Flights to the Bavarian hub will operate Monday to Friday and on Sundays, starting 3 February 2020.

Munich offers onward connections to much of mainland Europe, North and South America and the Asia-Pacific region.

The route will be operated by Airbus A319 aircraft, departing Newcastle at 1.40pm and arriving Munich 4.40pm. Return flights will depart Munich at 11.50am arriving Newcastle at 12.55pm.

Lufthansa says the route will complement its low-cost subsidiary Eurowings’ existing Newcastle-Dusseldorf service and will “open up even greater potential for driving business between the UK and Germany”.

Newcastle airport, meanwhile, said the route would support the north east region’s new inbound tourism strategy, devised alongside VisitBritain.

“Germany is currently the north east’s largest inbound tourism market and Munich is Germany’s second most visited city, both of these two cultural and dynamic regions will be supported further with Lufthansa’s brand new connection from 2020,” said Lufthansa in a statement announcing the route.

Nick Jones, Newcastle airport chief executive, said: “Lufthansa is a major global aviation brand; we’re incredibly proud they have chosen to serve the north east.

“From a summer city break to skiing in the picturesque Bavarian Alps, Munich and the surrounding region will provide a fantastic year round destination option for our passengers to explore.

“This new route also opens up a wider network, including destinations such as Athens, Milan and Berlin, and the connection will allow us to promote our own region to tourists from Germany.”