Key takeaways
- Lufthansa is Germany’s largest airline and the core company of the Lufthansa Group.
- Codes: IATA LH, ICAO DLH, callsign “LUFTHANSA”.
- Its hubs are Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC).
- Lufthansa is a founding member of Star Alliance.
Contents
Profile
| IATA code | LH |
|---|---|
| ICAO code | DLH |
| Callsign | LUFTHANSA |
| Hubs | FRA, MUC |
| Alliance | Star Alliance |
| Business model | Network carrier with short-, medium- and long-haul flights |
| Group | Lufthansa Group |
| Alliance status | Founding member of Star Alliance (1997) |
| Trademark | Crane in a circle on the tail |
How to recognize the airline
Is that really Lufthansa?
- Crane logo in a circle on the tail
- Dark blue tail, fuselage mostly white
- “Lufthansa” titles on the forward fuselage
- Flight number starts with LH, shown as DLH in flight plans and on trackers
- German registration starting with D- on the rear fuselage
Lufthansa at a glance
Lufthansa is Germany’s largest airline and the core company of the Lufthansa Group, which includes Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, among others. As a network carrier, it concentrates its traffic at two hubs: Frankfurt am Main and Munich. From there it flies to destinations across Europe as well as long-haul destinations on every continent.
In 1997, Lufthansa founded Star Alliance together with other airlines. That is why you see an especially large number of aircraft from other Star Alliance members at its hubs.
Codes and callsign
Three identifiers matter for plane spotters:
- IATA code LH: appears in the flight number, for example on the departures board and on your ticket.
- ICAO code DLH: appears in the flight plan and on flight trackers.
- Callsign LUFTHANSA: this is how the crew identifies itself on the radio.
Spotting tips
At the Frankfurt and Munich hubs, Lufthansa is present all day, with short- and medium-haul aircraft as well as long-haul types. If you want to document the fleet as completely as possible, start there. Pay attention to the registrations: flights with an LH flight number are sometimes operated by other companies on Lufthansa’s behalf, and only the registration on the rear fuselage shows which aircraft you actually had in front of your lens.
Summary
- To identify Lufthansa with confidence, look for the crane on the dark blue tail and check for the ICAO code DLH on the tracker.
- Flights with an LH flight number can be operated by other companies under codeshare or wet lease – the registration shows who is actually flying.
Frequently asked questions
What are Lufthansa’s IATA and ICAO codes?
Lufthansa’s IATA code is LH and its ICAO code is DLH. On the radio, the airline uses the callsign “LUFTHANSA”.
What are Lufthansa’s hubs?
Lufthansa operates its hubs in Frankfurt am Main (FRA) and Munich (MUC).
Which alliance does Lufthansa belong to?
Lufthansa belongs to Star Alliance and was one of its founding members in 1997.
Keep an eye on Lufthansa
Watch the airline or individual registrations and get notified on approach or landing – and post your sighting with type, registration and spot. Planetrack is launching soon – join the waitlist and get early access.
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