CHICAGO—One of Europe’s largest network carriers, airberlin, announced it will launch nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Dusseldorf Airport (DUS) on May 2, 2018.

“Each new destination added at O’Hare International Airport further expands our connectivity to the world, which is great news for the residents of the City of Chicago and for international travelers interested in our world class theatre, museums, music festivals and James Beard cuisine,” said Ginger S. Evans, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation. “We want to thank airberlin for choosing to add more service to Chicago. Not only does new international service to Dusseldorf create new business and tourism opportunities for Chicago, but it will generate jobs and economic opportunity for residents of Chicago as well as the region.”

The service will be offered five-times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday) on an A330-200 aircraft with seating for 290 passengers in three classes. This is a new route for the Chicago market, as no other airlines currently offer nonstop service to Dusseldorf. Further, it is expected to bring $65 million in annual economic impact to the Chicago region.

"We're delighted to be connecting Chicago with our home airport, Dusseldorf, in the future. With five weekly flights, there are great travel opportunities between Chicago and Germany," said airberlin CCO, Götz Ahmelmann. "Via our hub in Dusseldorf, airberlin passengers also benefit from excellent connections to the whole of Europe."

Tickets for Chicago-Dusseldorf flights go on sale tomorrow, August 1. In addition to Dusseldorf, airberlin offers nonstop service between Chicago and Berlin five times a week. The airline began flying from O’Hare in March 2013 and currently operates at Terminal 5. 

Currently, Dusseldorf is the largest unserved German origin and destination market from Chicago, with approximately 39,000 passengers per year. Dusseldorf is located at the center of the Rhine-Rhur metropolitan region, the largest metropolitan region in Germany, with a population of over 11 million. airberlin is the largest operator of U.S. flights from its Dusseldorf hub and the largest airline at DUS.

Adding additional direct service to Germany will benefit the burgeoning business and trade partnership that has developed in Chicago and statewide in recent years. According to World Business Chicago, Germany remains the state’s and city’s leading European trade partner. Last year, Germany-Illinois trade totaled $7.7 billion in 2016, and Germany continues as a leading investor in Chicago. This has contributed to making Chicago home to several Dusseldorf-area companies that now have offices in Chicago, including: Schmolz - Bickenbach subsidiary Finkl Steel; the North American headquarters of Thyssen Krupp; and one of the world’s largest organizers of trade shows, Messe Dusseldorf North America.

Conversely, Chicago area-based companies with a presence in Dusseldorf include: Baker & McKenzie; GATX; Hyatt, Mayer Brown; McDermott Will & Emery; R.R. Donnelley & Sons; Silkroad Technology; and more.

With the addition of airberlin’s flights to Dusseldorf, service continues to grow at both O’Hare and Midway International Airports, with five new international destinations already started in 2017, and three new international destinations set to begin in 2018.

O’ Hare is ranked number one for connectivity among the world’s mega hubs for the highest ratio of possible scheduled connections to number of destinations served. To maintain its status as an easily accessible and viable destination for international travelers, the City is working to grow international capacity at O’Hare. These investments are a part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's O’Hare 21 vision—a multi-billion capital program that will strengthen one of Chicago’s biggest economic drivers by adding a new global terminal, modernizing existing terminals, creating new gates, and making other critical improvements that will better connect travelers and Chicago to other parts of the world.

For more information about airberlin and to purchase tickets visit www.airberlin.com.