Lufthansa’s history dates back more than 100 years. In 1997, the airline was one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, along with United Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways, and Air Canada. From its dual-hub operation at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC), the German flag carrier operates a fleet of more than 300 aircraft to over 220 destinations worldwide.
Photo: Fabian Joy | Shutterstock
Lufthansa has a substantial presence in South America, flying to several of the continent’s major cities, from Bogotá in the north to Buenos Aires in the south. The latest data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that in total, the carrier will operate 224 flights in both directions between Germany and South America in December 2024. Which routes are they, and which aircraft will operate them?
5 Munich (MUC) – São Paulo (GRU)
10 flights
In December 2024, Lufthansa will operate ten flights in each direction between Munich Airport (MUC) and São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). The carrier will deploy its Airbus A350-900s on the route. Up to now, the route has been operated year-round, but it will soon be converted to a seasonal route, operating only in the northern winter. The final flight for this season is currently planned for March 30th, 2025.
Photo: Lukas Wunderlich | Shutterstock
The latest data from ch-aviation shows that Lufthansa currently has 27 Airbus A350-900s in its fleet, with an average age of around five years old. The carrier also has a further 22 A350-900s on order, as well as ten of the larger A350-1000. Each of Lufthansa’s A350-900s can accommodate between 267 and 339 passengers, depending on the configuration.
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4 Frankfurt (FRA) – Bogotá (BOG)
20 flights
In December 2024, Lufthansa will operate 20 flights in each direction between its primary hub at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG). The airline will use its Boeing 787-9 aircraft to reach the Colombian capital city. Lufthansa’s fellow Star Alliance member, avianca, offers a host of connections across the region for passengers arriving in Bogotá.
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock
In 2023, El Dorado International Airport saw more than 39 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in Colombia and second-busiest in South America. However, Lufthansa’s Frankfurt route did not make it into the ten busiest international routes from the airport, with the top three being:
Madrid (MAD) – 1,095,000 passengers Panama City (PTY) – 783,000 passengers Miami (MIA) – 782,000 passengers.
3 Frankfurt (FRA) – Rio de Janeiro (GIG)
21 flights
Lufthansa also deploys its Boeing 787-9s on its route from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Rio de Janeiro Galeão International Airport (GIG), and in December 2024, the carrier will operate 21 flights in each direction. This is one of three routes between Germany and Brazil to feature in this list.
Photo: Lufthansa
Lufthansa currently has just five Boeing 787-9s in its fleet, with an average age of 3.5 years. However, this sub-fleet is expected to grow significantly over the coming years as the carrier is awaiting delivery of a further 34 787-9s. The current aircraft can each carry up to 294 passengers, although future deliveries will include the carrier’s new Allegris cabin, and will accommodate up to 287 passengers in a three-class configuration – 28 in business class, 28 in premium economy, and 231 in economy class.
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2 Frankfurt (FRA) – São Paulo (GRU)
30 flights
Lufthansa flies once daily between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), deploying its Boeing 747-8s on the route. Lufthansa is the world’s largest operator of the 747-8, with 19 of the type currently in its fleet. Each aircraft is equipped to carry up to 364 passengers in a four-class configuration – eight in first class, 80 in business class, 32 in premium economy, and 244 in economy class.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
This is the only route on this list on which Lufthansa faces direct competition. LATAM Brasil also flies between São Paulo and Frankfurt, deploying its Boeing 777-300ERs on the route, which each have a total capacity of up to 410 passengers.
1 Frankfurt (FRA) – Buenos Aires (EZE)
31 flights
Lufthansa’s busiest South American route in December 2024 will be its daily service between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE). The Star Alliance carrier deploys its Boeing 747-8s on the route.
Photo: Lukas Wunderlich | Shutterstock
Ministro Pistarini International Airport is one of two airports in the city of Buenos Aires, with the other being Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP). The latter sees mainly domestic services operated by the likes of flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas and low-cost carriers such as JetSmart Argentina and Flybondi, although its international route network is also growing, stretching to destinations such as Lima (LIM), Salvador da Bahia (SSA), and Santiago de Chile (SCL).
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Lufthansa’s South American route network is summarized in the table below, showing the number of flights scheduled for December 2024 in each direction:
Route
Aircraft
Number of flights
Munich – São Paulo
Airbus A350-900
10
Frankfurt – Bogotá
Boeing 787-9
20
Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro
Boeing 787-9
21
Frankfurt – São Paulo
Boeing 747-8
30
Frankfurt – Buenos Aires
Boeing 747-8
31
It remains to be seen if Lufthansa will launch any further routes to South America. Major gaps in the carrier’s South American network include both Santiago de Chile (SCL) and Lima (LIM). Perhaps the much-anticipated arrival of the Boeing 777X in 2026 may lead to new routes being added.
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Publish date : 2024-11-17 14:14:00
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