Eurowings is expanding its network of cheap long-distance flights with new flight to Miami.

The maiden flight - EW182 - took off earlier towards Miami, capital of the American sun state Florida.

With Cologne Bonn as their departure airport, Eurowings guests boarded a fully booked Airbus A330.

Oliver Wagner, managing director, Eurowings: “Our new long-distance flights to popular destinations such as Thailand, Cuba, Mexico and Mauritius have been working at more than 90 per cent capacity for months.

“This means that as early as during our start-up year, we were able to confirm our assumption that inexpensive long-distance flights are a promising growth market.

“Miami is an excellent addition to our new long-distance programme.

“It complements Eurowings’ extensive net of short- and medium-haul flights in Europe and to neighbouring countries.”

The new Eurowings airline belongs to the Lufthansa Group and focuses on the fast growing market of low-cost direct connections.

Miami is the centre of a metropolitan area with about 5.5 million inhabitants and located in the sunny state of Florida in the southeast of the USA.