February 16, 2025
Lufthansa Group Maintains Market Leadership at Berlin BER Airport in 2024

Lufthansa Group Maintains Market Leadership at Berlin BER Airport in 2024

The Lufthansa Group strengthened its position as the dominant airline operator at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) in 2024, with Eurowings set to further expand its presence in 2025.
A Lufthansa aircraft at Berlin Brandenburg BER Airport.
Photo Credit: Lufthansa

The Lufthansa Group strengthened its position as the dominant airline operator at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) in 2024.

The Group’s airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, and SunExpress, operated nearly one-third of all flights at the capital’s airport.

This substantial share far outpaced their closest competitor, who managed only 17 percent of flights.

Lufthansa Group Performance at BER 2024


Passenger numbers reached an impressive 6.4 million for Lufthansa Group in 2024, with their aircraft departing BER every quarter hour on average. The Group maintained an extensive network of up to 500 weekly direct flights serving almost 60 destinations.

Eurowings played a crucial role, connecting Berlin with approximately 45 locations across Europe, North Africa, and the Gulf region. Through the Group’s five hub airports, Berlin travelers gained access to more than 290 global destinations.

Looking ahead to 2025, while some carriers plan to reduce their BER presence, Lufthansa Group continues its expansion.

SWISS launched daily Geneva flights in October, and Eurowings plans a 12 percent capacity increase, introducing new routes to Bilbao, Corfu, Faro, and Newcastle.

Birthplace of Lufthansa


Berlin holds special significance for Lufthansa, being its birthplace in 1926. Today, the city hosts all major Lufthansa Group business divisions – a distinction shared only with Frankfurt – and employs around 2,000 local staff.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is the sole international airport serving Berlin, Germany’s capital. Situated in Schönefeld, Brandenburg, about 18 kilometers southeast of the city center, it officially opened in October 2020, replacing the former Tegel and Schönefeld airports.  

The airport’s journey to fruition was marked by numerous setbacks and delays, earning it the infamous nickname “BERlin Airport.” Construction began in 2006 with an initial projected opening date of 2011. However, a series of technical and bureaucratic issues, including fire safety concerns and cost overruns, pushed back the opening date multiple times.  

Despite the troubled past, BER boasts modern facilities designed to cater to the needs of millions of passengers annually. The airport features two terminals, a train station providing direct connections to the city center, and a range of amenities including shops, restaurants, and lounges.  

BER serves as a hub for several airlines, including easyJet, Eurowings, and Ryanair, offering a wide range of domestic and international flights.

While primarily focused on European destinations, the airport also sees some intercontinental services.

BER December 2024 Performance


BER Airport’s December 2024 statistics show strong growth, with passenger numbers reaching 1.94 million – a 10 percent increase from December 2023.

The pre-New Year’s Sunday on December 29 peaked at 76,444 travelers, while monthly aircraft movements totaled nearly 14,800.

The airport’s full-year performance for 2024 demonstrated sustained travel demand, serving 25.5 million passengers – a 10.4 percent increase from 2023.

Ryanair led individual carrier statistics with 5.2 million passengers, followed by easyJet with 4.1 million. However, the Lufthansa Group collectively maintained the highest passenger volume at 5.7 million.

Abflug Flughafen München

September 27, 2024, during the Berlin Marathon weekend, marked the year’s busiest day with 99,579 passengers. Annual flight movements approached 192,000, showing an 8.5 percent year-over-year increase.

Cargo operations also flourished, with December freight volumes up 21.5 percent at 3,840 tonnes, contributing to an annual total of 44,300 tonnes – a 30 percent improvement from 2023.

BER Airport CEO Aletta von Massenbach expressed satisfaction with 2024’s performance, noting that despite challenging market conditions, both connectivity and passenger numbers showed positive development.

She emphasized that future growth in 2025 would depend heavily on Germany’s aviation industry conditions, stressing the importance of maintaining competitive advantages for continued expansion of travel connections.

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