Lufthansa Is on Strike Again — Here’s What to Do If You’re Flying Through Germany

What’s Happening And Why It Matters

Lufthansa is facing back-to-back strike action from both pilots and cabin crew, creating nearly a full week of disruption.

• Pilots are striking April 13–14

• Cabin crew strikes follow April 15–16

• Together, this creates four straight days of major disruption

These strikes are being led by two different unions—Vereinigung Cockpit (pilots) and UFO (flight attendants)—both in ongoing disputes over pay, pensions, and working conditions. What makes this moment different is the timing. There was already a cabin crew strike on April 10, and a pilot strike back in mid-March, meaning Lufthansa has now been hit multiple times in quick succession.

For travelers, the reason matters less than the reality: Flights are being canceled in large numbers, often with very little notice, and the disruptions are stacking.

Where Disruptions Are Worst

If your itinerary includes a connection in Germany, pay close attention. The hardest-hit airports are:

• Frankfurt (FRA) – Lufthansa’s largest hub and the most disrupted

• Munich (MUC) – Major cancellations and reduced schedules

Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport are the main pressure points. They are Lufthansa’s two biggest German hubs, and both airports issued warnings tied to severe disruption. Frankfurt said delays and cancellations were expected all day on April 13 and 14, while Munich warned Lufthansa and Eurowings passengers to expect major strike-related changes and to check directly with their carriers.

That means even travelers who are not starting their trip in Germany can still get caught in the fallout. A U.S. traveler flying New York to Frankfurt to Rome, or Chicago to Munich to Vienna, is dealing with the same risk as someone flying domestic Germany. Tight same-day connections are especially vulnerable right now.

Regional airports are feeling it too, especially on routes tied into the Frankfurt and Munich hub system. Reporting from German outlets shows cancellations spreading to airports such as Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne/Bonn, and Düsseldorf, especially on Lufthansa and CityLine feeder routes.

Which Flights Are Still Operating

Not everything is grounded, but availability is inconsistent.

• Some long-haul and transatlantic flights are still running

• Partner airlines within the Lufthansa Group (like SWISS or Austrian) may operate limited routes

• Certain Middle East routes are exempt from the strike action

There are also a few nuances:

• Eurowings pilots are only participating on April 13, not April 14

• Not all pilots are union members, so a small number of flights may still operate

That said, Lufthansa is typically running only a fraction of its normal schedule, so even “operating” flights can be affected by delays and reassignments.

What Lufthansa Is Offering Affected Passengers

This is the part travelers should act on immediately.

Lufthansa says passengers holding tickets from Lufthansa, Austrian, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, or Air Dolomiti, issued on or before April 13, 2026, and booked on Lufthansa-operated flights, including Lufthansa CityLine, for travel on April 13, 14, 15, or 16, may rebook free of charge to another Lufthansa Group flight before April 23, 2026. The airline also says passengers can request a refund before their ticketed travel date.

Lufthansa also says it will often rebook affected customers automatically and notify them by text, email, or app if contact details are on file. But the airline is explicitly warning of long call-center wait times and telling people to use digital tools where possible. In other words, this is not the week to sit on hold if the website or app can solve the problem faster.

For canceled domestic German flights, Lufthansa says passengers may be able to exchange their flight ticket for a Deutsche Bahn rail ticket. If you are simply trying to get between German cities, that can actually be one of the cleaner backup options right now.

What U.S. Travelers Should Do Right Now

1. Check your flight directly with Lufthansa, not just your credit card travel portal, not just a third-party tracker, and not just the airport board. Lufthansa’s own site and app are the likeliest places to show whether you’ve already been automatically rebooked.

2. Think beyond Germany if you still have flexibility. If your ticket has not yet unraveled, this is a very good week to look at alternate connection points such as Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, or even Amsterdam or Paris depending on the fare rules and carrier mix involved. That is not because those airports are trouble-free. It is because right now Frankfurt and Munich are the center of the disruption. This is an inference from the current strike pattern and hub concentration.

3. Do not assume your long-haul flight being “on time” means your trip is safe. If your onward connection is on Lufthansa or CityLine, or if your aircraft rotation depends on a disrupted inbound flight, your itinerary can still collapse later in the chain. This is one of those situations where giving yourself more buffer than usual is not paranoia. It is just good planning. That is an inference based on the scale and location of the cancellations.

4. Keep documentation. Save cancellation notices, rebooking confirmations, receipts, and screenshots. Depending on your exact itinerary, EU air passenger rights may come into play, although compensation in strike cases can be complicated and fact-specific. Lufthansa’s immediate practical remedies right now are rebooking and refunds.

Why This Probably Isn’t The Last Lufthansa Strike You’ll Hear About

The uncomfortable truth is that this week’s disruption doesn’t look like the end of the story. The pilot and cabin crew disputes are separate, neither one is resolved, and the back-and-forth between Lufthansa and the unions has only gotten more tense. Most reporting right now describes this as an ongoing situation, not something that’s close to being settled.

That doesn’t mean Americans should avoid Germany or cancel a Europe trip altogether. But it does mean that routing through Frankfurt or Munich right now comes with more uncertainty than usual, especially if your trip depends on tight connections or a fixed schedule. For summer travelers, it’s a reminder that having everything booked doesn’t always mean things will go smoothly.

Europe isn’t going anywhere, and Lufthansa isn’t either. But when disruptions keep happening this close together, it’s worth taking a second look at how your trip is routed. Give yourself a little extra time where you can, check your flight status often, and keep a backup plan in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions: Lufthansa Strikes 2026

Is Lufthansa completely shut down during the strike?

No, but it’s close. Lufthansa expects a large majority of flights to be affected during the strike period. Some long-haul routes and partner airline flights are still operating.

Are transatlantic flights from the U.S. canceled?

Many are, especially if they connect through Frankfurt or Munich. Even if your long-haul flight operates, onward connections may not.

Can I get a refund if my flight is canceled?

Yes. Lufthansa is offering free rebooking or full refunds for affected passengers, depending on your preference.

Which airports are most affected?

Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC) are the main hubs experiencing the worst disruption.

Which flights are exempt from the strike?

Some Middle East routes are exempt, and flights operated by partner airlines like SWISS or Austrian may still run.

Is Eurowings also striking?

Yes, but only on April 13 for departures from Germany. It is not included on April 14.

What if there’s no alternative flight available?

Lufthansa may offer Deutsche Bahn train tickets for domestic routes as a replacement.

Could there be more strikes this summer?

Possibly. Neither the pilots’ nor cabin crew disputes have been resolved, so further strike action remains a real possibility.