While the Frankfurt-based Condor isn’t a household name for most, travellers may have already noticed the airline’s livery. That’s because Condor’s planes have bright stripes painted on the outside, and it’s unmistakable in a sea of similar-looking aircraft. The carrier has been making a splash in recent years with a growing route network across the Atlantic and an impressive onboard product. Here’s what you can expect from Condor.
How Condor differentiates itself
Historically, Condor has been a leisure-focused airline for the German market. However, its focus has shifted to also capture travellers bound from Europe to North America and vice versa. That’s great news, since Condor offers competitive fares but isn’t a “low-cost” carrier in the traditional sense. The product is as good if not better than what is offered by today’s legacy airlines, especially in business class.
I really enjoyed my experiences on Condor since it fits a Goldilocks-like sweet spot in the industry (affordable pricing with a great onboard offering). Business Class fares are often lower than other major carriers between the US and Europe, sometimes by thousands of pounds. I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing too much, either.
Where the airline flies
In the US, Condor flies from over a dozen destinations to Frankfurt, and from major cities like New York and Los Angeles to several UK airports, including London Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham. This makes it convenient for travellers to fly direct to and from Europe without first connecting somewhere else. I also like how Condor has a significant presence in Europe, so passengers can easily go onward to places like Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Munich, etc.
Elsewhere, Condor also flies to plenty of other leisure locales in Latin America and the Caribbean, including destinations like Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and more. In Asia, Condor serves far-flung holiday spots like Thailand and the Maldives. These latter destinations could be helpful for travellers who are looking to connect somewhere in Europe before flying onwards.
The aircraft
Here’s a closer look at the long-haul plane that Condor flies, the Airbus A330neo. Note that Condor also flies some single-aisle planes on shorter flights within Europe and North Africa but those lack many of the amenities listed below.
A game-changing plane
Back in 2022, Condor brought on its first brand-new Airbus A330neo aircraft. It was a game-changer and a huge reason why the carrier is now competitive. Earlier in 2024, the airline completed its onboarding of this plane, and at the same time, retired its ancient (and not-at-all competitive) Boeing 767. Long story short – if you’re flying Condor across the Atlantic now, expect a newer, comfortable plane that will take you there.
Business Class
On the Airbus A330neo, Condor has Business Class arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, meaning everyone has direct aisle access. The seat is a modern pod-style and lies completely flat. If you want to splurge, the airline even dedicates the first row of Business as “Prime Seats,” with a larger seat that’s also wider with more legroom, and even room for a companion seat and larger monitor. These cost extra, though.
Premium Economy and Economy
Behind business on the A330neo, there’s Condor’s Premium Economy and Economy cabins. Unlike a "true” Premium Economy, these seats aren’t any wider and don’t offer anything extra in the way of amenities. (It really should just be called ‘Extra Legroom Economy.’) The major difference is in the amount of leg and foot space. We’re talking 36 inches of legroom in Premium Economy and around 30 inches of legroom in standard Economy.
On short-haul flights, the Airbus A320 and A321 are Condor’s workhorse aircraft. They can accommodate around 200 passengers and are primarily used for flights within Europe. They lack most amenities, but since these journeys aren’t as long, it shouldn’t be too much of a chore to contend with.
Pre-flight experience
Here’s what you should know about the Condor ground and pre-flight experience.
Checked baggage policy
Like most other airlines, Condor has several fare types and cabin classes, and the baggage policy corresponds to each respective fare. Between Europe and North America, Condor does not offer any free checked baggage on “Economy Light” fares. Standard Economy passengers get one bag up to 50 pounds, Premium Economy passengers get one bag up to 70 pounds, and Business passengers get two bags up to 70 pounds each.
Other fees to consider
A full-size cabin bag isn’t free for “Economy Light” fares, which is called Basic Economy on most other airlines. Also, seat selection fees are an area to be mindful of, as Condor charges for this in both Economy and Premium Economy. Business Class passengers can choose any seat for free (as long as its not a “Prime Seat” at the front of the cabin).
Lounges
Condor does not operate its own lounges, but passengers may be able to access third-party lounges at many airports in the UK, Europe and the US. For example, at London Heathrow and Manchester, Condor passengers can access lounges through third-party providers, often via services like Priority Pass or LoungeKey. However, specific terminals – like Terminal 1 or 3 at Heathrow – may have limited access options. Condor passengers in business can use Lufthansa Business lounges in Frankfurt.
Compared to full-service carriers, lounges are one area in which Condor isn’t very competitive. Considering that some of Condor’s Business Class fares are much more affordable than those of other airlines, this seems like a pretty reasonable trade-off.
Onboard experience
Here's more of what you can expect when onboard a long-haul Condor flight.
Amenities and features
One of the best aspects of the modern A330neos is the tech that comes pre-loaded on these planes. That means an in-seat monitor with 4K resolution and USB-A and USB-C ports for charging devices. My favourite feature is the ability to connect your own Bluetooth headphones (like AirPods) to the screen to watch films and TV programmes wirelessly. Wi-Fi is also available for a fee.
There are several special amenities in the Business Class “Prime Seats,” the first row of Business on the Airbus A330neo. Of course, there’s the extra space with the seat itself, including a bigger bed, a “visitor” seat, and an extra-large screen. Then, there are pyjamas provided along with slippers and an in-flight kit featuring premium skincare products and toiletries. This all comes at an additional cost.
Food and drink
While fares are cheaper than many legacy airlines, Condor still offers Economy guests meals and non-alcoholic beverages for free on international flights. In Business Class, passengers receive a full multi-course meal, with a choice of several main dishes served on real china and glassware. I was particularly impressed with the individual plating of each course; it wasn’t just a tray plopped down in front of me.
Finally, there’s one other nice touch if you happen to be flying in one of the four “Prime Seats.” Those passengers get their own personal sweet and savoury snack basket that’s replenished throughout the flight. And you can have a drink or a bite with another passenger (since there’s a buddy seat right in front of you).
Service
Don’t expect over-the-top, doting service but on my flights with Condor, crews have been friendly and efficient (this is a German carrier, after all). The “Prime Seats” definitely get more personalised treatment as these four berths at the front of Business Class almost get a “First Class light” type of experience.
Airline partners, earning and redeeming miles
Unfortunately, Condor isn’t part of a major airline alliance so don't expect to collect miles (or redeem them) with most carriers. In fact, Condor doesn’t have a mileage programme of its own at all. However, they do partner with two specific airlines and their respective programmes: Alaska Mileage Plan and Emirates Skywards. That means you can use those miles for credits, upgrades or redemptions.
My favourite partnership is with Alaska, as you can earn valuable Alaska miles on paid flights and redeem miles on Condor, even for Business Class. This tie-up also allows passengers to connect domestically in the US on an Alaska flight, and have all segments and checked bags be on one ticket.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
