It's another big year for transatlantic travel — but at least 1 European airline sees signs of trouble
Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter is emphatic about the state of the transatlantic travel market: Business is good and continues to grow.
“We don’t see any impact on the booking situation right now,” he said at an event celebrating the Frankfurt-based carrier’s new Allegris first-class cabin in Munich on Wednesday.
Fly a few hundred miles south to the home of Lufthansa’s sibling carrier, Swiss, and the outlook is not quite so rosy. There are signs that Swiss vacationers are beginning to look to destinations other than the U.S. for their travel plans, Léa Wertheimer, the head of corporate communications at Swiss, said at the event.
Corporate demand is steady, but leisure travel is down, she added.
The issue at hand was whether U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies, from potentially steep tariffs on European goods to diminished support for NATO, were affecting demand among Europeans for travel to the U.S.
At stake is one of the largest and most lucrative long-haul international markets in the world. Since the coronavirus pandemic, demand has boomed across the North Atlantic as more Americans have sought out vacations in Europe and vice versa. That boom has buoyed profits everywhere, from airlines like Delta Air Lines to International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways and Iberia, and the Lufthansa Group.
A weakening of the transatlantic market could spell financial difficulties for legacy carriers on both sides of the pond.
Already, Trump’s threats of tariffs have hit the U.S.-Canada market. Canadian carriers, including Air Canada and Porter Airlines, have seen demand drop and are considering cutting flights. And United Airlines, the largest U.S. carrier in the market, is pulling back some of its transborder flights.
United is pulling flights from U.S.-Canada routes as part of a plan to retire 21 aircraft early following a weaker-than-expected first quarter, CEO Scott Kirby said at an investor event March 11.
We’ve seen a “big drop in Canadian traffic going to the U.S.,” he added.
But at the same event where Kirby spoke of United cutting flights to Canada, he and executives from American Airlines and Delta said demand to Europe remained strong.
"We continue to see nice advance bookings for both transatlantic and transpacific," Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta, said March 11.
American plans to add or resume five routes to Europe, including Miami to Rome and Philadelphia to Milan, this summer. Delta is adding eight new routes, including its first-ever service to Catania in Italy. United's European plans include flights to Bilbao in Spain, Faro in Portugal and Nuuk in Greenland.
United was the largest airline between the U.S. and Europe by seats in 2024, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. Lufthansa was fifth — second among European carriers after British Airways — and Swiss a distant 12th.
The big European and U.S. airlines all operate joint ventures across the North Atlantic that allow them to coordinate schedules and fares. The pacts include Lufthansa and Swiss with United; British Airways and Iberia with American; and Air France and KLM with Delta.
For now, Ritter said Lufthansa wishes it could grow more to the U.S. The airline faces growth constraints owing primarily to delivery delays at Airbus and Boeing. Certification of the carrier’s new Allegris seats on the Boeing 787 has resulted in 15 completed planes parked at the plane-maker’s plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, awaiting sign-off for delivery.
“We have a very, very strong connection to the U.S.,” Ritter said, adding that it “continues to grow.”
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.