Travellers looking to visit Europe over the winter have a new direct flight option from Vancouver this year.
The first Eurowings Discover aircraft touched down at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Monday (Nov. 7), providing locals with a new service to one of Germany's most popular cities: Frankfurt.
Often referred to as the "Gateway of Europe," Frankfurt boasts upwards of 200 banks and is known as the financial capital of Europe. It also offers a vibrant nightlife scene, modern architecture, friendly locals, hearty food, expansive museums, and plenty of places to shop.
In addition to historic buildings, the bustling metropolis features numerous soaring skyscrapers. Frankfurt's Main Tower offers an ideal vantage point to gaze across the sweeping, multifaceted skyline, drawing thousands of eager-eyed tourists annually.
Based out of Frankfurt, Eurowings Discover is owned by the Lufthansa Group and mainly serves long-haul leisure destinations. It will provide a direct service out of YVR to Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) six days a week (excluding Thursdays) over the winter and into the start of spring.
Travellers who visit the bustling German destination over the holidays can visit the Frankfurt Christmas Market, which is considered one of Europe's best festive markets.
Vancouver flights to Frankfurt via Eurowings Discover
The Eurowings Discover flight is the most convenient option out of Vancouver to Frankfurt in 2022 and early 2023 — but it isn't easy on the wallet.
While multiple airlines fly out of YVR on connecting routes to FRA this winter, Eurowings Discover has the only non-stop service. Currently, most of the return trips total between $2,000 and $3,000, as shown by this Lufthansa-issued ticket below.
Depending on your flexibility, there are several other travel dates offering flights for considerably less than this price but they do include a stopover.
If you prefer to visit Frankfurt in the summer, other airlines, such as Condor, will resume their seasonal non-stop service between the two cities. When they do, prices will drop dramatically.
For example, a flight departing YVR on May 10, 2023, and returning from FRA a couple of weeks later on May 24, 2023, costs roughly $865, including all taxes and fees. You'd be hard-pressed to find a ticket that cheap with several stopovers in the next couple of months.
Keep in mind, however, that this ticket is an extremely good deal. Most of the other direct summer tickets start at $1,000 — and they will slowly start to increase as the busy season approaches.
Condor is a four-star German charter airline that is based out of Frankfurt.
What to know about Eurowings Discover
Eurowings Discover is a four-star rated leisure airline by SkyTrax — the international air transport rating organization. The carrier's online review states that it provides an overall "good four-star experience" and that long-haul economy features basic services for free but that some items must be purchased à la carte. While staff standards were "acceptable" for business, the airline's economy service is considered less reliable.
All meals and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the price of an economy ticket while premium economy passengers enjoy a complimentary selection of beer and wine as well as more space. In its business class, Eurowings' seats "transform into full-size beds with 200 cm of reclining space" and with high-quality menus and a wide selection of drinks.
The airline also provides in-flight entertainment on all routes free of charge. Passengers can watch numerous movies and TV shows, listen to music, play games, or read magazines via their own personal screen.
