Major airline axes 20,000 'unprofitable' flights as jet fuel costs soar
The cuts are expected to save about 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel through October
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Lufthansa is cutting roughly 20,000 short-haul flights this summer, citing a spike in jet fuel prices that has rendered many routes "unprofitable" as the global aviation industry grapples with rising costs.
The German carrier said Tuesday the cuts, which will run through October, are expected to save about 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel. The airline noted that fuel prices have roughly doubled since the outbreak of the Iran war.
"In total, 20,000 short-haul flights will be removed from the schedule through October, equivalent to approximately 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel, the price of which has doubled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict," the company said in a statement. "The schedule adjustments reduce the number of unprofitable short-haul flights across the Lufthansa Group network."
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Lufthansa aircraft sit on the tarmac at Frankfurt Airport on April 13, 2026. (Hannes P Albert/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The move reflects a broader trend, as airlines worldwide adjust operations in response to surging fuel costs.
The energy market has seen increased volatility since the Iran war began and the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely constrained by the threat of Iranian attacks, impacting the availability of a key input in making jet fuel.
Other carriers are taking similar steps. Air Canada announced Friday it is suspending select U.S.-bound routes as jet fuel prices continue to climb.
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Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, on March 9, 2026. (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Delta Air Lines has also trimmed some summer routes, telling USA TODAY the adjustments are part of "normal planning."
At the same time, several major airlines – including JetBlue, United, Delta and Southwest – have raised baggage fees in recent weeks.
"We’re seeing airfare increase across the board, from the full-service airlines to the budget carriers, from domestic flights to long-haul international," Sean Cudahy, senior aviation reporter at The Points Guy, told FOX Business. "And it’s not just fares – almost every major U.S. carrier has hiked checked bag fees, too. This is really just a classic case of companies passing on costs to their customers, and it’s a big cost at that."
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A satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, vital for global energy supply. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
Jet fuel is typically airlines’ second-largest expense, according to Cudahy.
"Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened tomorrow, you’d likely see lingering high fares for months to come. And those checked bag fees that just rose? Those almost never come back down once they go up," he added.
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FOX Business reached out to Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines for comment.
FOX Business' Eric Revell and Bonny Chu contributed to this report.