Ten Facts about Condor
Condor has been shaping vacation culture above the clouds since 1956.
Condor has been shaping vacation culture above the clouds since 1956.
From the early days of holiday flights to a modern international network airline: these ten stories show how Condor has shaped travel culture, aviation and international connections over decades – and how this has created new travel experiences, vacation memories and links to the rest of the world for millions of people.
When air travel was still something special, Condor brought more and more people on vacation to the sea for the first time. In the 1960s and 70s, air travel became increasingly affordable for broad sections of the population. For many families, the first flight of their lives began aboard the Condor – often towards the sun and sand of the Mediterranean.
For many people, Condor became a symbol of a new vacation culture: wanderlust that suddenly became achievable. For decades, the airline shaped German and European travel culture like hardly any other vacation airline.
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From the first vacation flights of the 1950s to today's modern international airline, Condor connects people, destinations and memories all over the world.
And the next stories are already waiting for you above the clouds.
The history of Condor officially began in March 1956, when Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH began operations.
It all began on 29 March 1956 with a special flight on a Vickers Viking, a twin-engine propeller aircraft built in the UK that could carry around 36 passengers at the time. The aircraft set off on a round-trip to the "Holy Land" and Egypt – at a time when international air travel was still a rare experience for many people.
The first route led from Frankfurt first to Beirut, then on to Damascus and the holy city of Jerusalem. Then the journey continued via Luxor and Cairo back to Germany.
At that time, this 14-day round trip, including all services, cost 465 US dollars, the equivalent of around 1,953 German marks. For the passengers, it was not just a journey, but a real experience – many of them were on an airplane for the first time ever. This flight is considered one of the first organized vacation flights in Germany and the beginning of a new vacation travel era.
In the first year of operation, there were two destinations on the timetable: Mallorca and the Canary Island of Tenerife, which are still among the airline's most popular vacation destinations today.
With the growth of vacation air travel, flying gradually became accessible to wider sections of the population – and Condor became part of a new European vacation culture.
It was not until 1961 that the name "Condor Flugdienst" was introduced — a brand name that deliberately evokes the majestic Andean condor and was intended to symbolize global long-distance travel.
In 1971, Condor made aviation history: As the first vacation airline worldwide, the airline used a Boeing 747 for leisure travel — bringing one of the largest aircraft of its time to classic vacation destinations such as Mallorca.
With space for up to 494 vacationers, the Jumbo Jet made flights to Mallorca possible for significantly more people. Traveling, which was previously something special for many, was increasingly becoming part of normal life.
While Boeing 747s usually flew mainly between international metropolises, Condor suddenly turned the Jumbo into a vacation plane – becoming part of European vacation culture.
At the time, the decision was considered a bold one. Many experts doubted that a leisure airline could operate such a large aircraft economically. But Condor proved the opposite: The boom in package tourism ensured that the aircraft were quickly operating at excellent capacity.
The Jumbo Jet not only changed Condor's fleet, but also the way millions of people went on vacation.
Under the motto "Jumbo meets Jumbo", one of the most extraordinary pictures in airline history was created: On the apron of Colombo airport, a real Indian elephant stood opposite the gigantic Boeing 747. But larger aircraft alone did not change travel. Soon, new aircraft types opened up entirely new long-distance travel destinations.
For many passengers, the expansion of the fleet meant more connections, more choice and additional travel options. This made popular travel destinations accessible to even more tourists. This was made possible, among other things, by the Boeing 757-300. With a length of nearly 180 ft, the Boeing 757-300 was about 23 ft longer than the standard 757-200 version. Its exceptionally long and slim silhouette earned it the nickname “flying pencil” in the aviation world.
Only 55 units of this aircraft type were built worldwide. That makes the Boeing 757-300 one of the rarest passenger aircraft in commercial use to this day.
Condor coined the legendary “flying pencil” like hardly any other airline: Around a quarter of all aircraft built worldwide flew at times in the Condor's colours. So, it is hardly surprising that the departure of the last Boeing 757-300 was duly celebrated — with an emotional farewell flight from Frankfurt to Vienna and back.
