Flight days	Departure - Arrival (local times)
Raleigh-Durham - Frankfurt	LH409	5x weekly (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)	3:40pm - 6:05am (+ 1 day)
Frankfurt - Raleigh-Durham	LH408	5x weekly (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)	10:20am - 1:50pm