COLOGNE- Lufthansa (LH), a founding member of Star Alliance, plans to restore 6 international nonstop routes and launch 1 new service between October 2026 and March 2027 from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC).
The expansion reconnects Frankfurt with Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Nagoya (NGO), Graz (GRZ) and Florence (FLR). Munich will regain its connection to Bologna (BLQ) and gain a new seasonal service to Rovaniemi (RVN).
Seven Route Changes Across Asia and Europe
Lufthansa is adjusting its international network with a combination of restored long-haul services, returning European connections and a new seasonal destination.
Some routes have been absent for nearly a decade, while others will return after shorter suspensions.
The route history and schedule information in this article are based on reporting by Simple Flying.
The 7 services will operate from Lufthansa’s two major German hubs, Frankfurt and Munich, with planned launch dates ranging from October 2026 to March 2027.
| Route | Launch/Relaunch | Last Served | Planned Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt (FRA) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | October 2026 | February 2016 | 5x weekly |
| Frankfurt (FRA) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) | March 2027 | January 2017 | Daily |
| Frankfurt (FRA) to Nagoya (NGO) | March 2027 | March 2020 | 3x weekly |
| Frankfurt (FRA) to Graz (GRZ) | October 2026 | March 2024 | Up to 2x daily |
| Frankfurt (FRA) to Florence (FLR) | March 2027 | October 2020 | 8x weekly |
| Munich (MUC) to Bologna (BLQ) | October 2026 | December 2014 | 1x weekly initially |
| Munich (MUC) to Rovaniemi (RVN) | December 2026 | New route | 2x weekly |
The schedule changes cover both intercontinental and European markets. The Kuala Lumpur and Japanese services restore important links to Asia, while Graz, Florence and Bologna strengthen Lufthansa’s European network. Rovaniemi adds a new nonstop connection to a major winter tourism destination.
Lufthansa Restores Flights to Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita
Lufthansa plans to resume flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) on October 25, 2026. The year-round service will operate five times per week using a 287-seat Boeing 787-9.
The airline last operated passenger flights on the route in February 2016. High operating costs, weak profitability and competition from Gulf and Asian airlines had made the service commercially difficult to sustain.
The planned return indicates that Lufthansa sees sufficient demand to support the connection. Visiting friends and relatives traffic could play an important role in the market, although the available data does not establish the exact passenger mix.
Data from OAG Traffic Analyzer showed that approximately 54,000 passengers booked round trips between Frankfurt and Kuala Lumpur during the 12 months ending in June 2026. This provides a useful indication of the existing travel market between the two cities.
Frankfurt to Tokyo Narita Resumes in March 2027
Lufthansa will restore its Frankfurt to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) service on March 28, 2027. The route will operate daily.
The airline last served Narita in January 2017, after which it consolidated its Tokyo operations at Haneda Airport (HND). Restoring Narita will give Lufthansa three routes to the Japanese capital and its broadest Tokyo network in approximately ten years.
The return also gives passengers another airport option when travelling between Germany and Tokyo. Haneda and Narita serve the same metropolitan area but are separate airports with different locations and access arrangements.
Frankfurt to Nagoya Returns in March 2027
Lufthansa will also resume flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) in March 2027. The airport serves Nagoya, one of Japan’s major industrial and metropolitan centres.
The route last operated in March 2020. Lufthansa plans to offer three weekly flights when the service returns, adding another direct connection between Germany and Japan.
The Nagoya resumption complements the airline’s planned return to Tokyo Narita and its existing operations in the Japanese market.
Lufthansa Expands Its European Network
Lufthansa plans to restore its Frankfurt to Graz Airport (GRZ) service in October 2026, with up to two daily flights.
The route last operated in March 2024. Its return will replace some services previously flown by regional subsidiary Air Dolomiti on Lufthansa’s behalf.
The change will give Lufthansa mainline operations a larger role on the Frankfurt-Graz connection while maintaining links between the German hub and the Austrian city.
