Frankfurt-based Condor has been making a splash with its growing transatlantic route network and impressive onboard product. While it’s not a household name for most, you’ve probably spotted those bright striped planes – they’re unmistakable on the runway! Here’s what you can expect from this increasingly competitive carrier.
Here’s what you can expect from this increasingly competitive carrier.
How Condor differentiates itself
Condor offers competitive fares but isn’t a low-cost carrier in the traditional sense – the product matches or beats today’s legacy airlines, especially in business class. That’s great news for travellers like you and me. While historically focused on the German leisure market, Condor’s shifted its focus to several transatlantic routes, as well as providing flights around Europe, North Africa, and elsewhere.
I really enjoyed my flights on Condor. It hits a Goldilocks-like sweet spot in the industry with its affordable prices and great onboard offering.
Business class fares are often lower than other major carriers between Europe and North America, sometimes by thousands of pounds. And honestly, I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing much at all.
Where Condor flies
In the UK, Condor flies primarily from London Gatwick to Frankfurt, with seasonal flights from Manchester. It also flies to many North American destinations, including New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO).
This means direct access to Europe without connecting elsewhere first. I also like how Condor’s significant European presence lets passengers easily connect to Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Munich, and beyond.
For leisure travel, Condor serves Latin America and the Caribbean (Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic), plus far-flung Asian holiday spots like Thailand and the Maldives.
These latter destinations work well for travellers coming from or connecting through Europe.
Condor’s aircraft and cabins
Condor’s long-haul transatlantic flights now use the modern Airbus A330-900neo – expect a newer, comfortable plane that’ll take you there. This was a game-changer and a huge reason the carrier is now so competitive. The airline recently retired its ancient Boeing 767 fleet, transitioning fully to the modern A330-900neo for long-haul flights.
Condor also flies single-aisle planes (A320 and A321) on shorter European and North African flights, but those lack many amenities listed below.
Business Class
On the Airbus A330-900neo, 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 splash out, the airline even dedicates the first row as ‘Prime Seats’, with a larger seat, more legroom, and even space for a companion. These cost extra, though.
Premium Economy and Economy
Behind business class on the A330-900neo, you’ll find Condor’s premium economy and economy cabins. Unlike a ‘true’ premium economy, these seats aren’t any wider. (It really should just be called extra legroom economy.) The major difference is in the leg and foot space, with about 36 inches of legroom in premium economy and around 30 inches in standard economy.
On short-haul flights, the Airbus A320 and A321 are Condor’s workhorse aircraft. Primarily used for flights within Europe, the A320 seats 180 passengers, while the A321 seats 210 or 220 depending on configuration.
They lack most amenities, but since these journeys aren’t very long, it shouldn’t be too much of a chore.
What to expect before your flight
Here’s what you should know about the Condor ground and pre-flight experience.
Checked baggage policy
Condor’s baggage policy varies by fare type. Economy Light (similar to basic economy on other airlines) includes no free checked bag, though you do get one piece of hand luggage.
Standard economy gets one checked bag up to 23 kg, premium economy gets two checked bags up to 23 kg each, and business gets two bags up to 32 kg each.
Seat selection fees are worth noting – Condor charges for this in both economy and premium economy. Business class passengers can choose any seat free (except ‘Prime Seats’ at the cabin front).
Lounges
Condor doesn’t operate its own lounges, but business class passengers can usually access third-party contract lounges at airports such as London Heathrow or Manchester.
However, lounge access depends on the terminal and local arrangements and may not be available at airports without a suitable partner lounge.
In Frankfurt, Condor business passengers can use Lufthansa Business lounges.
Compared to full-service carriers, lounges are one area where Condor isn’t as competitive. Considering that some of Condor’s business class fares are much more affordable, this seems like a pretty reasonable trade-off.
Your onboard experience with Condor
Here’s more of what you can expect when onboard a long-haul Condor flight.
Amenities and features
One of the best parts of the modern A330-900neos is all the tech that comes pre-loaded. That means an in-seat monitor with 4K UHD resolution and both USB-A and USB-C ports for charging. My favorite feature is the ability to connect your own Bluetooth headphones (like AirPods) to the screen to watch movies wirelessly. Wi-Fi is also available for a fee.
Food and drink
While fares are cheaper than many legacy airlines, Condor still offers economy guests free meals and non-alcoholic beverages on international flights. In business class, passengers get 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.
And there’s one other nice touch if you happen to be in one of the four ‘Prime Seats’. Those passengers get a personal sweet and savoury snack basket that’s replenished throughout the flight. You can even 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). Prime Seats get more personalised treatment – almost a ‘first class light’ experience.
Condor partnerships and earning miles
Let’s get this out of the way: Condor isn’t part of a major airline alliance, so you can’t earn or redeem miles with most carriers. In fact, it doesn’t have its own mileage programme at all. However, it does partner with two specific airlines and their 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 them on Condor, even for business class. This tie-up also allows you to connect domestically in the US on an Alaska flight and have all your segments and checked bags 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.
