And how to work the two-week, First Class “Star Alliance seat-release scheme” to upgrade for $200 or less.
Two Suites: The first is found on most Lufthansa aircraft; eight semi-enclosed compartments (privacy-on-demand via an electrically operated partition) configured 1-2-1. Each has an 81-inch-long lie-flat bed and a 17- inch monitor.
The second suite is only on B747-400s with a First Class cabin. Each one of the eight seats features an adjacent 81-inch-long lie-flat bed, configured 1-2-1, with a 17- inch monitor.
Experience the Lufthansa suite in detail.
Routes to/from U.S. and Europe with First Class Suites
To/From Frankfurt: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Washington, DC, and Vancouver.
To/From Munich: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, and San Francisco.
Your North American Departure Not Listed? You can easily connect from most within the U.S. and Canada on the same ticket.
Not Flying To/From Frankfurt Or Munich? Remember that Lufthansa serves cities all over Africa, Asia, and Europe. There’s no extra cost in miles for travel within Europe. View Lufthansa’s destinations.
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Not booking on short-notice or within 14 days of departure, when partner availability is often fantastic? Say you’re booking four or eleven months in advance, and what you have is not nearly as good as the amazing deals here: Consider dancing FCF’s Upgrade Two-Step:
Step 1: Book a flight you can live with, such as an EasyUp Business Class fare for $1,400 to $2,400, or a Business or First Class mileage award with another airline—the best you can find without the Upgrade Two-Step in mind, in other words.
Step 2: Two weeks before departure, and perhaps all the way until a day before, check Lufthansa First Class award space on the partner that makes most sense for you (perhaps Asiana, or one of the others mentioned on the next page), and if the seats are there and are better or cost less than those you are holding, just cancel that booking. If it’s an award ticket, generally a re-deposit fee of less than $200 is all you’ll incur. If you’re holding a published fare, change fees generally range from $500 to $800. (You’ll have to use the remaining balance within a year of the original booking; double-check with your carrier before you pull the trigger.)
For perhaps an hour of work, you might save a fist-full of cash or fly in much greater comfort.
In case you’re wondering… every time I’m not holding the perfect booking, I dance the Upgrade Two-Step… but that’s just me… a guy who likes to upgrade a little bit.[/aside]
High Fares Equal Great Mileage Opportunity
Normal Lowest Airfare: $8,382 round-trip to Frankfurt from Chicago with a 90-day advance purchase. Up to $19,794 with no advance purchase.
Lowest Conventional Award Cost: Lufthansa’s Miles & More charges 170,000 miles.
No Lufthansa Miles? No Problem.
Transfer Starwood Points to Lufthansa: 140,000.
Best Short Notice Travel Opportunity: Lufthansa Partner Awards.
Lowest Partner Award Rate: Book the suite through Asiana’s loyalty program—a Starwood partner—and you can save up to 70,000 miles (41%), at just 100,000 miles round-trip.
Inventory through Asiana and other Star Alliance partners is, at times, similar to Lufthansa’s own when booked within two weeks of departure.
Transfer Starwood Points to Asiana: 80,000—up to 36% fewer miles than many airlines charge for Business Class.
Cost with other Star Alliance partner mileage programs:
Air Canada: Transfer miles from Amex Rewards or Starwood and the cost is 140,000 (115,000 via Starwood) miles round-trip from North American gateways to Germany.
LifeMiles: 174,000 miles for First Class, a great deal if you bought miles through one of the 100% bonus buying promos.
Singapore: Transfer miles from Amex Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Starwood and the cost is 160,000 (130,000 via Starwood) miles round-trip from all North American gateways.
United: 220,000 miles round-trip from North American departure cities. Transfer miles via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Sweet Redeem Survey: Lufthansa First Class to/from Germany
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