Air Dolomiti, the regional carrier within the Lufthansa Group, is closing 2025 with the most significant growth phase in its recent history. After strengthening operational synergies across the Group, the airline is entering a new stage of integration and expansion that encompasses its fleet, network, and overall operational role.
The key milestone occurred today with the official transfer of the first Embraer 195 from the Austrian Airlines fleet to Air Dolomiti. The aircraft will arrive in Italy in the coming days and enter service in March 2026. This transfer marks the launch of a multi-year programme running until 2028, during which Air Dolomiti will gradually introduce 13 E195s to replace its nine current E190s. As a result, the fleet will grow from 26 to 30 aircraft. The relocation of Embraers from Austrian to Air Dolomiti is part of a broader Group-wide strategy to optimise capacity and harmonise the regional fleet.
Fleet growth is directly reflected in network expansion. In the 2025/26 winter season, Air Dolomiti connects 18 destinations from Frankfurt, including new routes to Amsterdam, Birmingham, Bordeaux, Basel, Prague and Zurich. From Munich, the airline serves 15 destinations, among them new connections to Ljubljana, Luxembourg, and Zurich. At the same time, Air Dolomiti is further deepening cooperation within the Lufthansa Group by operating flights on behalf of Austrian Airlines to Vienna from Milan Linate, Bologna and Venice, as well as from Belgrade and Košice.
The strategy is already visible in key performance indicators: by year-end, Air Dolomiti expects to surpass 4 million passengers, operate more than 53,000 flights and achieve a load factor of 75%. Operational punctuality and regularity are also improving, supported by a workforce of more than 1,100 employees, which continues to grow in line with rising demand and fleet expansion.
“During the winter season, we serve 50 destinations in 15 countries from Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna, as well as from our operating bases in Verona, Venice and Florence. This network underscores Air Dolomiti’s central role within the Lufthansa Group. We close the year with a solid foundation and a clear ambition: to strengthen our position within the Group, enhance efficiency, invest in our fleet and people, and continue sustainable growth,” said Steffen Harbarth, CEO of Air Dolomiti.
With the arrival of the first E195 transferred from Austrian, the Lufthansa Group has initiated a tangible redistribution of resources, positioning Air Dolomiti to play an even stronger role within the Group’s regional network and to enter 2026 prepared for the most extensive expansion in its history.
