The route network from Nuremberg Airport will be expanded with a new flight connection. The airline Eurowings takes a direct line to Erbil, the largest city in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The first flight is scheduled for November 4, 2025. The connection will initially operate on Tuesdays and on alternating dates in the following months.
However, as the aviation portal Aero Routes reports, the service will not be offered continuously. No flights are planned on this route between November 25 and December 16, 2025, and again between January 13 and February 3, 2026. These seasonal adjustments are common practice in air travel to adjust service to expected off-peak demand. Erbil is an important economic and cultural center in northern Iraq and serves as a gateway to the Kurdistan Region.
Nuremberg Airport justifies the establishment of this new direct connection with the high demand from the region. Nuremberg Metropolitan Region According to the airport, around 17.000 people with roots in Iraq, particularly from Kurdistan, live there. Many citizens also have close family ties to Lebanon and neighboring Syria. The new direct connection is therefore intended to significantly facilitate mutual visits and travel for these groups. Such connections, which primarily serve to visit friends and relatives, are of great importance for many airports.
Eurowings, a German airline within the Lufthansa Group, is increasingly focusing on connecting regional German airports to international destinations. The launch of the Erbil connection reflects the growing importance of so-called "VFR" (Visiting Friends and Relatives) traffic, which can provide a stable basis for certain flight routes. This type of connection contributes to the attractiveness of Nuremberg Airport and expands travel options for the population in the catchment area.