Lufthansa City Airlines · Captain / Commandant de bord

Captain A220/A320 - Munich and Frankfurt bases

Lufthansa City Airlines is hiring captains for short- and medium-haul European flights. The role is based in Munich, with a second base opening in Frankfurt in spring 2026. The airline flies an A319/A320neo fleet, soon to be joined by A220 aircraft.

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Employer: Lufthansa City Airlines
Position: Captain / Commandant de bord
Base: Francfort-sur-le-Main, Allemagne · Munich, Allemagne
Aircraft: Airbus A220 / A320
Contract: CDI
Pay (as pilots report it): Captain: about €8,825 to €14,771 gross a month; first officer: about €5,190 to €8,328, plus a 12.9% allowance (April 2026)
Posted: 5 June 2025

Key points

Bases in Munich and, from spring 2026, Frankfurt
A319/A320neo fleet, with A220 aircraft to be added
Permanent position, all genders
A220 or A320 type rating preferred but not mandatory
Part of the Lufthansa Group, Star Alliance member

What the employer asks for

EASA ATPL(A)
A220 or A320 type rating preferred
Minimum 5000 total flight hours on CS-25 aircraft
Minimum 1000 PIC hours on CS-25 aircraft
Class 1 medical certificate
General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur/Fachhochschulreife or equivalent)
EU citizenship or unrestricted residence and work permit
Passport with unlimited validity (or entry restrictions no stricter than an EU passport)
English proficiency, at least ICAO level 4

The selection process

Selection based on Lufthansa City Airlines' own standards
Recognition of prior Lufthansa Group selection procedures possible

Summary written by ForAllPilots from the employer's posting. Only the official posting counts: check every condition before you apply.

Legacy long-haul airline

Lufthansa at a glance

The German flag carrier, a founding member of the Star Alliance in 1997, with its two hubs in Frankfurt and Munich and a vast long- and medium-haul network.

Bases: Frankfurt (main), Munich (secondary)
Fleet: Airbus A319/A320/A321 (including A320neo/A321neo), A330, A340, A350, A380; Boeing 747, 787; Bombardier CRJ, Embraer (regional)

Pilot recruitment

Recruits qualified pilots, but is also historically one of the best-known European airlines for its own structured ab initio cadet programme, run through its training subsidiary Lufthansa Aviation Training, with part of the training delivered at its own sites (Germany and, historically, the United States). Very diverse fleet (Airbus and Boeing, medium- and long-haul), hence many possible type ratings depending on the posting.

The full Lufthansa guide →

Pay and conditions, as pilots report them

Figures reported by pilots, not confirmed by the airline, each one dated (last update: May 2026). For information only.

Captain: about €8,825 gross a month at the bottom of the scale, up to about €14,771 after 23 years, plus a 12.9% shift allowance (Schichtzulage) and pay beyond 65 block hours a month (April 2026).
First officer: about €5,190 gross a month at the bottom of the scale, up to about €8,328, with the same 12.9% allowance and pay beyond 65 block hours (April 2026).
"City Bonus" based on customer satisfaction and results (EBIT): up to two months' salary (May 2026).
Company pension (bAV) of about 5% of gross salary; under the new collective agreement these 5% can be paid as salary instead (April 2026).
Rosters under the new agreement (April 2026): at least 120 days off a year and 9 a month, at most 18 single days off a year (2 a month), 1 e-learning day a year, standby raised to 75 minutes, deadheading credited at half its duration in block hours.
Leave: 35 to 42 days depending on seniority, requested at most three months ahead; staff travel on the Lufthansa and Star Alliance networks, discounted holidays (Lufthansa Reisemarkt).
Hiring under way for fleet growth (about 40 A220s and more A320s announced in March 2026), with priority to TRI/TRE, captains and pilots with more than 3,500 hours; the wait before training can be long for lack of simulators, especially without a type rating. Outlook described as positive (April 2026).
Profile sought: EASA ATPL, at least 500 hours on CS-25 aircraft, A320 or A220 type rating preferred but not required, English at ICAO level 4 at least, EU passport or right to work in Germany; German is not required (March 2026).

