"I got into Lufthansa" can mean very different things depending on which group airline you end up at. The Lufthansa Group operates 280+ aircraft across multiple carriers — Mainline (A320, A350, 747-8, 787), Lufthansa City Airlines (A220, A320), Eurowings, Discover Airlines, SWISS, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines. Each has different pay, contracts, rosters, and hiring standards.
Your CV needs to target a specific group airline, not just "Lufthansa." And unlike airlines that recruit continuously, Lufthansa opens positions in waves — when a posting goes live, you need to be ready immediately. For the full selection process, see the Lufthansa application guide.
CV Guide Summary
- This guide covers how to format your pilot CV specifically for Lufthansa applications.
- How to write a pilot CV for Lufthansa Group.
- Airline CV screening uses ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) - formatting matters as much as content.
- Includes formatting templates, common mistakes to avoid, and section-by-section guidance.
- "I got into Lufthansa" can mean very different things depending on which group airline you end up at.
Target the Right Group Airline
Direct entry pilots apply to a specific group airline through lufthansagroup.careers. Each airline posts its own vacancies and runs its own selection timeline. Your CV should be tailored to the specific airline and fleet — a CV targeting an A350 long-haul position at Mainline Frankfurt reads very differently from one targeting an A320 FO role at Eurowings Düsseldorf.
What to highlight per group airline
- Mainline (FRA/MUC): Multi-fleet experience, German proficiency, long-haul time for widebody positions
- City Airlines: A220 or A320 type experience, short/medium-haul focus, flexibility on base
- Eurowings: LCC operations experience, high sector counts, A320 time
- Cadets (EFA): DLR certificate result, academic background, motivation — no flight experience expected
One advantage: Lufthansa Group selection procedures are cross-recognised across group airlines. Passing the selection at one carrier may qualify you for consideration at others — mention any previous Lufthansa Group assessments on your CV.
Wave-Based Recruitment
Unlike Ryanair or Emirates (continuous recruitment), Lufthansa posts positions in waves based on fleet demand, retirements, and expansion plans. When a posting goes live, hundreds of applications arrive within days. You cannot afford to start preparing your CV after the posting appears.
Be ready before the wave
Prepare your CV, medical, licence scans, and hours summary in advance. Monitor lufthansagroup.careers for new postings. When a relevant position appears, submit within the first 48 hours — early applications get processed first. The process from application to contract can take 3-8 months, with some candidates waiting up to 12 months between stages.
German Language Requirements
Lufthansa Mainline (Frankfurt and Munich bases) typically requires or strongly prefers German language proficiency. If you speak German, state your level clearly on your CV (B1, B2, C1, etc.). If you do not speak German, Lufthansa City Airlines, Eurowings, and Discover Airlines may accept English-only candidates depending on the base.
The DLR test and the Interpersonal assessment centre can both be completed in English. However, the final panel interview with flight operations management at Mainline may include German-language elements. Specify your language capabilities honestly — overstating fluency will be exposed at interview.
SAP SuccessFactors & Format
Lufthansa Group uses SAP SuccessFactors for recruitment. It handles PDFs well but is sensitive to special characters — avoid umlauts in file names and non-standard symbols in your CV. Use a clean single-column PDF, standard fonts (Arial, Calibri) at 10-12pt. European format: no photo, no date of birth, no marital status.
Present hours clearly: total, PIC, SIC, multi-crew, multi-engine, instrument, and type-specific time. If you have flown Airbus FBW types (A220, A320, A330, A340, A350, A380), list them with hours — Airbus experience is relevant across most group airlines.
Photo Policy
Most European airlines do not require a photo on your CV, and including one can trigger unconscious bias concerns in some HR departments. Do not add a photo unless the airline specifically requests one on their careers page.
Submit as PDF
Always submit your CV as a PDF unless the airline specifically requests Word format. ATS systems (SAP SuccessFactors) can strip formatting from .docx files — tables, columns, and custom fonts often render as garbled text. Use a single-column layout with standard section headings.
Lufthansa-Specific Mistakes
Applying to "Lufthansa" generically — you apply to a specific group airline. Your CV should target Mainline, City Airlines, or Eurowings specifically, not the group as a whole.
Missing the posting wave — positions fill fast. If you see a relevant posting and need a week to prepare your CV, you are already late.
Not stating German level for Mainline — if you have German, state it. If you do not, consider City Airlines or Eurowings instead of Mainline.
Special characters in file names — SAP SuccessFactors can choke on umlauts and non-ASCII characters. Name your file "CV-Pilot-Name.pdf" not "Lebenslauf_Müller.pdf".