Lufthansa considers trimming domestic timetable by 100 weekly flights

Domestic routes are no longer profitable

For Spohr, roughly 100 weekly domestic flights could be dropped from next summer’s schedule. “Routes such as Munich–Münster/Osnabrück or Munich–Dresden are under review,” he said. “We operate these flights at a loss every single day.”

He noted that the cost of operating within Germany has nearly doubled since 2019 due to higher air traffic control fees, airport charges, and environmental taxes, making some services unsustainable.

Unlike international traffic, domestic air travel in Germany has failed to return to pre-pandemic levels. Industry groups attribute this to the decline in business travel. Much of which has permanently shifted to videoconferencing while greater competition from high-speed rail takes place.

According to Germany’s aviation association (BDL), domestic air traffic will count 8,7 million seats between September 2025 and February 2026, representing roughly 51% of 2019 volumes in the same equivalent period.

Germany’s airport’s association ADV speaks also from a passengers’ volume of only 50.4% between January-September 2025 compared to the same period of 2019. This translates into a passengers’ volume of 17.63 million.

Frankfurt and Munich hub to lose out in connectivity

If implemented, Lufthansa’s reduction could affect smaller regional airports such as Dresden, Münster/Osnabrück, Nuremberg, and Saarbrücken. They all rely heavily on connections to Munich and Frankfurt. Some of these routes may instead be served by Lufthansa’s rail partners under the Lufthansa Express Rail program in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn.

Analysts see the move as part of a broader trend among European carriers to consolidate short-haul networks. They generally prioritize more profitable international and intercontinental operations. Spohr has previously warned that “Germany risks losing connectivity” if structural costs continue to rise. Without any sign of retreat on the horizon.