Lufthansa has announced a significant reduction in its Airbus A340 flights to the United States for the upcoming winter season, cutting the number of services by nearly 50%. According to data from Cirium, the German airline will operate approximately 1,200 A340 flights to the US between November 2025 and March 2026, down from around 2,400 in the previous winter season. This shift highlights the airline’s ongoing transition towards more fuel-efficient aircraft.
Historically, airlines have favored twin-engine aircraft due to their improved fuel efficiency. The Airbus A340, which first entered service in 1993, was one of the last four-engine models to operate extensively. Lufthansa remains one of the few carriers still utilizing the A340, operating a total of 17 A340-300s and 14 A340-600s, with average ages of 26.1 and 19.6 years, respectively. While the model has served Lufthansa well, market dynamics have changed significantly, prompting the airline to adjust its fleet utilization.
Key Changes in US Flight Routes
Throughout the winter season, Lufthansa will continue to operate A340s on select routes from its Frankfurt hub, including destinations like Denver, Boston, and New York JFK. However, the airline has replaced many A340 services with the more modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner as part of its strategy to enhance operational efficiency.
This winter, Lufthansa has scheduled approximately 387 one-way A340-300 flights on US routes, a significant decrease from the 564 flights operated during the same period last year. Notable adjustments include the Frankfurt–Atlanta route, which will transition from A340-300 to the Boeing 787-9 starting November 20. Similarly, the Frankfurt–Denver route, previously served by the larger A340-600, will now feature the smaller A340-300 variant.
Other US destinations experiencing reduced A340 frequencies include Seattle, Detroit, and Dallas/Fort Worth. The airline’s Detroit service will see mixed operations, initially scheduled for the A340-300 but later incorporating both A340 variants and the Dreamliner. Notably, the Frankfurt–Minneapolis route, which operated around eight A340 flights last winter, has been transferred to Lufthansa’s subsidiary, Discover Airlines.
A340-600 Operations Face Major Cuts
The reductions are even more pronounced for the A340-600 variant, with Lufthansa scheduling only 173 flights this winter, compared to 550 during the last winter season. The A340-600 is configured with eight first-class suites, 56 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 189 economy seats. Only three US routes will now see A340-600 aircraft: New York JFK, Detroit, and Boston.
The airline has also shifted several routes to different aircraft types. For example, the busy Chicago O’Hare route will now be served primarily by the Boeing 747, up from 147 one-way A340-600 flights last winter. As a result of these changes, both New York JFK and Boston will experience reduced A340-600 capacity, with nearly half of the services to JFK now being operated by the Boeing 787-8.
Lufthansa had initially planned to phase out its A340-600 fleet by late 2025, contingent upon the arrival of new Boeing 787-9 aircraft. However, delays in the delivery of these Dreamliners have necessitated the continued operation of the aging A340-600s into next summer, alongside the airline’s other older aircraft, including the Boeing 747.
As airlines like Lufthansa adapt to evolving market conditions and environmental considerations, the era of four-engine long-haul aircraft like the A340 appears to be drawing to a close. The shift towards more efficient twin-engine jets marks a significant transformation in global aviation.
