And then there were 8, and 16, and all 3 — top 5 RDU welcomes Lufthansa
- September 28, 2023
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
Earlier this month, on Tuesday, September 12, RDU announced that Lufthansa would be our newest carrier, and RDU-Frankfurt would be our next international and transatlantic flight.
Since February 2023, RDU has announced more than 20 new destinations; when RDU-Frankfurt launches in June 2024, we will have eight international flights and 16 airlines.
Frankfurt will be the longest flight from RDU, with a distance of over 4200 miles. The service will run 5 days a week beginning on June 6, 2024.
The launch means that RDU will now be served by a nonstop, transatlantic flight from all three international airline alliances: oneworld (American Airlines to London/Heathrow; Alaska Airlines is also an alliance member), SkyTeam (Delta and soon to be Air France to Paris/Charles de Gaulle) and now Star Alliance (Lufthansa to Frankfurt; United Airlines and Air Canada are also alliance members).
The flight will provide excellent connections to the rest of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and Asia via Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub — the largest in Europe.
RDU’s president and CEO Michael Landguth said that “This is an exciting day at RDU as we welcome Lufthansa to the Raleigh-Durham market. We are thrilled to announce nonstop service to Frankfurt, a popular German destination and airline hub that provides convenient access to popular destinations around the globe.”
RDU has provided a video to learn more about the new Frankfurt route here, and additional press materials here.
We are excited to see the continued expansion of international offerings at RDU, which remains one of the top 5 large airports in America according to the annual survey by J.D. Power.
Earlier this month, on Friday, September 1st, RDU had its busiest day on record, with more than 56,000 passengers traveling through security that day. Our growing airport continues to serve our growing region — and a growing region needs growing airport infrastructure. The regional business community is committed to securing the funding needed for our air travel future at RDU International.
Let’s get moving,
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
