Lufthansa stock faces route cuts while remaining in MDAX

Published on 09/20/2026 at 15:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Lufthansa stock closed at EUR 7.62 on September 18, 2026, with a year-to-date loss of 9.3 percent. Recent figures show ongoing challenges in restoring profitability despite higher passenger demand.

Weißes Passagierflugzeug beim Start in goldenes Abendlicht auf einer Landebahn — Fotorealistisches Stockbild für Deutsche Lufthansa AG (ISIN DE0008232125): Ein generisches, ungebrandetes Verkehrsflugzeug beim Start in warmem goldenem Abendlicht auf einer langen Landebahn, dramatischer Sonnenuntergang im Hintergrund, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG (ISIN DE0008232125) stock closed at EUR 7.62 on Xetra on September 18, 2026, leaving the airline with a year-to-date loss of 9.3 percent and highlighting that investors still price in significant restructuring and demand risks.

Recent route cuts and index status weigh on sentiment

As Aktiencheck reported on September 20, 2026, Lufthansa has decided to cut four short-haul routes within Europe, a move that underlines the carrier's continued focus on capacity discipline and cost control in a competitive market.

According to Aktiencheck, Lufthansa also missed a return to the DAX at the latest index review and remains a constituent of the MDAX, reinforcing the perception that the group still falls short of the blue-chip threshold in terms of size and market valuation.

Earnings recovery remains gradual

The latest available interim figures show that Lufthansa continues to rebuild profitability after the pandemic. In its most recently reported fiscal year 2025, the company generated a clearly higher revenue than in fiscal year 2023, when demand and capacity were still significantly constrained; historical context indicates that fiscal year 2023 revenue had remained well below pre-crisis levels, while 2025 revenue represented a double-digit percent improvement compared with 2023.

Historically, Lufthansa also improved its operating result between fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2025, with the latter showing a marked reduction in net losses compared with 2023, reflecting higher load factors and ongoing cost measures such as route optimization and fleet modernization.

Stock performance and valuation perspective

With a closing price of EUR 7.62 on September 18, 2026, Lufthansa stock trades significantly below levels seen before the pandemic and below the thresholds that would be necessary for a DAX comeback, implying a market capitalization that still trails large European peers.

The year-to-date performance of minus 9.3 percent as of September 18, 2026, per the same price data, contrasts with the recovery in air travel demand and suggests that investors remain cautious about fuel costs, labor negotiations and the pace of margin recovery, even as network adjustments such as the four withdrawn Europe routes are intended to support profitability.