Newark Will Be the First Destination for Lufthansa’s New Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Newark’s Liberty International Airport (EWR) will be the first international destination to welcome Lufthansa’s shiny new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft when it begins flying between the German flag carrier’s hub in Frankfurt (FRA) and the New Jersey city on December 1, 2023.

The aircraft is also the newest type to enter Lufthansa’s fleet, an exciting milestone on its own.

Let’s take a look at what this could mean for your next trip to Germany!

Lufthansa’s New Dreamliner Is Coming to Newark

A new aircraft operating a route may not seem like a big deal, especially to those with an untrained eye.

However, Lufthansa’s introduction of the all-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is something to be excited about. 

The airline has ordered a number of the aircraft directly from Boeing but also purchased aircraft that were once supposed to be delivered to different airlines, which is what the situation is with the Newark-bound Dreamliner.

Originally intended for China’s Hainan Airlines, the Dreamliner that will operate the 1 daily flight between Frankfurt and Newark will feature a business class cabin that was designed for Hainan but has since been given a minor facelift to better align it with Lufthansa’s fleet.

While it won’t feature Lufthansa’s all-new premium cabins that are set to launch in 2023, the seats still represent a massive upgrade over the vast majority of business class seats in the carrier’s fleet, as these seats will be arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with each offering direct access to the aisle, not something that can be said for much of the airline’s fleet at the moment.

Hot Tip: Believe it or not, you could try out Lufthansa’s new Dreamliner on a flight to Germany without breaking the bank, as options are plentiful for booking Lufthansa flights with points.

The exact schedule of the Dreamliner’s flights between Frankfurt and Newark is yet to be released.

Given there’s only 1 daily scheduled service from Frankfurt to Newark (Lufthansa also serves New York City via JFK Airport), it’s likely the Dreamliner will replace the Airbus A330/A340 jets that currently operate the route with the following schedule:

• Depart Frankfurt (FRA) 11:05 a.m. — Arrive Newark (EWR) 1:55 p.m.
• Depart Newark (EWR) 6:20 p.m. — Arrive Frankfurt (FRA) 7:55 a.m. (+1)

The Dreamliner, registered D-ABPA, will be the first-ever aircraft of its type in Lufthansa’s long-haul fleet and has been named “Berlin” after the country’s capital city.

“The first Dreamliner in our long-haul fleet is called ‘Berlin,’ because the company has a long and special relationship with the capital,” said Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa.

As of October 19, 2022, D-ABPA will enter into service for the first time. Initially, it will operate short domestic rotations between Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC) so that both cabin and flight crew can get up to speed with the aircraft before it takes passengers on its inaugural long-haul flight to Newark in December.

Final Thoughts

From December 1, 2022, Lufthansa’s new Dreamliner will provide a fresh new way to cross the Atlantic between the United States and Germany — and beyond.

We can’t wait to see the snazzy new interiors of Lufthansa’s long-haul jets next year, but for now, we’re excited about this one, especially its newly competitive business class cabin!