Frankfurt to Florence Returns in March 2027
Lufthansa will resume flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Florence Airport (FLR) in March 2027. The planned schedule includes eight flights per week.
The route last operated in October 2020. Following its return, Lufthansa flights will coexist with Air Dolomiti services on the same market.
The additional mainline option will strengthen the connection between Frankfurt and Florence, which serves as an important gateway to Tuscany.
Munich to Bologna Returns After Nearly 12 Years
Lufthansa mainline will resume flights between Munich Airport (MUC) and Bologna Airport (BLQ) on October 27, 2026. The initial schedule includes one weekly flight on Tuesdays through December 29, 2026.
Lufthansa last operated the route in December 2014. The German carrier has served Bologna for decades and currently operates nine weekly flights between Frankfurt and the Italian city.
Air Dolomiti already has a stronger presence on the Munich-Bologna market. The regional airline operates four daily flights between the cities, with its schedule expected to decrease to up to three daily flights during the winter season.
Air Dolomiti also operates two to three daily flights between Frankfurt and Bologna. Lufthansa’s returning Munich service will therefore coexist with its subsidiary’s flights, although Lufthansa mainline’s initial operation will remain limited.
Lufthansa Adds Munich to Rovaniemi for Winter 2026
Lufthansa will launch a new route between Munich Airport (MUC) and Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) on December 4, 2026. The airline plans to operate two weekly flights on Fridays and Sundays using the Airbus A320neo.
Rovaniemi is widely associated with Christmas tourism and serves as an important gateway to Finnish Lapland. The new route will give passengers from Munich a direct connection to the region during the winter travel season.
The planned schedule is as follows:
| Flight | Route | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| LH2466 | Munich (MUC) to Rovaniemi (RVN) | 11:30 AM | 3:45 PM |
| LH2467 | Rovaniemi (RVN) to Munich (MUC) | 4:40 PM | 6:55 PM |
All times are local. The outbound flight departs Munich in the late morning and arrives in Rovaniemi during the afternoon. The return service leaves Rovaniemi less than an hour later and reaches Munich in the evening.
Lufthansa Increases Capacity Across Finnish Lapland
The Munich-Rovaniemi service is part of a wider increase in Lufthansa’s Finnish network for winter 2026-27.
The four main tourism airports in Finnish Lapland are Rovaniemi (RVN), Kittilä (KTT), Ivalo (IVL) and Kuusamo (KAO). Together, they handle nearly 900,000 passengers and account for approximately 55% of all regional airport traffic in Finland, according to the figures in the source report.
Lufthansa already operates flights between Frankfurt and Rovaniemi. The route currently has two weekly flights, with the airline planning to add a third weekly service for the winter season.
The carrier will also increase frequencies elsewhere in Finland:
- Frankfurt to Kuusamo: Service will increase to two weekly flights.
- Munich to Kittilä: Lufthansa plans to add second and third weekly connections.
These changes will give travellers more nonstop options for reaching Finnish Lapland from Lufthansa’s German hubs during the winter tourism period.
What Lufthansa’s Route Expansion Means
Lufthansa’s seven-route plan combines the return of established markets with selective growth in seasonal travel. Its six returning services include destinations in Malaysia, Japan, Austria and Italy, while Munich-Rovaniemi is the only completely new route in this group.
The Asian resumptions restore links that Lufthansa previously suspended because of commercial challenges or changes to its network. The European returns rebuild selected connections, with Air Dolomiti continuing to operate alongside Lufthansa on some routes.
The Finnish expansion takes a different approach by adding seasonal capacity where winter tourism creates demand. Together, the changes broaden Lufthansa’s nonstop offering from Frankfurt and Munich without making every route a year-round addition.
The accompanying route graphic lists seven routes, nine airports and 20,252 network miles. The figures summarize the scale of the network changes covered in the report.
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