In the film "Goodfellas", what airline is robbed?

In the film "Goodfellas," the gang robs Lufthansa, the German airline whose cargo terminal operated at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The movie’s robbery is based on the real Lufthansa heist of December 11, 1978. The thieves stole approximately $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry, making it the largest cash robbery in the United States at the time. In Goodfellas, the crime becomes a turning point as the sudden wealth fuels paranoia, violence, and the gang’s eventual unraveling.

The film does not show the heist itself directly; instead, it dramatizes the planning and aftermath through Henry Hill’s account. James Burke inspired Robert De Niro’s character Jimmy Conway, while Hill’s experiences helped shape the screenplay. A frequent mix-up is calling the target an airport rather than Lufthansa’s cargo facility at the airport.

The stolen money and jewelry were never recovered.