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Unfortunately, LTU International Airways has ceased operations.

LTU ceased operations in 2009 and is no longer flying. Please take a look at the alternative airlines above that fly similar routes to LTU International Airways.

About LTU

LTU International Airways, otherwise known as LTU, was a German leisure airline that was headquartered in Dusseldorf. The airline operated medium and long-haul flights while maintaining hubs in Dusseldorf, Munich and at Tegel Airport in Berlin.

LTU was founded in 1955 as Lufttransport Union, beginning operations in Frankfurt. It started with charter flights in 1956 but over the years it become one of the biggest and most renowned German leisure airlines. LTU operated worldwide charter flights from many German airports but had a focus on its traditional main hub in Dusseldorf. Some of its destinations were around the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

In the 1980s and 1990s, LTU continued to expand, acquiring other airlines and adding new routes to its network. The airline modernised its fleet, introducing modern aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and the Boeing 767.

However, in the 2000s, LTU faced challenges. It saw increased competition in the European airline industry, putting pressure on LTU's profitability. As a result of this, LTU was acquired by Air Berlin in 2007 and its operations began to be integrated with Air Berlin's network. Unfortunately, in 2009, LTU ceased operations as a separate airline and was fully absorbed by Air Berlin, with the LTU brand being discontinued and marking the end of an era for the once-dominant German leisure carrier.

Baggage Allowance

Precise information about LTU's baggage allowance rules is not available, however, it likely followed generic baggage allowance rules that most airlines use.

Carry-on Baggage

Passengers may have been permitted one piece of carry-on baggage that couldn't weigh more than 10kg and not exceed certain dimensions.

A personal item may have also been allowed such as a laptop bag, a purse or a small handbag.

Checked Baggage

Passengers flying with LTU may have been allowed free checked baggage within a certain weight and size limit. This may have varied depending on the ticket class and route.

Passengers may have been permitted 1 piece of checked baggage weighing no more than 23kg for Economy and 32kg for Business. This allowance would probably increase for long-haul flights.

Check-In Information

Online Check-In

Online check-in was available through the LTU website or mobile app. Online check-in opened 48 hours before the flight was scheduled to depart and would close 2 hours before departure.

Airport Check-In

If passengers were unable to check in online, check-in would be available at the airport via check-in counters or self-service kiosks. At the airport, check-in counters typically opened 2 hours before the flight and would close 45 minutes before takeoff.

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Destinations that LTU flew to

LTU flew to over 50 destinations worldwide before ceasing operations. The airline flew to many major cities including Antalya, Bangkok, Cape Town, Corfu, Frankfurt, Ibiza, Istanbul, Lisbon, Madrid, Miami, New York and Rome, among many others.

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Hub Airport

Berlin Tegel Airport

Berlin Tegel Airport was the former primary international airport of Berlin, Germany. It was the fourth busiest airport in Germany, with over 24 million passengers in 2019.

LTU began operating at Berlin Tegel Airport in the early 1980s, initially using the airport for maintenance and some charter flights. In the 1990s, the airline's presence at the airport grew, establishing the airport as its main hub alongside Dusseldorf and Munich.

Berlin Tegel Airport shut down in 2021 but was once a hub for LTU as well as Air Berlin and Sundair.

Fleet

Before ceasing operations, LTU operated its flights around the Mediterranean using the following aircraft in its fleet:

  • 12 x Airbus A320-200
  • 4 x Airbus A321-200
  • 8 x Airbus A330-200
  • 7 x Airbus A330-300
  • 1 x Boeing 747-200
  • 14 x Boeing 757-200
  • 5 x Boeing 767-300ER

Before 2002, it also operated flights with older aircraft including the Bristol 170, the de Havilland DH.104 Dove, the Douglas DC-4 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, among others.