E-book Lufthansa first-class flight to Europe utilizing Chase’s 100,000-point welcome supply

Germany’s flagship service — Lufthansa — has engineered a quintessential first-class expertise: luxurious, purposeful, constant and cozy, but with out the over-the-top opulence of a few of its counterparts.

A Lufthansa first-class ticket can set you again over $11,000. Fortunately, you’ll be able to e book this product utilizing factors and miles. Whereas there isn’t any debating that Lufthansa first-class is a pleasure to fly, really securing treasured award seats will be tough — however it’s nonetheless value the additional effort.

And proper now, the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges) has its highest-ever supply of 100,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. That is sufficient to e book a Lufthansa first-class flight throughout the Atlantic, which is strictly what I simply did.

Maintain studying to study every little thing you could find out about reserving Lufthansa first-class with factors and miles, and why it may very well be one of the best ways to redeem Final Rewards factors.

The place are Lufthansa first-class flights supplied?

Lufthansa at present provides first-class aboard the next long-haul plane: the Boeing 747-800, the Airbus A340-600 and the Airbus A380. The airline is putting in an all-new first-class suite on the Airbus A350 as a part of its Allegris rollout.

Lufthansa operates quite a lot of these plane on routes between the U.S. and Germany:

• Between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and the next airports: Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS), Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA), Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD).
• Between Munich Airport (MUC) and the next airports: BOS, Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN), EWR, ORD, New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK), LAX, MIA, San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN) and SFO.

Lufthansa additionally operates first-class to pick locations in South America, Africa and Asia from Frankfurt and Munich.

How do I discover Lufthansa’s first-class award availability?

The simplest method to e book Lufthansa flights with factors and miles is to make use of Miles & Extra, the loyalty program of Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airways and Brussels Airways. Like Singapore Airways’ KrisFlyer program, Lufthansa reserves extra first-class seats for its members than members of companion airways.

The difficulty is that Miles & Extra shouldn’t be a switch companion of any main bank card applications, so incomes miles on this program is troublesome. This program additionally prices massive carrier-imposed surcharges, making the redemption much less enticing.

Lufthansa doesn’t open any first-class award seats to companion applications till a most of 14 days earlier than departure, although it would doubtless solely be a couple of days earlier than departure. Subsequently, flexibility is vital relating to reserving an award flight utilizing a companion program.

Within the weeks earlier than your required flight, think about using Google Flights or ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s guardian firm, Pink Ventures) to see what number of paid first-class seats can be found on every flight to find out what number of seats could also be launched as awards on the final minute.

If zero seats can be found or just one seat is on the market as a money fare, it is unlikely any first-class award seats will probably be launched. If greater than 4 first-class seats are nonetheless on the market, no less than two will doubtless be made obtainable to e book with companion rewards, although this may increasingly solely be a day or two earlier than departure.

Seats.aero, a platform to seek out award availability, has a useful first-class flight finder that can present you all of the seats obtainable with companion factors and miles.

Listed here are the three greatest applications to e book Lufthansa first-class:

Air Canada Aeroplan

Avianca LifeMiles

• Mileage required (one-way): 130,000 miles to Europe
• Taxes and charges: Low, solely $30.60 for a flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt
• Switch companions: American Categorical Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy and Wells Fargo Rewards

United Airways MileagePlus

• Mileage required (one-way): 140,000 to 165,000 miles to Europe
• Taxes and charges: Round $140 for a flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt
• Switch companions: Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy

Is Lufthansa first-class value it? 7 issues I cherished about my expertise

I just lately redeemed 100,000 Air Canada Aeroplan factors to e book a Lufthansa first-class flight from Frankfurt to Houston. Because the money worth of the flight was round $11,000, I acquired a redemption charge of about 11 cents per level, which is unbelievable contemplating TPG values Aeroplan factors a 1.4 cents apiece, per our April 2025 valuations.

To e book this flight a couple of days prematurely, I used Seats.aero’s first-class finder software, and with a couple of locations to select from, I selected Houston primarily as a result of the route is operated by the long-lasting Boeing 747-8 plane.

Having flown first-class on a number of totally different airways, together with British Airways, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airways, this was simply among the finest flights of my life and what I consider is probably the greatest method to redeem 100,000 Chase factors. This is why.

