New route expands Genoa Airport network supporting the German cruise market, with passengers embarking on Costa Cruises ships
The new direct connection between Genoa and Frankfurt, starting on Sunday 28 March 2027, will be operated by Discover Airlines with 180-seat Airbus A320, twice weekly (on Saturdays and Sundays), throughout the entire 2027 summer season.
Discover Airlines is the leisure airline of the Lufthansa Group, offering convenient connections via the Frankfurt and Munich hubs, as well as to numerous destinations worldwide.
Flights are already available on sale through discover-airlines.com and lufthansa.com, as well as through travel agencies. Costa Crociere also offers “Fly & Cruise” packages that make it possible to combine the flight with Costa Toscana cruises departing from the port of Savona and Costa Fascinosa cruises departing from the port of Genoa.
The new route is the result of the close cooperation between Discover Airlines, Genoa Airport and Costa Cruises, and represents an important achievement made possible thanks to the commitment of all the parties involved.
The launch of the new service has three main objectives: increasing international tourist flows to Genoa and Liguria, enhance connectivity from Genoa Airport to major European hubs, and meet the needs of the German cruise market, whose passengers choose to spend their holidays in the Western Mediterranean aboard Costa cruise ships departing from Genova and Savona.
«The launch of the new direct connection to Frankfurt is an important achievement for Genoa Airport and for Liguria’s tourism and business community» said Matteo Paroli, Chairman of Genoa Airport.
«Having a direct flight to one of Europe’s major hubs significantly enhances Liguria’s accessibility and creates new opportunities for both inbound and outbound traffic. Frankfurt is not simply a new destination, but a gateway to a highly important international market. The route opens up further opportunities for visitors travelling to Liguria for leisure or business, while also meeting the needs of a strategic market for our cruise industry, strengthening the integration between the airport, the port and the industry’s operators. This is the most significant value of the initiative: it is not simply about adding a new route, but about building connections that can generate new opportunities. The cooperation between the airport, the airline and the cruise operator demonstrates that, by working together as a system, it is possible to achieve tangible results and strengthen our overall competitiveness. On behalf of entire Genoa Airport, including our management and staff – Paroli concluded – I would like to thank Discover Airlines and Costa Cruises for this important partnership, which we hope will continue to grow and develop in the future».
«The new connection with Frankfurt, one of Europe’s leading hubs, represents a strategic step for the growth of our region and of the cruise market. Genoa Airport thus becomes an increasingly competitive gateway for international guests who choose Liguria as the home port for their cruise holidays» said Mario Zanetti, CEO of Costa Cruises.
«More effective air connections mean bringing Genoa even closer to international markets, generating concrete, positive benefits for the local economy: from the cruise sector to hospitality, from transport to retail». «With this project – Zanetti continued – we reaffirm Costa’s commitment to contributing to the development of the region and its economy, enhancing the role of tourism and cruises as engines of growth, in collaboration with partners and institutions».
Marco Götz, Chief Commercial Officer of Discover Airlines, says: «We are delighted to be working closely with Costa Cruises and genoa Airport on the launch of this new connection. Genoa is not only a popular destination on the Italian Riviera, but also one of the Mediterranean’s most important cruise gateways. This new route is a perfect addition to our leisure travel portfolio and offers our guests even more opportunities to enjoy a vacation in Italy».
«The launch of the new connection with Frankfurt is the result of joint efforts with Discover Airlines and Costa Cruises and confirms the importance of developing an integrated offering combining air transport and cruise traffic» said Francesco D’Amico, General Manager of Genoa Airport.
«The new route» D’Amico continued, «enables us to respond even more effectively to demand from the German market and, at the same time, represents an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with a major group such as Lufthansa and to further develop connectivity with the main European hubs. We are working to consolidate this direction and create further opportunities for growth for Genoa Airport».
«It is with great satisfaction that we have completed this operation, which consolidates and strengthens, together with Genoa Airport, the development of cruise traffic from Germany to the ports of Liguria» said Daniel Caprile – VP Pricing and Revenue Management, Itinerary & Transportation at Costa Crociere.
«As a reflection of the appreciation of our customers and the high level of satisfaction of the guests who fly to Liguria to enjoy a holiday aboard our ships, we can now offer connections two days a week, through a new opportunity that confirms the quality and comfort of our services and enhances an integrated travel model: an outstanding achievement for Costa Crociere, for the partners involved, and for the entire region. We thank Discover Airlines for believing in this project and for their commitment to making it last overtime» Caprile concluded.
«Together, we are helping to strengthen the role of Genoa Airport, offering new connections through one of the most important hubs in Europe».
(New route expands Genoa Airport network supporting the German cruise market, with passengers embarking on Costa Cruises ships)
