Lufthansa To Debut First A220 This Year

Lufthansa City Airlines is expected to receive its first Airbus A220 in November 2026, marking the start of a new era for its single-aisle operations.

The airline, which holds orders for the type, will become the latest within Lufthansa Group to leverage the regional capabilities of the single-aisle aircraft to serve the short-haul hub-feed network at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC).

The first aircraft expected to be registered as D-ACAA is nearing the completion of its final assembly process at the Mirabel facility near Montreal, a key location for Airbus Canada and the A220 family.

Passenger operations with the type are not expected to commence until early 2027, following familiarisation and integration. The handover will also make Lufthansa City Airlines the first German operator to introduce the A220-300 into scheduled service. The A220 family is widely operated across Europe but has yet to enter scheduled service in Germany.

Introducing the next-generation Airbus type for City Airlines will support the transition to the new type, as current operations rely on the A320 family, with A319s and A320-family aircraft serving the European network.

Lufthansa City Airlines’ First A220 Arrives Before Christmas

The aircraft, scheduled for delivery in Q4 2026 before Christmas, will allow Lufthansa City Airlines not only to welcome its newest investment but also to have valuable time to complete the necessary induction process before scheduled passenger flights commence.

The German carrier, as with any new aircraft family entering service, must first run a familiarisation programme to cover the technical and operational steps and ensure that, once the type enters passenger service, there are no hiccups from a crew or technical standpoint.

Lufthansa City Airlines has not announced the inaugural A220 route, the first passenger flight date, or exact cabin specifications. However, the original order specified a capacity below the A320neo, with a targeted seat count of around 148.

While the A220 has yet to be delivered, preparations are well underway, with pilot training in progress. Six Lufthansa City Airlines pilots began their EASA-compliant programme on 1 May 2026, thanks to airBaltic, aeroTELEGRAPH reports.

The pilot training programme includes theory and simulator work in Riga, plus supervised line flying and line experience on airBaltic’s European network, all on the A220. As a training partner with extensive A220 experience, airBaltic provides a route for crews to be brought up to speed before the first delivery.

40 Airbus A220s To Fly With Lufthansa?

The first delivery of the Airbus A220-300 in November forms part of a December 2023 order by Lufthansa Group for 40 of the type, with options for a further 20, bringing the total to 60 if fully activated.

While the Airbus A220s form part of a narrowbody renewal campaign that also saw orders for the Boeing 737-8, the Group intends to deploy the aircraft with City Airlines. The aircraft will sit between the smaller regional jets like the CRJ900s formerly operated by CityLine and the A320neo family, taking the Group into the 2030s and beyond.

As a natural middle ground, and a type already used by SWISS and ITA Airways, the Group’s existing A220 experience will be valuable as the jet helps the newly launched subsidiary take the next step in connectivity.

Ultimately, November will mark the first step in a lengthy fleet revamp for Lufthansa City Airlines that, over the coming years, will expand the fleet and establish an efficient operating base.