Lufthansa Reports 5.4 Million US Passengers in 2025 Surge

Lufthansa has emerged as the fifth-largest airline operator between Europe and the United States, transporting approximately 5.4 million round-trip passengers in the year leading up to July 2025. This figure, as reported by the US Department of Transportation, places Lufthansa behind only Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and British Airways. Compared to the previous year, the airline’s US traffic saw a commendable increase of 6%.

The increase in passenger numbers can be attributed to the launch of new routes, namely from Munich to Seattle and Frankfurt to Raleigh/Durham. However, it is noteworthy that the Frankfurt-Minneapolis route has transitioned to Lufthansa’s leisure-focused unit, Discover Airlines. Despite being the fifth-largest carrier, Lufthansa’s growth rate outpaced the general increase in transatlantic traffic, which has been described as sluggish.

Passenger Trends and Load Factors

Lufthansa’s performance was particularly remarkable in July 2025, with the airline carrying 585,000 round-trip passengers, a significant rise from just 255,000 in February 2025, typically one of the weakest months for airlines. Over the examined period, the airline achieved an average seat load factor of 83%, which is notably higher than the 81% recorded by United Airlines, the only major competitor with a lower load factor.

The load factors exhibited considerable monthly variation, fluctuating from a low of 71% in February to a peak of 90% in July. Despite the reduction in capacity during February, the figures suggest that the airline faced challenges in boosting passenger numbers during this traditionally slow period. Meanwhile, the load factor improved from 67% in February 2024, although the effects on revenue remain uncertain.

Top US Routes and Market Insights

In the analysis of Lufthansa’s traffic, it becomes evident that of the 5.4 million US passengers, approximately 3.3 million traveled to or from Frankfurt, while around 2.1 million utilized Munich services. The airline operates a total of 30 routes, with 18 departing from Frankfurt and 12 from Munich. The most popular route, with 327,000 passengers, connects Frankfurt to Chicago O’Hare.

Booking trends reveal that only 12% of passengers on the Frankfurt-Chicago route were local travelers, indicating that most were connecting to or from other destinations. Approximately 31% transferred to another service in both Chicago and Frankfurt, while the majority, 47%, began or ended their journey in Chicago.

The following routes ranked among the top for passenger traffic from August 2024 to July 2025:

– Frankfurt-Chicago O’Hare: 327,000 passengers, 87% load factor
– Frankfurt-New York JFK: 317,000 passengers, 83% load factor
– Munich-Los Angeles: 272,000 passengers, 80% load factor
– Frankfurt-Washington Dulles: 270,000 passengers, 84% load factor
– Frankfurt-Los Angeles: 270,000 passengers, 89% load factor

Additionally, Lufthansa’s recent introduction of the A380 superjumbo on the Munich-Denver route marked a significant milestone, being the first time this aircraft type operated scheduled services to Colorado. However, the transition from the A350 to the A380 increased available seats by 74%, which led to a decrease in load factors, falling to 74% during the peak season from May to July 2025.

Despite the challenges in maintaining load factors, the overall traffic surged by 40% year-on-year. The airline appears optimistic about the performance of the A380, which is set to return to Denver in 2026, signaling confidence in the route’s viability.

In conclusion, Lufthansa’s strong performance in the US market reflects its strategic route expansions and capacity management, positioning the airline favorably as it navigates post-pandemic recovery challenges.