Flying the Airbus A380 is an extraordinary experience, as this rare double-decker airliner is often regarded as being the world’s most comfortable airliner. Even in economy, the least luxurious and most cramped cabin, the Airbus A380 is still comfortable due to its high ceilings, excellent shoulder room, as well as the lowest noise level and smoothest of any commercial jet. However, the A380 can be tough to book, as fewer than 200 are in service worldwide with only a dozen operators.

Lufthansa is one such operator of the Airbus A380. While it was originally one of the A380’s largest customers, purchasing 14 examples, it sold six of its A380s back to Airbus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The carrier has had a somewhat “back and forth” relationship with the aircraft, as it initially removed all of its A380s during the pandemic, then declared that the eight A380s that returned to service would only fly temporarily. Now, the A380 is projected to fly until the 2030s. Using data from Cirium, an aviation data analytics company, this is where Lufthansa is flying its largest aircraft in 2026.

Overview Of The Lufthansa Airbus A380 Fleet

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Lufthansa currently operates eight Airbus A380-800s. The carrier took delivery of a total of 14 Airbus A380s between 2010 and 2015, with six of those having been sold to Airbus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lufthansa’s A380s are powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, one of two engine options on the A380 (alongside the Engine Alliance GP7200). These aircraft are configured in a four-class layout seating a total of 509 passengers, making this by far Lufthansa’s highest capacity aircraft.

Lufthansa had originally parked all of its Airbus A380s during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with its Airbus A340-600s. However, an unexpectedly swift recovery in travel demand and delays on new aircraft, including the Airbus A350, Boeing 777X, and Boeing 787, led the German flag carrier to return both fleets to service. While the A340-600s are to be retired by the end of 2026, the A380 will soldier on until the 2030s, and Lufthansa will be retrofitting the fleet with a new business class product, based on the Thompson Vantage XL, to be completed by mid-2027.

Whereas Lufthansa previously based a majority of its Airbus A380 fleet in Frankfurt, all eight A380s are now exclusively based out of Munich Airport. Instead, the Boeing 747-8 has become the carrier’s flagship aircraft for routes out of Frankfurt. The A380 operates alongside the Airbus A350-900, serving as a significant upgauge as it flies with roughly 200 additional seats. Rather notably, none of Lufthansa’s routes with the Airbus A380 come close to the type’s range of nearly 8,000 NM (15,000 km).

Lufthansa Airbus A380 Routes To North America

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The busiest Airbus A380 route operated by Lufthansa in 2026 will be from Munich Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, with 291 flights each way throughout the year. Notably, this is still less than daily service. In reality, Lufthansa will operate the A380-800 on its once-daily frequency between Munich and Los Angeles, but only beginning on March 27. Before March 27, this route will be operated by an Airbus A350-900, with the flight only operating six days per week in February.

The carrier’s daily flights to San Francisco International Airport operate similarly. During the winter season, Lufthansa flies the Airbus A350-900. The Airbus A380 takes over this route beginning March 1, and hands the SFO route back to the A350 after August 28. On March 28, the Airbus A380 will begin operating from Munich to Washington-Dulles, and will be replaced by the A350-900 after Friday, October 23. The A380 will serve Boston-Logan from March 20 to October 24, while Denver International Airport will see the A380 from July 1 to September 27.

The market between the US and Europe is highly seasonal, as demand during the winter is far lower than during the summer. Notably, Lufthansa is bringing the A380 back to Denver for 2026, the newest route for the type and the airport’s only A380 service. Meanwhile, the A380 will no longer serve New York-JFK, an airport that it has served since 2023 from Munich, and also on the Frankfurt route from 2011 to 2019. Instead, Munich will be connected to New York-JFK via the A350.

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Lufthansa’s Airbus A380 Flights To Asia

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While Asia is a massive market for Lufthansa, the Airbus A380’s use here in 2026 is far more limited than in prior years. You’d expect that, as Lufthansa’s largest aircraft with nearly 100 first and business class seats, the A380 would be deployed to the continent’s largest business hubs, such as Tokyo, Singapore, and Shanghai. However, Lufthansa now deploys the Airbus A350 on most of its Asian routes from Munich, while 2026 will see the superjumbo serve just two cities in Asia.

The Airbus A380 operates daily services from Munich to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, the primary hub for fellow Star Alliance member Air India, and will remain until October 24. The A380 will operate the Munich to Delhi route for 285 days, making it the route with the second-highest number of A380 flights in 2026. Meanwhile, the A380 is currently operating from Munich to Bangkok and will remain until March 27. The A380 will return to Bangkok on October 25.

Delhi has high business demand from Europe and is also home to a large hub for an alliance member, meaning that Lufthansa has access to feed. Meanwhile, Bangkok is a major tourist destination with virtually limitless leisure demand, and the A380 has relatively low per-seat costs along with a huge economy cabin. Furthermore, both routes are shorter than many of the carrier’s routes to other major Asian destinations, thereby lowering the impact of the A380’s high fuel burn.

Looking At Prior Airbus A380 Destinations

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Lufthansa initially based all of its Airbus A380s in Frankfurt Airport, the larger of its two hubs. Together with the Boeing 747-8, the A380 replaced a significant portion of Lufthansa’s 747-400 fleet, and as such, the two took over the 747-400’s highest-demand routes. The A380’s first routes in 2010 were to Tokyo Narita International Airport, followed by Beijing Capital International Airport and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport. None of these three airports sees A380 service by Lufthansa today.

The Airbus A380 has also been flown from Frankfurt to Delhi, Shanghai, Seoul-Incheon, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok in Asia, while Lufthansa previously deployed the A380 from Frankfurt to New York-JFK, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, and Miami. In 2018, the carrier shifted some A380 routes to Munich, launching services to Beijing, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. The carrier continued this same route portfolio until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apart from the route from Munich to Los Angeles, none of the Airbus A380’s current routes were operated pre-pandemic. Currently, the carrier has dramatically shifted focus with its A380 fleet, as the type now primarily serves the United States, whereas A380 service in the 2010s had a heavier lean towards Asia. In addition, Boston is the only US airport served by Lufthansa with the A380 that isn’t a United Airlines hub, as the station is instead a small Delta hub. Notably, Lufthansa began operating the A380 to Denver in 2025, and the flight has been successful enough that the A380 is returning in 2026.

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What To Expect From The Lufthansa Airbus A380 Onboard

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Lufthansa installs 509 seats onboard its Airbus A380s, split between four cabin classes. On the lower deck lie the premium economy and economy cabins. Data from aeroLOPA shows that Lufthansa installs 52 premium economy seats, along with 336 economy seats. The upper deck, meanwhile, features eight first class seats, along with 78 business class seats. Notably, these seats are configured six-abreast. In addition, the rear of the upper deck features 35 additional economy seats.

Lufthansa intends to refurbish its A380 fleet with new business class seats, which will be completed by mid-2027. However, the Airbus A380s won’t receive Lufthansa’s newest Allegris cabins, currently featured on newly-delivered Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s. Instead, Lufthansa will be using the Thompson Vantage XL, a staggered direct aisle access seat. Likely, this was done to cut delivery and certification timelines. In addition, the rest of the plane will be largely untouched.

Compared to the Boeing 747-8, Lufthansa’s Airbus A380s offer the same first class capacity, two fewer business class seats, and significantly fewer premium economy as well as economy seats. In addition, while the A380 is getting a partial refurbishment with an off-the-shelf product, the 747-8 is getting the full Allegris treatment. While the A380 is Lufthansa’s largest aircraft, the carrier instead promotes and displays the 747-8 as its flagship.