Lufthansa may have been the most viable contender for a Berlin-based carrier. However, since the start of the Cold War, LH has been prohibited from operating out of Berlin. As a result, the airline has successfully established two major aviation hubs, FRA and MUC, which serve as their primary operational bases.

Berlin's lack of a Lufthansa hub is largely a legacy of the Cold War. After WWII, Berlin was divided and under Allied control, meaning West German airlines like Lufthansa were legally prohibited from flying into the city; only carriers from the Allied powers (like Pan Am or British Airways) could serve West Berlin. During this time, Lufthansa established its primary hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, which were more centrally located within the West German Federal Republic. By the time Germany reunified in 1990 and the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) eventually opened decades later, Lufthansa’s infrastructure and connections were so deeply entrenched in Frankfurt and Munich that moving them was seen as uneconomical. While Berlin is the capital and a massive destination, it remains a "spoke" rather than a "hub" because the airline prioritizes the connecting traffic efficiency already established in its primary western bases.