Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
Lufthansa raises quarterly revenue but trims 2026 profit outlook
Germany’s Lufthansa Group reported a stronger third quarter, with revenue up 9% to €12.2 billion and adjusted operating profit rising to €1.4 billion.
The group includes Lufthansa and airlines such as Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways.
Premium tickets and long-haul flights lifted earnings, especially on routes to Asia and North America, while cargo and aircraft maintenance also contributed.
Higher ticket revenue and cost controls helped offset a €543 million rise in fuel costs during the quarter.
High fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict remain a pressure, and Lufthansa expects the annual fuel bill to be about €9.3 billion.
The airline’s main brand, Lufthansa Airlines, continues to face high operating costs, strikes and weak profitability on short routes.
Lufthansa cut its 2026 profit forecast to €1.7–2 billion, from a previous range of €1.7–2.2 billion; its chief executive has said 2027 will also be a year of transformation.
Lufthansa raised third-quarter revenue by 9% to €12.2 billion and adjusted operating profit by 6% to €1.4 billion.
The airline group lowered its 2026 adjusted operating profit forecast to between €1.7 billion and €2.0 billion.
Strong demand for premium tickets and long-haul flights helped offset higher fuel costs.
Lufthansa reported that fuel costs rose by €543 million in the quarter.
The group said all its airlines except its core Lufthansa Airlines brand improved their results.
- Who
- Lufthansa Group, led by chief executive Carsten Spohr.
- What
- The group reported higher third-quarter revenue and adjusted operating profit, but lowered its 2026 profit forecast.
- When
- The results were reported on November 3, 2026, for the July-to-September quarter.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Higher fuel costs weighed on the outlook, while strong premium-ticket demand and cost controls supported the quarter’s results.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Lufthansa widened its adjusted operating profit forecast to €1.7 billion to €2.2 billion from more than €2 billion.
Spohr said Lufthansa would be glad if additional fuel costs stayed at the previously cited €1.5 billion.
Lufthansa recorded quarterly revenue of €12.2 billion and adjusted operating profit of €1.4 billion.
Lufthansa reported its results and lowered its 2026 adjusted operating profit forecast to €1.7 billion to €2.0 billion.
- Third-quarter revenue
- €12.2 billion, up 9%
- Third-quarter adjusted operating profit
- €1.4 billion, up 6%
- 2026 adjusted operating profit forecast
- €1.7 billion to €2.0 billion
- Quarterly fuel-cost increase
- €543 million
- Quarterly net profit
- €1.26 billion, up 30%
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What people are saying
The past quarter was the highest-revenue quarter in Lufthansa Group’s history.
With rising revenues, consistently high demand and strict cost discipline, we more than offset the roughly half a billion euros increase in fuel costs.
The number will be higher than the additional costs of 1.5 billion euros that we will probably have to report at year-end.