GetJet Airlines and Eurowings have signed a long term ACMI partnership that will see six Airbus A320 aircraft based in Hamburg from summer 2026, a move that significantly strengthens European connectivity and underlines how wet lease capacity has become a core pillar of the continent’s post pandemic aviation recovery. For travelers across Northern Europe, the agreement promises more seats on popular leisure routes, greater schedule stability at peak times and a quieter, behind the scenes revolution in how airlines plan and operate their networks.
A Strategic ACMI Deal at the Heart of Northern Europe
Under the newly confirmed accord, Lithuania based GetJet Airlines will station six A320 family aircraft at Eurowings’ Hamburg base from March 2026, coinciding with the launch of the German carrier’s summer schedule. Operating on a full ACMI basis, GetJet will provide aircraft, cockpit and cabin crews, maintenance and insurance, while Eurowings will retain control over commercial functions such as scheduling, pricing, branding and customer service.
The aircraft will fly entirely within the Eurowings network, carrying Eurowings flight numbers and operating in Eurowings colors, making the partnership largely invisible to most passengers. The only visible sign for customers will be the standard industry remark “operated by GetJet Airlines for Eurowings” on booking confirmations and airport screens. For the Lufthansa Group subsidiary, the agreement locks in reliable capacity for several seasons, allowing more precise planning of routes and frequencies from Northern Germany.
Hamburg Airport sits at the center of this strategy. Long regarded as an important but often capacity constrained origin point for leisure travel, the city will gain a dedicated sub fleet that can be flexibly deployed across a wide range of destinations. Eurowings has repeatedly identified Northern Germany as a growth market, and the decision to base six additional aircraft there, rather than dispersing them across different airports, sends a clear signal about future ambitions for the region.
For GetJet, the deal represents one of its highest profile contracts to date within Western Europe. The ACMI and charter specialist, which has built its business model around operating on behalf of other airlines, has secured multi season utilization for a significant slice of its fleet. That level of guaranteed flying time provides a stable foundation for investment in additional aircraft, crew recruitment and technical capabilities ahead of the busy 2026 season.
How the Partnership Will Boost European Connectivity
The immediate impact of the agreement will be felt on leisure heavy routes radiating out of Hamburg. Eurowings intends to deploy the GetJet operated A320s on flights to popular Mediterranean and sun destinations, including the Adriatic coast, the Canary Islands and key holiday islands in Greece and Spain, as well as select city links within Europe. These are precisely the markets that have seen demand rebound most strongly since travel restrictions eased, often outpacing the capacity airlines could bring back into service.
By securing six additional aircraft dedicated to Hamburg, Eurowings can increase frequencies on established routes and open new seasonal services that would previously have carried higher risk. In practice, that could mean more options for travelers seeking short breaks to southern cities outside of peak school holiday periods, or better timed departures for families heading to the beach at the height of summer. Additional early morning and late evening slots also become more viable when sufficient aircraft are consistently available.
European connectivity is not just about north to south beach traffic. The integration of the GetJet capacity into Eurowings’ timetable will also support better connections via the Lufthansa Group’s major hubs. Feed from Hamburg into Dusseldorf, Cologne Bonn or directly into the group’s long haul gateways can be more tightly coordinated when capacity is stable and predictable. That, in turn, improves onward connectivity for passengers bound for intercontinental destinations.
There is also a resilience dimension. During previous peak seasons, across Europe, airlines struggled with last minute disruptions caused by aircraft shortages, crew sickness and congested airspace. Having a contracted ACMI partner in place months in advance gives Eurowings an additional buffer against operational shocks. Flights that might otherwise have been trimmed from the schedule or consolidated can be safeguarded, reducing the risk of cancellations that undermine customer confidence.
Why ACMI Partnerships Are Reshaping European Aviation
ACMI agreements, often described as wet leases, are not new in European aviation, but their strategic importance has grown markedly in recent years. The model allows airlines such as Eurowings to scale capacity up or down in line with highly seasonal demand without the long term financial commitments associated with purchasing or traditionally leasing additional aircraft. Instead of owning a larger fleet that may sit underutilized in winter, carriers can contract specialized ACMI operators for the busiest months.
The surge in ACMI activity is closely tied to the post pandemic recovery trajectory. Passenger numbers have returned faster than many airlines anticipated, while supply chains for new aircraft and spare parts remain constrained. At the same time, there is an industry wide shortage of trained pilots, cabin crew and maintenance engineers. ACMI operators like GetJet sit at the intersection of these trends, offering ready to fly aircraft with experienced crews under a single contract.
This shift has particular resonance in Europe, where demand patterns are highly seasonal and fragmented across numerous markets. Shorter summers in Northern Europe, combined with strong outbound demand for sun destinations, create intense peaks of activity that are difficult to cover with a static fleet. By tapping ACMI providers, airlines can protect their brand presence in key markets and ensure continuity of service even when their own capacity is stretched.
The Lufthansa Group has been a leading proponent of this model across its various subsidiaries, signing multi year wet lease agreements with several partners in recent seasons. Eurowings’ decision to bring GetJet into its portfolio sits comfortably within a broader group strategy that uses ACMI to unlock growth while maintaining financial flexibility. For GetJet, being chosen as a partner by a major European airline group is both a commercial win and a validation of its operational standards.
Inside GetJet’s Growth and Operational Capabilities
GetJet Airlines is part of the newly rebranded GetJet Group, an integrated aviation services organization headquartered in Lithuania that has been rapidly expanding its global footprint. The group structure brings together ACMI and charter operations, a Malta based airline unit, an aviation asset management and maintenance provider and a dedicated training center. This combination is designed to give GetJet tighter control over its key resources and to support long term, multi season partnerships such as the one now signed with Eurowings.
