Travel & Lifestyle

Condor Airlines cuts 4 U.S. routes to Frankfurt in 2025

German leisure airline Condor is adjusting its U.S. route map for 2025.

This week, the airline notified four U.S. airports that it plans to cut seasonal nonstop flights from Frankfurt.

Next year, the airline will stop flying from its German base city to San Antonio International Airport (SAT), Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI), and Minneapolis-St. Louis Airport (BWI). St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

Condor has also cut two other North American routes to Edmonton and Halifax in Canada as part of its network restructuring.

Zach Grieve/Point Guard

Court ruling prompts change

In cutting its North American plans for 2025, Condor cited a recent ruling by Germany’s High Court that appears likely to reduce ridership in the new year.

As part of Germany’s antitrust regulations, the country’s flag carrier Lufthansa is required to allow Vulture passengers flying to Frankfurt to seamlessly transfer to Lufthansa flights. The rule essentially allows U.S. passengers to enter almost all of Germany through Condor.

But Condor said in announcing the route cuts that a recent ruling by Germany’s Federal Court overturned those rules.

“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Condor commercial director Jens Boyd said in a statement on Monday. “We deeply regret the resulting loss of connectivity and service.”

San Antonio loses only European service

The cancellation of the Condor flight is a particular blow to San Antonio, which just this year launched nonstop service to Frankfurt, its first (and only) nonstop service to Europe.

daily newsletter

Reward your inbox with TPG daily e-newsletters

Join over 700,000 readers and get breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts

Now it looks like San Antonio passengers will once again have no option for nonstop transatlantic flights by 2025 unless another airline announces service.

As of now, SAT’s only international flights include about six short-haul flights to Mexico.

iridium

“We will continue our efforts to expand SAT’s nonstop service,” Airport Director Jesus Saenz, Jr. said in a statement. “Our community has long requested service to Europe, and last summer’s data proves that we do have a system that can sustain A market with uninterrupted service.”

Read more: Condor premium economy A330neo review: Is it worth the extra cost?

Condor’s Growth Interrupted in the U.S.

Condor’s retreat from North American operations follows rapid growth in transatlantic business in recent years.

The total number of seats between the United States and Germany will increase by 50% in 2024 compared with 2023, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Condor’s colorfully striped aircraft are a no-brainer, and its flights are available not only to travelers willing to pay for a seat, but also to those using points and miles. For example, the airline has a frequent flyer partnership with Alaska Airlines that allows mileage program members to redeem Alaska miles on Condor flights.

Through summer 2025, travelers will still be able to fly to Frankfurt on Condor aircraft from nine U.S. cities (eight of which are in the continental United States) and Anchorage, Alaska.

Related reading:

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
×

Adblock Detected

*We Appreciate Your Visit!*

To enjoy all the features and content on our website, please consider disabling your ad blocker. Our site relies on ads to provide you with quality content and a seamless experience. Thank you for your understanding!