First Class Terminal

When originating from or transiting via Frankfurt, Lufthansa provides a separate First Class Terminal incorporating a First Class Lounge, one of the crucial premium floor experiences you will discover anyplace on the planet.

Overlook lining up at a check-in desk; a consultant met me on the curb, whisked my passport and checked baggage away to be processed out of sight, escorted me via a non-public safety lane, and helped me settle into this unique lounge.

As soon as inside, there was a non-public duty-free retailer, cigar lounge, a la carte restaurant, loads of Champagne, and areas to chill out, work or socialize.

If you would like much more privateness within the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, ask to take a nap or a bubble tub.

The employees supplied me a selection of two nap rooms, which had been like mini resort rooms. That they had full-size beds, contemporary linen and full privateness, so I might get some relaxation earlier than my subsequent flight.

There have been additionally spacious rest room suites the place I used to be supplied one of many well-known rubber geese as a memento to take house after a bathe or soak in a bathtub.

Non-public tarmac switch

Most likely my favourite a part of your entire journey day was going from the terminal to the plane.

I used to be taken downstairs to a ready luxurious car, the place I loved a non-public switch straight throughout the tarmac, previous a few of Lufthansa’s largest plane, to my awaiting flight to Houston.

For even informal aviation followers, this can be a once-in-a-lifetime expertise.

Sitting within the nostril of the Queen of the Skies

Though Lufthansa provides first-class on a number of totally different plane varieties, the Boeing 747-8 is unquestionably essentially the most uncommon. Put in within the entrance of the “nostril” of the decrease deck, the eight seats are unfold throughout three rows, however I like to recommend making an attempt to nab a seat in Row 1, which I did just some days earlier than departure.

No one was in entrance of me, and I spotted I used to be sitting barely forward of the pilots upstairs, so I felt like I used to be driving the plane. There have been 4 home windows for every passenger to benefit from the view, and with so many airways having retired their Queen of the Skies, this was an actual deal with for a long-haul flight.

Caviar and Champagne

After all, what’s first-class with out Champagne and caviar?

Lufthansa supplied Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Champagne on my flight throughout the Atlantic, which retails for round $275 per bottle. The multicourse lunch began with caviar served with all of the trimmings and second helpings enthusiastically supplied by the crew.

A lot of onboard presents

It was like Christmas morning aboard this first-class flight because the crew supplied numerous goodies and take-home presents, together with:

• A luxurious amenity package with Augustinus Bader toiletries in a Porsche Design case
• Cumuli slippers
• Van Laack sleepwear
• A field of farewell candies

A toilet with a view

There was a devoted first-class rest room with loads of house to alter into my pajamas. I cherished that there was a window to benefit from the views throughout the Atlantic, particularly over icy Canada.

Snug mattress

I’ve tried loads of lie-flat flights throughout my travels, and I can confidently say this was one of the crucial comfy beds I’ve slept in — on the bottom or within the air.

After having fun with the meals and facilities supplied on this first-class flight, I requested the crew to make my mattress, full with a mattress topper, cover and a number of pillows. Shockingly, this mattress was extra comfy than my mattress again house.

General, flying Lufthansa first-class is extra than simply merely taking a long-haul flight; it is a whole expertise.

Associated: The perfect luxurious suites within the sky and methods to fly them

Greatest method to earn factors and miles to e book Lufthansa first-class

With the most effective Lufthansa first-class redemption charges supplied by Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, take into account a bank card that earns rewards that switch to Aeroplan at a 1:1 charge, together with:

• Chase Sapphire Most popular Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first three months of cardmembership.
• The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of cardmembership.
• Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card (see charges and charges): Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Backside line

Lufthansa’s first-class product is undoubtedly one of many best methods to cross the Atlantic. From the unbelievable First Class Terminal in Frankfurt to the tarmac switch in a luxurious car and the spectacular onboard expertise, full with caviar, Champagne, pajamas and loads of different goodies. I can not advocate it sufficient and saved pinching myself that I might fly like this by redeeming factors and miles.

If you happen to’re sport for reserving on the final minute, it is an unbelievable use of factors and miles.