Hamburg, Berlin and Munich are among the most popular city destinations for German travelers – and it is precisely these metropolises that Condor connects today with international long-haul and European city routes via Frankfurt.
Whether you’re going on a weekend trip, a business trip, or connecting to a long-haul flight, you have more options today than ever before. Hamburg, Berlin and Munich are among the most popular city destinations for German travelers – and Condor now connects these metropolises with international long-haul and European city routes via Frankfurt.
Whether you are spontaneously heading to the fish market in Hamburg, a business meeting in Berlin, shopping on the Champs-Élysées or going for a piece of Sachertorte in Vienna: For many travelers today, your journey starts above the clouds rather than in traffic jams or on the train platform.
For travelers, this opens up more flexible travel options and easier links between European cities and international long-haul destinations. This creates flexible connections between European cities and long-haul destinations around the world.
For passengers, this means a relaxed journey to Hamburg or Rome in the morning, onward Berlin at noon, before continuing on to a long-haul flight in the evening – often faster and more direct than spending hours on the motorway or on a train. With its strong brand and a modern fleet, Condor now connects European cities with international travel destinations.
“A toast to my lovely wife!”
Some onboard services serve drinks; others serve surprise moments.
With the exclusive Condor sparkling wine package, you can send your friends or loved ones a personalized surprise right at their seats – Prince of Metternich Chardonnay sparkling wine and snacks, plus a personal message.
With two bottles of Fürst von Metternich Chardonnay sparkling wine, snacks and a little surprise at your seat, a flight quickly turns into an unforgettable moment.
That little celebration on board transforms their flight into a cherished memory. Today, Condor’s travel story is reflected not only in its aircraft and routes, but also in such moments on board.
The perfect surprise for the next flight together, your sister’s honeymoon or simply someone special who deserves a smile on their journey --> Find out more here
From historic aircraft to unusual routes: How well do you know the history, world records and special features of Condor?
Condor was founded in 1956 as "Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH" and is now one of the best-known vacation airlines in Europe. It was not until 1961 that the name "Condor Flugdienst" was introduced – a brand name that deliberately evokes the majestic Andean condor and was intended to symbolize international long-distance travel.
Deutsche Flugdienst GmbH – from which Condor later emerged – is considered the oldest tourist aviation company in the world that still exists today.
Mallorca and Tenerife were among the airline's top vacation destinations from an early stage.
The Boeing 757-300 became known as the "flying pencil" due to its distinctively long and narrow design. Of the only 55 aircraft built worldwide, around a quarter flew for Condor at times – more than almost any other airline.
Today's Condor striped look is inspired by parasols, beach towels and classic vacation culture.
Condor introduced its own Comfort Class back in 1991 – making it the first vacation airline to rethink the comfort of its guests.
And even today, the focus is on the travel experience: From modern Business Class to exclusive Mini First Class experiences above the clouds.
To mark our 60th anniversary, an Airbus A320 was given a nostalgic retro livery and affectionately named "Hans". The aircraft is reminiscent of the early years of vacation flights and of tour operator Hans Geisler, who commissioned the first charter flight by what is now Condor back in 1956. To this day, "Hans" brings guests to vacation destinations in Europe and continues to carry a piece of Condor history through the skies.
From the beginnings of vacation flights to a modern international hub-and-spoke airline: These ten stories show how Condor has shaped travel culture, aviation and international connections over decades – and why air travel often makes real memories.
What started as a single flight became an airline that has been taking people on holiday for generations.
For many people, Condor marked the start of their first flight to a holiday destination.
Larger aircraft made the Balearic Islands accessible to more and more travellers.
With new planes, faraway destinations came closer and long-distance travel became possible for more and more people.
The aim behind the famous rings is to make travel comfortable and unmistakable.
More connections have made international destinations accessible to even more people.
Past and present flying together: “Willi”, “Hans” and “Achim” became symbols of Condor history.
