Condor now flies nonstop from several North American cities to Frankfurt, Germany. In the summer of 2024, Condor will serve 12 U.S. airports.
Frankfurt’s a central air and train hub within Europe. So even if this isn’t your final destination, it could be a convenient place to make a connection to or from.
Why We Flew Condor
For our summer 2023 trip to Europe, we were seeking: a round trip ticket to a major airport, preferably nonstop, and at a reasonable price. It was a tall order, with prices through the roof.
Here’s how we made it work: Condor is a member of the Alaska Mileage Plan. We live on the West Coast and fly Alaska frequently. So we used our stockpiled Alaska Airlines miles to fly round trip from Portland, Oregon to Frankfurt.
We booked our flights through the Alaska Airlines website. We had enough miles to cover all four members of our family. The remaining cost of the ticket was $220 per person for taxes and fees.
[ Related: Don’t Skip Frankfurt – Why it’s Fun For Teens ]
The Booking Process
After we booked our tickets through the Alaska Airlines website, we signed into the Condor site using our confirmation number to select our seats. We paid extra to sit together. Because it’s a low cost carrier, we were also given lots of add-on options including reserving overhead bin space, ordering meals, and more.
Our economy ticket included a free carry-on and free checked bags. We opted to reserve overhead bin space above our seats as we were traveling with expensive camera gear. It turned out to be unnecessary and it was costly, too, at $18 per person each way. Because most passengers checked their bags, there was plenty of available space in the overheads. It’s also a strange system, because the reserved bins aren’t very well marked.
The In-Flight Experience
Ordering food in advance was also unnecessary as our international flight included complimentary meals. The meals available for pre-purchase online were different from what was served on-board.
We flew overnight from PDX to FRA. On that flight, we were served a very late dinner shortly after takeoff and a breakfast just before landing.
The return flight from FRA left around noon. Flight attendants served lunch and a snack (small personal pizza). They served drinks every few hours. Soda and juices were complimentary.
KidTripster Tip: I couldn’t figure out how to preorder an allergy meal. I have a gluten allergy and I can typically note that on my reservation. I wasn’t able to do that using the online system. I packed my own meals for the flight.
Screens were on the back of each seat with plenty of free movies.
The interior of the plane was basic, but clean. You’ll see a lot of stripes inside the plane. Last year, the nearly 70-year old brand got a spunky overhaul. Each Condor plane’s exterior is decked out in stripes in five different colors – blue, green, red, yellow, and beige.
Condor is Germany’s most popular leisure airline. The idea behind the look is vacation vibes, think beach towels and beach umbrellas.
The Frankfurt Airport
Arrivals were easy at the Frankfurt Airport. We landed, breezed through customs, and claimed our bags quickly.
Flying through Frankfurt within the Schengen zone, was also easy. We connected from Frankfurt to Helskinki the following day.
However, the airport was busier for our return flight to the U.S. Be sure to allow extra time for passport control, checking bags, etc. There are dozens of counters and it’s a bit overwhelming. The Condor check-in counters were at the very far end of the departures terminal. The security screening process was also slow.
Our Overall Feedback
We had a positive flying experience with Condor. We’d fly Condor again if the price was right, or if we could use miles. In spite of a few bottlenecks at check-in and security, we found the Frankfurt Airport to be much less hectic than other European hubs. All in all, it was smooth sailing with Condor.