Reports published on pilotjobsnetwork.com

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The Lufthansa City Airlines selection, as candidates tell it

What candidates report on forums (Aeronet, Pilot Jobs Network) and what the employer publishes, summarised by ForAllPilots. It is not the official process: it changes from one campaign to the next, always check the posting.

Reliability of the reports : medium

The stages

First stage: DLR basic aptitude test (BU), one day for already-trained pilots, two days for cadets; sessions possible in Hamburg, Zurich or Milan, in German or English.
Depending on the airline, the basic assessment may also be the Interpersonal BQ test or the Swiss psychometric test; candidates contradict each other on whether the two are equivalent.
Second stage: company qualification (FQ) with psychomotor tests, group exercises and an interview, often run by Interpersonal.
For type-rated pilots, a simulator check and an assessment centre with a group exercise and individual interview; all three stages are mandatory.
Medical; failing one phase can close access to the group's other airlines for a period.
DLR day in Hamburg described in 2023-2025 (Luxair and EFA candidates): from 8:00 to 16:15-16:30, touchscreens, one-hour lunch break; CBT practice software sent about 20 days beforehand; fee payable for the EFA (€370 in 2023).
EFA, second stage (2023): group exercise on tablets in which each person holds part of the information, a new personality questionnaire, an individual interview of about 1 h (motivation, personality outside work, a question on environmental impact), then a multitasking psychomotor test; in German in Zurich or in English in Hamburg.

The aptitude tests

DLR: arithmetic and mathematics, physics, English, memory, concentration, spatial orientation, multitasking.
Psychomotor and vigilance tests in the second phase.
Interpersonal BQ: reasoning with figures and matrices, cubes, calculation problems.
Order of a 2023 DLR day: spatial orientation (PPT), triangle sequences (SKT), 30 very simple ATPL questions, orally dictated mental arithmetic, auditory memory, personality, dial perception speed, visual memory, cube rotation, English and psychomotor; the composition varies between CBT versions (ENS, PPT, ROT, SKT, OWT, RMS, KRN, MEK, TVT, VMC...).
Second-stage psychomotor test (EFA 2023): altimeter, compass, speed, scrolling symbols to spot using a pedal, and a clock to monitor every 10 minutes.

The technical part

Secondary-school-level physics and mathematics in the BU.
For type-rated pilots, instrument flying and CRM in the simulator rather than type-specific questions.

Candidates' tips

Free practice materials are enough for some candidates; others use SkyTest books and software.
Choose the test language carefully, as the test was historically in German.
Do not turn up unprepared: the rules on retaking within the group are strict.
Start 2 to 3 months beforehand, then gradually lengthen sessions up to 6-hour simulations for endurance.
According to several candidates, you need to be at least average across the board: a single test below average is enough to eliminate you, and there is no second chance on some cadet programmes.

Our exercises to prepare

Sources read (11)

Give yourself every chance

A captain selection focuses on leadership, decision-making and crew management: prepare real situations, what you decided and why.

Expect an in-depth technical interview and a simulator session: go over abnormal procedures and the performance of your type.

Some airlines give aptitude tests to captains too: a refresher on the arithmetic and attention exercises never hurts.

Practise the aptitude tests →Over twenty exercises (multitasking, mental arithmetic, cubes, orientation, CUT E, COMPASS and DLR series), scored and tracked over time. (FR)Revise the ATPL theory →The question bank by subject, mock exams and the AI Instructor to prepare the technical test.Prepare the interview with Selection Coaching →A written mock selection interview with an AI panel (beta), technical and HR. It does not guarantee the result of a real selection.The Lufthansa City Airlines guide: recruitment, fleet, bases →What to know about the airline before you apply.

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