A new design has become a trademark that makes Condor recognisable worldwide.
More destinations, more opportunities: The route map connected Europe with the world.
Sometimes a flight becomes a travel moment that will be remembered for a long time.
70 years of Condor: How many of these stories and facts do you already know?
In 1991, Condor was the first leisure airline in the world to introduce its own Comfort Class. From the early 1990s, travelers could enjoy more legroom, greater comfort and a more relaxed start to their vacation for the first time.
Back then, offering a superior class – comparable to business class – in the charter and holiday flight sector was a revolutionary step. Larger seat spacing, additional comfort and enhanced service made the flight experience much more relaxed for many passengers.
For travelers, this meant greater comfort on the way to their destination – at a time when additional legroom and an extended range of services were far from standard in vacation air travel.
Although the name “Comfort Class” is now a thing of the past, the idea behind it lives on: with its modern Business Class and Premium Economy, Condor continues to offer enhanced comfort above the clouds today.
Since 2023, Condor has been offering a completely new flight experience with the introduction of Prime Seat in Business Class. The Condor Prime Seats bring features on board that are otherwise often reserved for First Class. This means, among other things, more space, an extra large ottoman with Buddy Seat, larger screens (24") and a setup where travel companions can eat or toast together.
There's a reason why the Prime Seats in Business Class are often called "Mini First Class".
With the introduction of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 at the beginning of the 1980s, a new era of vacation flying began for Condor.
The modern wide-body aircraft enabled the expansion of the international route network and brought travel destinations in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia within reach for more and more vacationers.
For many years, the DC-10 shaped the airline’s international holiday flight operations and became a symbol of the long-distance travel boom that grew throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This transformed not only the Condor fleet, but also the travel habits of an entire generation of holidaymakers.
Some airplanes evoke certain memories. With special liveries like “Willi,” “Hans” and “Achim,” Condor made parts of its own history visible to travelers and brought past decades back to the skies.
The Boeing 757-300 “Willi” livery, with its eye-catching heart design, commemorated popular sales manager Wilfried Meyer and defined the airline’s image for many years.
If you looked closely, you would also see a little fly on the tail – the mascot of the former campaign "Wir lieben Fliegen" ("We love flying").
Even though the "Little Fly" retired in 2015, the slogan still fits 20 years later.
The Airbus A320 “Hans” livery, with its retro design, brought the early days of vacation flights back to the skies and commemorated travel entrepreneur Hans Geisler, who commissioned the first charter flight of what would later become Condor back in 1956.
“Willi” was introduced in 2006 to mark the company’s 50th anniversary, while “Hans” followed ten years later to mark the 60th anniversary – and is still in service today. Another retro livery followed in 2012: the Boeing 767-300 with the registration D-ABUM was given a 1970s-style design, bringing a piece of Condor history back to the skies. The aircraft was named “Achim” in honor of long-serving Condor employee Achim Nietmann, who retired after 37 years in flight operations. The name was chosen by a staff vote.
All three aircraft connected past and present and became flying symbols of Condor history.
For many guests, they became recognizable companions on their travels and symbols of their personal holiday memories. Yet it was not just aircraft types that shaped Condor’s history, but also individual aircraft with distinct personalities of their own.
Parasols, beach towels and the feeling of summer by the sea – that’s what inspired Condor’s iconic stripes. For many travelers, seeing those stripes marks the start of their vacation. Condor’s distinctive striped livery transformed its aircraft into flying symbols of holiday travel and created a design that is instantly recognizable worldwide today. The colours each stand for different
facets of travel:
Sunshine (yellow)
Passion (red)
Sea (blue)
Island (green)
Beach (beige)
These colorful stripes appear not only on outside of the airplanes, but also in the cabin and on the crews’ uniforms.
In this way, a design concept has become a visible symbol of vacations, wanderlust and the travel experiences that so many people associate with Condor.
If you want to know which aircraft number goes with which stripe color, you can find a list here. While some aircraft became famous for their names, it was a completely new design that made the airline so distinctive.