In practical terms, vertical integration means that GetJet can handle much of its line and heavy maintenance work in house, rather than outsourcing to third party providers with their own capacity constraints. That, in turn, improves aircraft availability and allows for more precise scheduling of maintenance checks around contracted flying programs. For ACMI customers, reliability is as important as price, and the ability to keep aircraft in service during critical peak periods can be a decisive advantage.
The group’s training operations are another crucial element. As the company prepares to add new aircraft and expand into more markets, it has announced plans to hire hundreds of additional pilots, cabin crew and technical staff over the coming years. Training infrastructure in the Baltic region and elsewhere in Europe ensures that crews can be quickly deployed on behalf of client airlines once contracts are signed. For partners like Eurowings, this means that capacity can be scaled up in a controlled and predictable way.
GetJet has already accumulated substantial experience working with a diverse roster of airlines across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America. Previous contracts have included support for full service carriers, leisure specialists and low cost airlines, often stepping in to bridge gaps during fleet renewals or to cover unexpected surges in demand. The Hamburg based operation for Eurowings will draw on that accumulated expertise while placing the company more firmly in the spotlight of the highly competitive German market.
What the Agreement Means for Eurowings and Its Network
For Eurowings, the partnership with GetJet is part of a wider effort to future proof its network ahead of what is expected to be another record breaking summer season in 2026. The carrier has already indicated that it plans to add capacity across several bases and to deepen its cooperation with multiple ACMI partners. The six aircraft stationed in Hamburg under the GetJet deal will form one of the largest single wet lease deployments within the airline’s network.
This concentration of capacity allows Eurowings to refine its product offering from Northern Germany. Rather than operating a thin spread of flights across dozens of destinations, the airline can choose to reinforce high demand routes with additional frequencies, improving choice and convenience for travelers. It also opens the door to experimenting with new destinations that might not yet support year round service but are attractive for limited season operations.
Another key benefit lies in crew and fleet planning. By clearly delineating which flights will be operated by GetJet under the ACMI agreement, Eurowings can optimize the utilization of its own aircraft and crews in other parts of the network, including bases in Western and Southern Germany and selected international markets. This helps smooth out internal bottlenecks and reduces the likelihood that aircraft will be stretched too thinly at the height of the season.
From a brand perspective, the airline can maintain a consistent customer proposition while leveraging external capacity. Onboard service standards, ancillary products and loyalty program benefits are defined by Eurowings and apply regardless of whether a flight is operated by an in house or ACMI aircraft. This approach allows the carrier to uphold its promise to passengers while responding nimbly to market conditions behind the scenes.
The Passenger Experience: Seamless Travel With a Shared Backstage
For travelers, the most important question is what the new partnership will mean for their day to day flying experience. In practice, passengers departing from Hamburg on a Eurowings ticket in summer 2026 will notice little difference whether their flight is operated directly by Eurowings or by GetJet under ACMI terms. Booking, check in and customer support will all run through Eurowings’ usual digital channels, airport desks and call centers.
Baggage policies, onboard buy on board menus and ancillary services will likewise remain aligned with Eurowings standards. Cabin interiors may feature subtle differences depending on the specific aircraft configuration, but the core elements of the product will be designed to meet Lufthansa Group expectations. Safety oversight will continue to be governed by European Union Aviation Safety Agency regulations, with both airlines subject to rigorous audits and compliance checks.
The biggest advantage for passengers is likely to be improved reliability. During previous peak seasons, travelers across Europe became accustomed to sudden cancellations or long delays as airlines struggled to match schedules with available aircraft and crews. By securing capacity ahead of time through ACMI deals such as this one, Eurowings is better positioned to operate its published timetable, particularly on busy leisure routes that are heavily booked many months in advance.
There is also a psychological benefit for customers weighing up whether to commit to summer travel plans early. Knowing that airlines are actively reinforcing their networks through long term partnerships provides reassurance that the industry has learned lessons from recent years and is taking concrete steps to reduce disruption. In a marketplace where trust is a key currency, that sense of stability can be as valuable as additional seat capacity itself.
Implications for the Wider European Market
The Eurowings and GetJet partnership is also a bellwether for broader trends in European aviation. As more airlines turn to ACMI providers to secure growth and protect operations, competition among specialized carriers is intensifying, driving improvements in service quality and reliability. At the same time, airport operators and tourism boards are taking note of which regions are winning commitments for based aircraft and expanded networks.
Hamburg’s selection as the home for this six aircraft sub fleet underlines the city’s growing importance as a gateway to both leisure and business destinations. It may encourage other airlines to reassess their own presence in Northern Germany, potentially sparking a new round of competitive route launches. For local travelers, that could translate into more choice and better fares over time, as additional carriers vie for their business.
On a continental scale, the steady normalization of ACMI as a long term planning tool rather than a last minute fix is reshaping how capacity is deployed. Instead of viewing wet lease agreements as emergency measures, airlines like Eurowings are weaving them into multi year strategies that balance owned and contracted assets. For investors and regulators, this evolution raises fresh questions about labor models, competition and the resilience of supply chains that underpin modern air travel.
What is clear is that partnerships such as the one between GetJet Airlines and Eurowings will play a central role in meeting the growing appetite for travel across Europe in the coming years. By blending the strengths of a flexible ACMI specialist with the market reach of a major carrier, the agreement offers a template for how airlines can adapt to an environment where demand is strong, resources are finite and reliability has become a key differentiator in the eyes of passengers.