Germany’s flag-carrier kicked off its 100-year anniversary on 3 February 2026 by confirming the delivery schedule for 25 next-generation aircraft, including Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing 787-9s. The investment is more than a vanity project: Lufthansa says the new jets will cut fuel burn by up to 25 % compared with the planes they replace, a critical metric as the EU’s ReFuelEU mandate phases in from 2027.
Business travellers stand to benefit first. The airline will roll out a redesigned ‘Allegris’ cabin on all new long-haul deliveries featuring privacy doors in Business Class, individual climate zones in First Class suites and—crucially for the majority of corporate flyers—three hot-meal choices and amenity kits in Economy. A-380s returning to service in Munich will receive the same interiors during heavy maintenance; one super-jumbo will sport a retro-livery to celebrate a century of German commercial aviation.
Connectivity is also getting a boost. From mid-2026 onward, Lufthansa will equip its wide-body fleet with SpaceX Starlink satellite internet, promising gate-to-gate speeds fast enough for video calls. The carrier hopes this will reinforce its appeal after a year in which 77 % of Munich departures left on time—up 20 points on 2024 but still below Asian competitors.
![Lufthansa marks centenary with 25 new aircraft and upgraded long-haul cabins]()
Before anyone can enjoy these upgrades, though, travellers still have to navigate ever-changing visa rules. VisaHQ’s digital platform streamlines the application process for Germany and more than 200 other destinations, letting corporate bookers manage paperwork online and track status in real time—see https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for details.
For mobility managers the announcement offers practical advantages. More fuel-efficient aircraft should shield the airline from some Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) price volatility, limiting surcharge pass-through to corporate contracts. The extra wide-bodies will also enable an 18 % increase in weekly frequencies on core intercontinental routes such as Frankfurt-to-Chicago and Munich-to-Bengaluru, easing chronic seat shortages in premium cabins.
Yet challenges remain. The Ver.di union has already warned that expanding capacity without addressing ground-staff shortages could recreate the operational chaos of summer 2025. Lufthansa says it has hired 4 000 additional employees for hub operations and signed a works-time agreement aimed at reducing unscheduled overtime. Whether those measures are enough will become clear when the summer peak begins in late June.
Business travellers stand to benefit first. The airline will roll out a redesigned ‘Allegris’ cabin on all new long-haul deliveries featuring privacy doors in Business Class, individual climate zones in First Class suites and—crucially for the majority of corporate flyers—three hot-meal choices and amenity kits in Economy. A-380s returning to service in Munich will receive the same interiors during heavy maintenance; one super-jumbo will sport a retro-livery to celebrate a century of German commercial aviation.
Connectivity is also getting a boost. From mid-2026 onward, Lufthansa will equip its wide-body fleet with SpaceX Starlink satellite internet, promising gate-to-gate speeds fast enough for video calls. The carrier hopes this will reinforce its appeal after a year in which 77 % of Munich departures left on time—up 20 points on 2024 but still below Asian competitors.
Before anyone can enjoy these upgrades, though, travellers still have to navigate ever-changing visa rules. VisaHQ’s digital platform streamlines the application process for Germany and more than 200 other destinations, letting corporate bookers manage paperwork online and track status in real time—see https://www.visahq.com/germany/ for details.
For mobility managers the announcement offers practical advantages. More fuel-efficient aircraft should shield the airline from some Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) price volatility, limiting surcharge pass-through to corporate contracts. The extra wide-bodies will also enable an 18 % increase in weekly frequencies on core intercontinental routes such as Frankfurt-to-Chicago and Munich-to-Bengaluru, easing chronic seat shortages in premium cabins.
Yet challenges remain. The Ver.di union has already warned that expanding capacity without addressing ground-staff shortages could recreate the operational chaos of summer 2025. Lufthansa says it has hired 4 000 additional employees for hub operations and signed a works-time agreement aimed at reducing unscheduled overtime. Whether those measures are enough will become clear when the summer peak begins in late June.
