Germany · FRA
Flights to Frankfurt
A major hub, a compact city, and a trade fair calendar that moves hotel prices
Frankfurt is more often passed through than visited, which does the city a slight disservice and makes it an unusually practical destination. The airport is one of the largest in Europe, the rail connections from beneath it reach most of Germany, and the centre is small enough to see in a couple of days.
The one thing that genuinely shapes a Frankfurt trip is the trade fair calendar. When a major Messe is running, hotel rates across the city rise sharply and availability disappears. Checking the calendar before fixing dates is worth more here than in almost any other European city.
Getting to Frankfurt
Airports
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the main gateway, with two terminals connected by a people mover. Frankfurt-Hahn, despite the name, is over an hour away by road and is a different airport entirely.
Flight time
Roughly 8h 10m non-stop from New York, around 7h 50m from Boston, about 9h 10m from Chicago, near 10h 10m from Miami, and approximately 11h 50m to 12h 5m from the west coast.
Into the city
The S-Bahn from the regional station beneath Terminal 1 reaches Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in about fifteen minutes. Note that the airport has a second, separate long-distance station for high-speed trains to the rest of Germany.
When to go
Demand rather than price is described here on purpose. Any fare we show you comes from a live search on your own dates, so a fixed figure on this page would be out of date before you read it.
Trade fair peaks
Scattered through spring and autumn
Major fairs fill the city's hotels and push rates to several times their normal level. The dates move each year, so check the Messe calendar against your own before booking anything.
Best balance
May to June, September
Warm, long days and the riverside and apple wine taverns at their best, provided you avoid a fair week.
Christmas markets
Late November to December
The Römerberg market is among Germany's oldest and busiest. Cold and crowded, but it is the reason many people come, and hotels price accordingly.
Good to know
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- German; English is widely spoken in the business districts
- Time zone
- CET, or CEST from late March to late October
- Power
- Type F plug, 230V
- Entry for US passports
- Short visits are visa-free, but the EU is introducing an electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors. Confirm the current requirement with German or EU authorities before you fly.
Entry requirements change and we are not an immigration authority. Always confirm the current rules for your nationality with the relevant government before you book or travel.
Worth sorting before you fly
Check the trade fair calendar first
A major Messe can multiply hotel prices and empty the city of rooms. This single check will save more money than any other decision on a Frankfurt trip.
The airport is a rail hub in its own right
High-speed trains from the long-distance station reach Cologne, Munich and Hamburg directly. For many German destinations, the train from the airport beats a connecting flight.
Frankfurt-Hahn is not Frankfurt
It is more than an hour away by coach and serves a handful of low-cost routes. A fare into Hahn is not comparable to one into FRA.
Sachsenhausen is where the evenings are
The apple wine taverns across the river are the local counterpoint to the banking district skyline, and a short walk or tram ride from the centre.
Other destinations
FAQ
Frankfurt — common questions
Airports, timing, and when it is worth talking to an agent.
Is Frankfurt worth visiting or just a connection?
It is worth a day or two in its own right, particularly the old centre around the Römerberg, the museum embankment along the river and the apple wine taverns in Sachsenhausen. It is a compact city rather than a major sightseeing capital, which suits a short stop, and its rail links make it an easy base for wider travel in Germany.
How do I get from Frankfurt Airport into the city?
The S-Bahn from the regional station beneath Terminal 1 reaches Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in about fifteen minutes and is cheap and frequent. Be aware the airport has two separate stations — the regional one under Terminal 1 and a long-distance one in its own building — so check which your ticket is for.
Why are Frankfurt hotels so expensive on my dates?
Almost certainly a trade fair. Frankfurt hosts several major international Messe events each year, and during one, hotel rates across the city rise sharply and availability disappears. The dates change annually, so check the fair calendar against your travel dates before booking — shifting by a week can transform the cost.
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