Munich Airport has officially launched the Oktoberfest season with a festive kickoff attended by Bavarian Minister of State for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Tourism Michaela Kaniber, Airport CEO Jost Lammers, and Lufthansa Hub Manager Heiko Reitz. Terminal 2 was filled with Bavarian spirit as traditional costume groups from the Isargau Trachtenverband e. V. and Lufthansa’s traditional costume crew performed, setting the tone for the 190th Oktoberfest.
Lufthansa continues its longstanding tradition of “Trachtenflüge” (traditional costume flights), with this year’s routes including Shanghai on September 20 and Seoul on September 29, along with additional flights to select destinations in Germany and Europe. Since the first themed flight in 2006, crews dressed in Bavarian attire have flown to over 30 destinations, reviving a custom dating back to 1957. Passengers can look forward to Bavarian specialties served in business class and lounges during the festival.
The airport anticipates handling around 2.3 million travelers and more than 16,000 flights during the 16-day Oktoberfest period, marking a four percent increase compared to last year. To enhance the festive atmosphere, guests arriving in Terminal 2 are greeted with gingerbread hearts and roasted almonds, while traditional performances, pop-up shops from Bavarian brands, and special events at Airbräu, including the 20th tapping of its “Gaudium” festival beer, add to the celebratory flair.
Lufthansa has a long-standing tradition of marking Oktoberfest with special flights and festive touches for passengers, even in years when the Munich festival itself could not take place. In 2021, the airline continued the custom by sending its Trachtencrew, dressed in dirndls and Lederhosen designed by Munich costume specialist Angermaier, on long-haul routes to Charlotte and Denver, while also increasing its presence on European routes such as Málaga, Funchal, Copenhagen, Dublin, and Sofia. Passenger service staff at Munich Airport’s Terminal 2 also welcomed travelers in traditional attire during the season. In 2018, the celebrations reached new heights when Lufthansa introduced freshly tapped draft beer on board, served from specially engineered “airworthy” kegs at 10,000 meters, alongside an Oktoberfest-inspired Business Class menu co-created with flight attendants. That year’s themed flights connected Munich with destinations including New York, Singapore, and Shanghai, while CityLine crews brought Bavarian flair to multiple European cities. Passengers also enjoyed Bavarian specialties in Lufthansa’s lounges, where thousands of pretzels, sausages, and regional dishes were served, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to bringing the Oktoberfest spirit to the skies and its terminals.
