The Columbus Region Goes Nonstop to Europe with New Lufthansa Service Beginning May 2027
Central Ohio's first nonstop flight to Europe strengthens Ohio's connection to the world
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Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Columbus Regional Airport Authority, Lufthansa Airlines, JobsOhio and One Columbus today announced that Central Ohio’s first nonstop flight to Europe will launch in May 2027, connecting John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) with Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany. The new service marks a major milestone for the Columbus Region and Ohio, providing direct access to one of the world’s leading international hubs and creating new opportunities for businesses, travelers and visitors throughout the state.
“Today’s announcement is a tremendous milestone for the Columbus Region and Ohio,” said Daren Griffin, CRAA President and CEO. “Lufthansa’s new nonstop service to Frankfurt provides our passengers with a direct link to one of the world’s strongest global networks, enhancing connectivity, competitiveness and continued growth. We are grateful to Lufthansa, JobsOhio, One Columbus, our business community and so many others whose partnership helped make this opportunity possible. At a time of extraordinary transformation for our airports and our region, this new service establishes Ohio’s gateway to continental Europe. It strengthens our state’s connections to the global economy and creates new opportunities for communities across Ohio. We couldn’t be more excited about what it means for our businesses, travelers and the future of Ohio”
This will be Ohio’s first and only nonstop flight to Germany, serving hundreds of daily passengers from Columbus and across Ohio who travel to Europe each day. Lufthansa will operate the service with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring the airline’s Allegris cabin experience, including 28 lie-flat business class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 231 economy seats, for a total of 287 seats.
“We are very pleased to connect Columbus and the state of Ohio directly with our Frankfurt hub, the first intercontinental flight from this great city,” said Dirk Janzen, Lufthansa Group Vice President of Passenger Sales, the Americas. “The new service will provide both business and leisure travelers with a convenient nonstop connection to Germany, as well as onward destinations across our Lufthansa Group network. The launch of this route is an important step in our continued expansion in the United States, our most important market outside the Lufthansa Group’s home markets. We look forward to strengthening the connections between Ohio and Europe, and to welcoming travelers from Columbus and the surrounding region,” Janzen added.
The flight will provide unprecedented connectivity for the 38 German-based companies operating in the Columbus Region and further support all German companies investing in Ohio and employing thousands of Ohioans across the state. Through Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub, travelers will have convenient access to more than 130 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.
The new service is also expected to make it easier for international visitors, investors and talent to access the Columbus Region and explore opportunities across Ohio, further supporting the state’s economic development efforts.
“Ohio is committed to building a collaborative partnership with Lufthansa to support the success of this new route and strengthen the significant ties that benefit both of our regions,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This new route will be transformative, giving our state access to critical markets in Germany, Europe and the world while establishing stronger economic, research, cultural and educational exchanges.”
Germany is the third-largest source of international investment in Ohio, behind only Japan and Canada. More than 750 German-owned business establishments operate in Ohio, second only to Japan, according to the Ohio Department of Development, and German companies support approximately 41,000 jobs across the state, according to the Transatlantic Economy 2025 report. Ohio businesses also exported nearly $1.4 billion in goods to Germany in 2023. Overall, Ohio ranks third in the nation for foreign direct investment, with about 4,000 companies from 42 countries operating in the state.
The new route builds on the success of JobsOhio’s Air Service Restoration program, which works with airports, regional partners and airlines to establish routes that are important to economic development. JobsOhio created the program after businesses and stakeholders said during a 2019 statewide listening tour that air service at Ohio airports had declined more sharply than in competitor states. Through the program, JobsOhio and regional partners share revenue guarantees that reduce the risk for airlines launching new service.
Since 2020, it has helped bring 32 new routes and 15 route expansions with six airlines to five Ohio airports, adding more than 590,000 new seats and more than 187,000 additional seats each year and generating an estimated $230 million in annual economic impact. JobsOhio has committed $36.8 million in revenue guarantees, alongside $10.1 million from local partners.
“Businesses, including the German companies that employ tens of thousands of Ohioans, tell us that better air service is essential to investing and creating jobs in Ohio,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “We listened, and this direct link to Frankfurt is exactly what our Air Service Restoration program was built to deliver.”
The new air service comes as the Columbus Region experiences some of the strongest economic growth in the country. The Columbus metro leads the Midwest in job creation, adding nearly 12,000 jobs between March 2025 and March 2026, with a growth rate more than 18 times the national average. The Region’s population also grew by more than 21,000 residents in 2025, twice the national growth rate. The new international connection is expected to further strengthen the Region’s ability to attract businesses, investment and talent from around the world.
“The Columbus Region is in the middle of an extraordinary stretch of job creation and business investment, and now we’re adding direct access to one of Europe’s most important business hubs,” said Jonas Peterson, Chief Economic Development Officer and President of One Columbus. “That’s a significant competitive advantage. It makes it easier for global companies to invest here, strengthens connections for businesses already operating in our Region and improves our ability to compete for the next major project. We have tremendous economic momentum right now, and this new connection gives us an opportunity to accelerate it even further.”
