Lufthansa Group achieves an operating profit of 383 million euros despite significantly higher fuel costs

The Lufthansa Group increased its revenue in the second quarter of 2026 by eight percent year on year to 11.1 billion euros (prior year: 10.3 billion euros).

Financial Performance (Q2 2026)
- Revenue rose 8% year-on-year to €11.1 billion.
- Operating profit (Adjusted EBIT) was €383 million, down from €870 million last year.
- Net income dropped to €123 million (vs. €1.0 billion last year).
- Fuel costs surged by about €750 million compared to the prior year, plus €150 million in strike-related costs.
- Adjusted EBIT margin contracted to 3.4% (from 8.4%).

Business Segments
- Network Airlines: EBIT of €137 million, hit hard by fuel costs and strikes, but demand remained strong, especially in premium and Asian routes.
- Eurowings (Point-to-Point): EBIT fell to -€37 million, with strong intra-European demand but higher costs.
- Lufthansa Cargo: EBIT improved to €116 million, supported by high freight demand and yields up 27%.
- Lufthansa Technik: EBIT steady at €157 million, with revenue up 11%.

Key Drivers & Challenges
- Strong demand in premium travel and Asia routes helped offset costs.
- Investments in new products (Allegris, Swiss Senses, FOX upgrades) are starting to pay off.
- Strikes and geopolitical crises (Middle East conflict) added pressure.
- Cargo and Technik divisions provided resilience.

Outlook for 2026
- Expected Adjusted EBIT: €1.7–2.2 billion (upper end above last year’s result).
- Free cash flow forecast: ~€0.9 billion.
- High uncertainty remains due to volatile kerosene prices and shorter booking cycles.

In short: Lufthansa is still profitable despite soaring fuel costs, thanks to strong demand, especially in premium travel and cargo. But volatility in fuel prices and geopolitical risks make the rest of 2026 unpredictable.