- Know which routes and aircraft have the carrier’s new seats
- See for yourself the routes that have the “Sweet Redeems”
Lufthansa, a major European carrier, and a Star Alliance member has not been covered much in FCF because its Business Class seats have long been inferior to those offered by its other Star Alliance partners and other European carriers. Nowadays, Lufthansa is finally putting more flatbeds in Business Class, so it’s back on FCF’s radar.
[aside headline="How to Look for the New Seat?" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"] Every airline moves its aircraft around, for all kinds of reasons. Even if you book a flight with the new seat, there could be a last-minute change of aircraft. Until the rollout is complete, the best way to check that you still have the new seat is to go on the Lufthansa website. and put in your departure, destination, and travel date. The information is available starting eight weeks before departure. (The same holds true for connecting flights.)
Flights with the new seat are denoted by a green dot and the words, “The latest Business Class facilities are (or, are not yet) available on this flight.” If your search turns up a change in aircraft than you originally booked, do everything possible to change your flights, if you can.[/aside]
Roll outs Take Time to Complete
When an airline is in mid roll out, the key thing is knowing which routes and/or which planes have the new seats to get the most for your money or miles. An airline isn’t necessarily trying to deliver an inconsistent in-flight experience; new-seat roll outs simply take time. See more on Lufthansa’s new seat.
The seat upgrade started in May 2012 and were slated for completion this year (the old seat offered an angled 165-degree recline). So there are routes on which the old seats are still flying and some on which both seats are flying.
Let’s take Washington, DC- Frankfurt as an example: Flight LH416/LH417 is a B747-400 and LH418/LH419 a B747-800—each with the same fare. One route has, at times, two different types of aircraft and two types of seats.
For seat-quality-centric travelers: One headache. So how do you get the free in-class upgrade? Avoid LH416/417 and book LH418/419 instead.
See just how low fares can be on Lufthansa to Europe when you time fares right ($1,656); FCF’s most recent special fare alerts here, here and here.
CF’s Cheat Sheet on Where to Find Free In-Class Seat-Upgrade Opportunities
From now through Oct. 23, Lufthansa has confirmed publically that all three of its flights from New York (JFK and Newark) to Frankfurt will have the new flat-bed Business Class seat. Use this route as a jumping-off point for travel to other cities in Europe.
Booking New Seats With Miles
For Easy Up Fares and Sweet Redeems seekers, we have a list of ways to procure the new Business Class seat.
And, while this FCF special report is primarily focused on new Business Class seats, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also include a special Sweet Redeems availability cheat sheet on how to score Lufthansa’s new First Class seat because the opportunities to score are numerous, even while First Class availability can be more challenging to secure on other airlines at times.
Round-Trip Business Class: Working the System
With Lufthansa Miles: 105,000.
With Star wood Points (transferred effortlessly to Lufthansa Miles): 85,000—40,000 less than the cost with very common alternatives like Delta, that requires 125,000 miles (32% more).
Lufthansa Partner All Nippon Miles: 88,000.
Amex Rewards Point Transfer to All Nippon: 88,000.
Starwood Point Transfer to All Nippon: 73,000.
Buy Miles to Fly in Style: With Lufthansa’s Partners
If you took advantage of Life Miles’ recent buy-miles 100% bonus covered in an FCF alert on May 19, New York-Frankfurt in Business Class costs $2,260 (63,000 miles purchased gives you the 126,000 miles needed) versus a published fare starting at $2,999 (up to $12,669 with fewer restrictions), a savings of at least $739 (25%).
Sweet Redeems: First Class on Lufthansa
Lufthansa has also updated its First Class on NY-Frankfurt. Check out Lufthansa’s new First Class seat.
FCF lab results found round-trip First Class mileage award seats widely available for 170,000 miles (140,000 if you transfer points from Star wood). It’s yet another reason to have the Star wood card over other cards. First Class tickets can otherwise cost $9,159 to $17,671.
Survey of Award Availability: Lufthansa
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