Airbus A340 transatlantic flights dwindle as airlines shift fleets

The only route where Lufthansa uses its first-class-equipped A340-600s is Frankfurt-Boston, operated four times weekly. Other destinations served by Lufthansa’s A340-300 include Chicago O'Hare (daily), Detroit (daily), New York JFK (daily), Dallas/Fort Worth (five times weekly), Los Angeles (five times weekly), and Washington Dulles (five times weekly). Compared to last year, Lufthansa’s overall North American A340 schedule has been reduced by 16%, while use of the larger -600 variant has dropped by 85%. More flights with these aircraft are expected during winter.

Edelweiss operates five routes from Zurich using its five-seat configuration A340-300s: Calgary (three times weekly until mid-September), Denver (three times weekly until late September), Halifax (twice-weekly until early October), Seattle (twice-weekly until mid-September), and Tampa (three times weekly until late September). Most of these services end as summer concludes; Tampa transitions to an Airbus A350 on October 1. Recent data shows Edelweiss had some of the lowest load factors among European carriers flying into US airports.

Tunisair continues to serve Montreal from Tunis due to cultural ties between Tunisia and Canada’s Francophone community. Although Tunisair typically uses an Airbus A330-200 for this route, it occasionally deploys an A340-300 leased from other operators such as Universal Sky Carrier or Legend. In September, three flights are scheduled with this type; however, it remains uncertain which specific aircraft will be used.

The Airbus A340 first entered service in February 1993 with launch customer Lufthansa. The widebody jet was once popular for long-haul routes but has seen declining use as airlines move toward more fuel-efficient twin-engine models like the Airbus A350.