“Genova Strengthens Its International Role with New Direct Flight to Frankfurt”

Genova continues to consolidate its role as an international gateway to Northwestern Italy and the Mediterranean. Starting 28 March 2027, Genova Cristoforo Colombo Airport will offer a direct connection to Frankfurt with a new service operated by Discover Airlines, the leisure airline of the Lufthansa Group. The new route will be operated with a 180-seat Airbus A320, with two weekly flights, on Saturdays and Sundays, throughout the summer season.

The new destination is part of Genova Airport’s ongoing growth and increasing internationalisation. In fact, 2025 ended with an all-time record of 1,577,159 passengers, an increase of 18.1% compared with the previous year. Growth in international traffic was even more significant, with over 769,000 passengers, up 41.2% compared with 2024, continuing a positive trend that had remained uninterrupted for 21 consecutive months by the end of the year.

In recent years, the range of destinations directly accessible from Genova has also expanded. In 2025, new connections to Madrid, Warsaw and Kraków were launched, while passenger numbers on routes to Tirana, Paris Orly and Barcelona increased significantly. Tirana, London, Munich, Amsterdam and Budapest were the five most popular international destinations of the year.

The introduction of the Frankfurt flight not only marks another step forward in this direction, but is also of particular strategic importance. In addition to connecting Genova with one of Europe’s leading economic centres, it provides access to one of the continent’s major airport hubs, expanding international connectivity opportunities for passengers, businesses and economic operators.

The new route has also been introduced in response to growing demand from the German market for Western Mediterranean cruises, further strengthening the link between air transport, tourism and the cruise industry. As one of the Mediterranean’s leading cruise gateways, Genova is ideally positioned to capture this growing market demand. Costa Cruises will offer “Fly & Cruise” packages, allowing travellers from Germany to combine their flights with sailings aboard Costa Toscana departing from Savona and Costa Fascinosa departing from Genova.

A new partnership between EW Discover GmbH, Aeroporto di Genova S.p.A. and Costa Crociere S.p.A. is therefore taking shape, further strengthening the integration of air transport, tourism and the cruise industry — key sectors for the local economy — and helping to consolidate Genoa and Liguria’s position in international markets.

The new connection to Frankfurt therefore represents much more than simply another air route: it is another important step in a broader strategy aimed at making Genova increasingly connected, accessible and attractive for investment, tourism and international business.

Edited by Rebeca Burgos