Lufthansa launches direct booking facility with Google Flights
Lufthansa is claiming to be the first traditional airline to offer a direct booking function with Google Flights.
The German carrier said ‘Book on Google’ allows users in the US to make a booking on its own website, LH.com, from within Google Flights on their desktops and mobiles.
The airline announced earlier this year that it plans to increase direct bookings to cut costs, and it has since introduced a charge for bookings made via GDSs. The charge applies to all Lufthansa bookings and those of its partner airlines, Austrian, Brussels and SWISS.
"The partnership with Google will facilitate online bookings particularly on mobile devices," said CCO of Lufthansa Jens Bischof.
"With ‘Book on Google’ users have a seamless booking experience on Google Flights.
"Lufthansa is the first legacy carrier world-wide to which Google Flights offers this direct booking function. With ‘Book on Google’ we will strengthen ticket sales in this channel.
"This is an important step in realising Lufthansa’s new sales and distribution strategy, which strives to modernize existing booking processes as well as to develop new and alternative distribution channels."
In addition, German tour operator Bucher Reisen and Germany’s largest ticket wholesaler AERTiCKET have launched a direct connect to the Lufthansa Group reservation system.
The independent travel agency chaim Lufthansa City Center has agreed to develop an alternative distribution channel based on Direct Connect, said the airline.
"We are delighted to have achieved the first direct connects with important sales partners. Through this, we are able to work towards a modern, independent and customizable range of offers," said Bischof
"As a complement to our existing channels Direct Connect offers our technology partners a wide range of perspectives for more individual and varied offers for our joint customers."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season