Germany’s main air hubs are losing ground on long-haul traffic, with Frankfurt and Munich taking a smaller share of routes to East and Southeast Asia as more travellers connect via non-EU hubs in the Gulf region and Turkey. An analysis by the Bundesverband der Deutschen Luftverkehrswirtschaft and the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt links the shift to higher operating costs inside the EU and widening competitive pressure on Germany’s intercontinental transfer market.
On routes from Germany to East and Southeast Asia, the share routed via hubs outside the EU rose to about 54% in 2024 from roughly 44% in 2019 and about 34% in 2010. Over the same period, Frankfurt and Munich’s combined share on those routes fell to about 36% from around 56% in 2010. The pattern also extends to Africa, where more traffic is flowing through transfer points outside Europe.
BDL chief Joachim Lang described the trend as a gradual detachment from international air traffic. The analysis points to environmental compliance costs as a key factor, including emissions allowance purchases for feeder flights within Europe. Germany’s post-pandemic traffic recovery has also lagged the global market, underscoring the pressure on airline network planning, airport hubs and EU aviation policy.