Columbus, Ohio, Is Getting Its First and Only Nonstop Flight to Europe Next Year

Updated: October 19, 2026, 11:52am CDT

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Columbus’ First Nonstop Route to Europe
Columbus-Frankfurt Route Details
Final Thoughts

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Get ready, Columbus. A nonstop flight to Europe is coming in 2027! At a press event held at the airport this morning, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Lufthansa announced the first-ever flight from Ohio’s largest city to Frankfurt, Germany.

This new Lufthansa service, which will begin on May 5, 2027, is not only the first flight to Germany from Columbus, but it’s the airport’s first and only direct flight to Europe. Since Columbus is my home airport, I’m especially excited for this development. Up until this year, nonstop international flights were rare, but 2026 has been a pivotal year, and 2027 is shaping up to be even better.

Let’s take a look at the details of this exciting new Columbus route.

Columbus’ First Nonstop Route to Europe

This new route to Europe is significant for the region and the airport itself. Columbus is the 15th biggest city in the U.S., and we’re finally starting to see that reflected in our airport and the routes it serves.

John Glenn Columbus Airport CMH — Big changes are happening at Columbus’ airport. Image Credit: Katie Corrigan Seemann

Up until this year, international routes from Columbus (CMH) consisted of seasonal flights to and from Cancun (CUN) and Toronto (YYZ). Then, Air Canada added a nonstop flight between Columbus and Montreal (YUL) in May 2026. Not long after that, JetBlue announced it would return to Columbus in late 2026, and Breeze Airways will begin nonstop service to Punta Cana (PUJ) in January 2027. With the addition of this new direct route to Frankfurt (FRA), Columbus is getting its fourth international route, with hopefully more to come.

The city is already preparing for this growth. A brand-new terminal is currently being built from the ground up and is scheduled to open in 2029.

This new route will not only provide easier connectivity throughout Europe to leisure travelers, but it will be essential for the 38 German-based companies in Central Ohio. (With over 750 German-owned businesses, Ohio is second only to Japan). Passengers can connect to 130 destinations through Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub.

Columbus-Frankfurt Route Details

Passengers on this new Lufthansa route will fly on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 231 economy seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 28 lie-flat business class seats.

The new route begins on May 5, 2027, and will operate 3 times weekly, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flights will depart Columbus at 4:20 p.m. and land in Frankfurt at 6:15 a.m. the next day. Passengers will be able to book this new flight from Columbus to Frankfurt beginning on October 20, 2026.

Bottom Line:

A new route between Columbus (CMH) and Frankfurt (FRA) will begin on May 5, 2027. This is a big deal for Central Ohio as it will be the first and only nonstop service from Columbus to Europe. Bookings open on October 20, 2026.

Final Thoughts

Lufthansa will begin flying between Columbus and Frankfurt on May 5, 2027. This will be the Ohio city’s first-ever nonstop route to Europe and is great news for the more than 2 million people residing in the Columbus metropolitan area, who will soon have a much more convenient option for getting to Europe and beyond.