The Columbus Region continues to attract global investment and advanced industries, including recent commitments from companies such as Anduril, Intel and Bayer. The new Lufthansa service further strengthens Ohio’s position as a destination for business growth and international commerce.
The CMH-FRA route will begin operating in May 2027, with bookings available beginning Tuesday, Oct. 20. Service will operate three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights will depart Columbus at 4:20 p.m. and arrive in Frankfurt at 6:15 a.m. (local times).
About Lufthansa Group
The Lufthansa Group is a globally operating aviation group, with more than 100,000 employees worldwide. It is Europe’s largest airline group by revenue, generating revenue of EUR 39.6 billion (EUR 39,597 million) in the 2025 financial year. The Lufthansa Group comprises mulitple business segments, including Passenger Airlines, Logistics, Technology (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul), as well as other companies and group functions, including IT services and Lufthansa Aviation Training.
The Lufthansa Group’s portfolio of airlines includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Eurowings and Discover Airlines, connecting customers to destinations around the globe. The Lufthansa Group carriers offer more than 400 weekly flights from the United States to their European hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Brüssels, Vienna and Zurich, providing extensive onward connections across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
About JobsOhio
JobsOhio, Ohio’s private non-profit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across 10 competitive industry sectors. With a team of seasoned professionals, JobsOhio utilizes a comprehensive network to foster talent production in targeted industries and attract talent through Find Your Ohio. Collaborating with seven regional partners, including Dayton Development Coalition, Lake to River Economic Development, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO, JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. In 2026, Ohio was named CNBC’s Top State for Business. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
About The Columbus Partnership
The Columbus Partnership is a non-profit organization of CEOs from Columbus’ leading businesses and institutions. Through our membership and other ally organizations across Central Ohio, the Partnership upholds a shared vision to make Columbus the most prosperous region in the country. The Columbus Partnership team also includes One Columbus, one of the nation’s top economic development teams that serves the 11-county Columbus Region; and Smart Columbus, an innovation lab that applies technology to advance community good. The Columbus Partnership team works to help create jobs and attract capital investment, expand access to opportunity, and improve the economic competitiveness of the Columbus Region. Learn more at www.columbusregion.com.
About the Columbus Regional Airport Authority
The Columbus Regional Airport Authority connects Ohio with the world by managing and operating passenger-focused John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), service-focused Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK), and general aviation airport Bolton Field (TZR). With the addition of nonstop service to Frankfurt, travelers now have access to 60 nonstop destinations through CMH and LCK. See all the possibilities at FlyColumbus.com.
What They’re Saying
“Franklin County continues to grow because our partners come together around a shared vision. This new Lufthansa service is a direct result of that collaboration, and the county is proud to share in the investment that will connect Central Ohio to Europe and the world. It is a significant milestone that will create new opportunities for our employers, our workforce, our families and our community.”
- Franklin County Board of Commissioners
“Lufthansa Airlines’ new direct, nonstop flight to continental Europe from John Glenn International Airport recognizes Columbus as a global city and will transform international travel from here,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “This new service will enhance global access and connectivity for resident and business travel, and it will further strengthen Columbus as a Midwest leader in population and job growth.”
- Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther
“Ohio’s growth is real, and the world is taking notice. Airlines like Lufthansa don’t launch a transatlantic route as a gesture, they do it because the demand is there and the numbers work. A nonstop connection to Frankfurt makes it easier for global companies to invest here, for Ohio businesses to compete overseas, and for top talent to see Ohio as a place to build a career. Wins like this don’t happen by accident. They happen when a state says yes to growth, and Ohio should keep saying yes.”
- Pat Tiberi, President and CEO, Ohio Business Roundtable
“Bayer’s investment in Central Ohio reflects our confidence in this region’s talent, momentum and long-term potential. As we build our new pharmaceutical manufacturing site in New Albany, close collaboration with our colleagues in Germany is essential. A nonstop connection between Columbus and Frankfurt makes it easier for our teams to work side by side and share expertise. It strengthens the bridge between our Ohio site and our global headquarters.”
- Sebastian Guth, Global Chief Operating Officer, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and President, Bayer U.S.
“The addition of nonstop service between Columbus and Frankfurt is great news for Ohio’s business community. Strong international connections help Ohio companies compete globally and make our state an even more attractive place to live and do business. Thank you to Lufthansa, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, JobsOhio, the Columbus Partnership and everyone who helped make this possible. It’s another positive step in keeping Ohio connected to the markets and opportunities that drive economic growth. Und an unsere deutschen Freunde: Das ist wunderbar. Besuchen Sie Ohio!”
- Steve Stivers, President and CEO, Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Matt Englehart JobsOhio 614-300-1152 englehart@jobsohio.com
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