DLH is Lufthansa’s three-letter ICAO airline designator.
The designator is used in air traffic control, flight plans, operational communications, and airline identification. Lufthansa’s radio callsign is “Lufthansa,” while DLH appears in systems that require a three-letter airline code.
Passengers more commonly encounter Lufthansa’s two-letter IATA code, LH, on tickets and booking systems. These codes serve different purposes: IATA codes are primarily commercial identifiers, whereas ICAO designators support aviation operations and control procedures.
The letters DLH reflect the airline’s historical German name, Deutsche Luft Hansa. Lufthansa’s current legal name is Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and the company’s mainline airline continues to use the Lufthansa brand internationally. A code such as DLH should therefore not be confused with an airport code or a flight number.