Ryanair is bringing back a German route that disappeared from the Costa Blanca’s departure boards in 2010, opening another option for travellers heading towards Hamburg and northern Germany.
A direct air link between the Costa Blanca and Lübeck will return next spring after an absence of 17 years.
Ryanair plans to launch flights between Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport and the northern German city on 30 March 2027, with services operating twice a week throughout the summer season.
Flights will run on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
It may look like a brand-new destination on next summer’s departure board, but older airport timetables tell a different story.
Ryanair previously operated the route until 2010.
Back after 17 years
The Costa Blanca-Lübeck connection disappeared from schedules 17 years ago, despite recording its strongest passenger numbers during its final year.
In 2010, the route carried 19,483 passengers.
The airline has scheduled two departures in each direction every week.
Flights from the Costa Blanca to Lübeck will operate as FR5106, with the return service using flight number FR5107.
Lübeck offers another route towards Hamburg
Lübeck itself deserves more than being treated simply as the airport before Hamburg.
It is the second-largest city in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and has one of northern Germany’s most distinctive historic centres.
Its old town sits on an island surrounded by waterways and has UNESCO World Heritage status, with medieval architecture reflecting Lübeck’s importance as a major Hanseatic trading city.
But its proximity to Hamburg will undoubtedly add to the route’s appeal.
Lübeck Airport is sometimes marketed as Hamburg-Lübeck and lies approximately 70 kilometres by road from central Hamburg.
Ryanair is reshuffling its Costa Blanca network
The return of Lübeck forms part of a much wider adjustment to Ryanair’s Alicante-Elche network for 2027.
Some destinations are arriving while others are disappearing.
One notable casualty is Bremen.
Ryanair plans to end its direct Costa Blanca-Bremen service in March 2027 after operating the connection for almost two decades.
Lanzarote and Warsaw-Modlin are also due to disappear from Ryanair’s summer programme from Alicante-Elche.
The Warsaw change does not mean Ryanair is abandoning the Polish capital altogether. The airline is strengthening operations at Warsaw Chopin, the city’s main airport, as it reorganises its Polish network.
Naples and Tangier are coming too
Lübeck is not the only addition planned for next summer.
Ryanair has also announced new direct services from the Costa Blanca to Naples in Italy and Tangier in Morocco.
Naples will receive two flights each week.
Tangier will have three weekly services.
The airline will also continue flying to Catania in Sicily, a connection introduced for winter 2026/27.
Catania is scheduled to receive five weekly flights during summer 2027.
Germany remains important for the Costa Blanca
The return of Lübeck also underlines the importance of German visitors to the Costa Blanca.
While British travellers dominate many international tourism figures locally, Germany remains one of the region’s significant overseas markets.
And Lübeck offers a rather appealing destination in its own right.
Its medieval centre, red-brick Gothic architecture, waterways and Hanseatic history make it considerably more than somewhere to land before continuing down the motorway.
Alicante-Elche’s route map keeps changing
The latest announcement continues a busy period for Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.
Airlines have been reviewing routes and capacity as they prepare their summer 2027 schedules, resulting in a mixture of new destinations, increased frequencies and cancellations.
Bridging the Gap’s recap
- Ryanair will restore direct flights between the Costa Blanca and Lübeck on 30 March 2027.
- The route has been absent from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport since 2010.
- Flights will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
- Ryanair previously carried 19,483 passengers on the route during its final year of operation.
- Lübeck is in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany and its historic centre has UNESCO World Heritage status.
- Lübeck Airport is approximately 70 kilometres by road from central Hamburg.
- Ryanair will also introduce Costa Blanca flights to Naples and Tangier for summer 2027.
- Its Catania service will continue into summer with five weekly flights planned.
- Bremen, Lanzarote and Warsaw-Modlin are among the Ryanair routes disappearing from the Alicante-Elche programme.
- The return of Lübeck gives Costa Blanca residents another direct option for travelling to northern Germany.
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