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German airline Condor cuts service to 4 US cities for 2025

Dec. 26, 2024
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4 min read
Condor Airbus A330-900neo
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German leisure carrier Condor is trimming its U.S. route map in 2025.

This week, the airline notified four U.S. airports of its plans to cut its seasonal nonstop service from Frankfurt.

Next year, the carrier will end flights from its German base city to San Antonio International Airport (SAT), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

As part of the network shake-up, Condor is also trimming two additional North American routes to Edmonton and Halifax in Canada.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Court ruling prompted change

In slashing its 2025 North American plans, Condor cited a recent German high court ruling that seemed likely to reduce its passenger count in the new year.

As part of antitrust regulations in Germany, the country’s flag carrier, Lufthansa, had been required to allow Condor passengers flying to Frankfurt to connect seamlessly onto Lufthansa flights. That regulation had essentially allowed U.S. passengers to access nearly all of Germany by booking with Condor.

But a recent German Federal Court of Justice ruling overturned those rules, Condor said in announcing the route cuts.

“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Condor commercial director Jens Boyd said in a statement Monday. “We deeply regret the loss of connectivity and service this will cause.”

San Antonio loses only European service

The elimination of Condor’s service is a particular blow for San Antonio, which just saw the airline launch nonstop flights to Frankfurt this year ­— its first (and only) nonstop service to Europe.

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Now, it appears San Antonio passengers will again be without nonstop transatlantic options in 2025, barring another carrier announcing service.

As of now, SAT’s only international offerings include a half dozen or so short flights to Mexico.

CIRIUM

“We will continue to work on expanding nonstop service from SAT,” airports director Jesus Saenz, Jr. said in a statement. “Our community has long asked for service to Europe, and last summer’s numbers proved that we do have a market that can sustain nonstop service.”

Read more: Condor premium economy A330neo review: Is it worth the extra cost?

Condor's US growth interrupted

Condor’s pullback in North America comes after breakneck transatlantic growth in recent years.

According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, its total seats between the U.S. and Germany were up 50% in 2024 compared to 2023. That’s after growing at a 30% rate a year prior.

Condor’s colorful striped planes are unmistakable, and its flights are accessible not just to travelers willing to pay for a seat but also to passengers using points and miles. For instance, the carrier has a frequent flyer tie-up with Alaska Airlines, which allows Mileage Plan members to redeem their Alaska miles on Condor flights.

Come summer 2025, travelers should still be able to fly Condor to Frankfurt from nine U.S. cities, including eight in the continental U.S. and from Anchorage, Alaska.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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