Key Points
- Lufthansa First Class costs 70,000-87,000 miles one-way depending on the partner program you use.
- United MileagePlus and Air Canada Aeroplan offer the best redemption rates and easiest booking process.
- Availability opens 360 days in advance but is extremely limited, requiring flexibility and quick action when you spot it.
Introduction
Lufthansa First Class represents one of aviation's most exclusive experiences. With its legendary ground service, private First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, and exceptional onboard product, it's a bucket-list redemption for many points enthusiasts. But here's the challenge: booking it requires insider knowledge, patience, and the right loyalty program.
The good news? You don't need to be a Lufthansa frequent flyer to experience it. Multiple Star Alliance partners offer access to Lufthansa First Class award space, and some programs make booking significantly easier than others. This guide walks you through exactly how to find availability, which programs to use, and the strategies that increase your chances of snagging one of the most coveted seats in the sky.
What Makes Lufthansa First Class Special
Before diving into booking strategies, let's understand what you're working toward.
The Ground Experience
Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt stands alone in the industry. This dedicated facility offers private check-in, security, customs, and lounges exclusively for First Class passengers. You'll find a full-service restaurant, bar, cigar lounge, and even sleeping rooms. A Mercedes or Porsche drives you directly to your aircraft.
Munich's First Class Terminal offers a similar but smaller experience. Both represent a level of ground service that even other premium airlines can't match.
The Onboard Product
Lufthansa operates First Class on its Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380 aircraft. The cabin features just eight seats with exceptional privacy, fully-flat beds with premium bedding, and Dieter Rams-designed amenities. The food service emphasizes quality over quantity, with dishes prepared by renowned chefs and an extensive wine selection.
What truly distinguishes the experience is the personalized service. With a 1:2 crew-to-passenger ratio, flight attendants remember your preferences and anticipate your needs throughout the flight.
Understanding Lufthansa First Class Availability
Here's the reality: Lufthansa releases very limited First Class award space, and what they do release often disappears quickly.
Release Patterns
Lufthansa typically releases First Class award space 360 days before departure. However, the airline doesn't release space consistently across all routes or dates. Some routes see regular availability, while others rarely open award space.
The airline also releases additional space closer to departure as they assess bookings, though this is unpredictable. Some travelers have found First Class availability opening just days before departure.
Routes with Better Availability
Certain routes show more consistent award space:
From North America:
- Newark to Munich
- Newark to Frankfurt
- Washington Dulles to Munich
- Washington Dulles to Frankfurt
- Chicago to Munich
- Chicago to Frankfurt
Within Europe and to Asia:
- Frankfurt to Tokyo
- Frankfurt to Hong Kong
- Frankfurt to Singapore
- Munich to Tokyo
- Munich to Hong Kong
The 747-8 and A380 aircraft offer better award availability than the smaller A340-600, which only has First Class on select routes.
Best Programs for Booking Lufthansa First Class
Not all Star Alliance programs are created equal when it comes to Lufthansa First Class. Here's how they compare.
United MileagePlus: The Most Accessible Option
Cost: 77,000 miles one-way (transatlantic)
United offers the most straightforward booking experience. Their award search shows Lufthansa First Class availability in real-time, and you can book online or by phone without significant fees.
The miles required are competitive, and United frequently offers transfer bonuses from credit card programs. You can earn MileagePlus miles through United credit cards or by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio.
Booking process:Search United.com for your desired route. Lufthansa First Class appears as "United Polaris First" in search results. You can book one-way or round-trip awards, and United allows stopovers on round-trip international awards.
Air Canada Aeroplan: Flexible and Competitive
Cost: 70,000-87,000 points one-way depending on distance
Aeroplan recently revamped their program with distance-based pricing. For many North America to Europe routes, you'll pay 70,000-75,000 points one-way. The program allows stopovers and open jaws, making it excellent for complex itineraries.
You can earn Aeroplan points through the Aeroplan Credit Card or by transferring from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, or Chase Ultimate Rewards (to the Aeroplan co-brand card).
Booking advantage:Aeroplan often shows availability that other partners don't see, particularly for North America to Europe routes. Their dynamic pricing can work in your favor for shorter flights.
ANA Mileage Club: The Sweet Spot for Round-Trip Awards
Cost: 88,000 miles one-way, 165,000 miles round-trip (transatlantic)
All Nippon Airways (ANA) offers excellent value for round-trip redemptions. While their one-way pricing isn't competitive, booking round-trip saves significant miles compared to two one-ways on most programs.
The catch? You must book by phone, and ANA representatives sometimes have limited access to Lufthansa award space. You'll also need to transfer miles from American Express Membership Rewards before searching.
Programs to Avoid for Lufthansa First Class
Lufthansa Miles & More: The airline's own program prices First Class awards dynamically, often requiring 300,000+ miles for transatlantic flights. Award space for members is sometimes better, but the cost rarely justifies using this program.
Avianca LifeMiles: While LifeMiles can offer competitive pricing, they rarely see Lufthansa First Class availability. The booking process is also problematic, with frequent IT issues.
How to Find Lufthansa First Class Availability
Finding award space requires the right tools and strategies.
Best Search Tools
United.comThe most reliable tool for searching Lufthansa First Class. United shows real-time availability and allows flexible date searches. Set up alerts through United's website for specific routes.
Aeroplan.comAir Canada's search tool sometimes reveals space that United doesn't show. It's worth checking both when planning your search strategy.
Expert FlyerThis paid service ($9.99/month) provides comprehensive Star Alliance award availability and can send alerts when space opens. It's particularly useful for monitoring multiple dates and routes simultaneously.
Search Strategy
Start your search exactly 360 days before your desired travel date. Lufthansa releases award space at midnight Central European Time. Set an alarm for the appropriate time in your time zone.
Search one-way awards rather than round-trips. Lufthansa rarely releases outbound and return space simultaneously, so building your trip with two one-way awards offers more flexibility.
Be flexible with dates and routes. If you see availability on your desired route but different dates, book it. You can often change dates later if more space opens (though change fees may apply).
Consider positioning flights. Flying to a departure city with better First Class availability might be worth a separate ticket or award if it means experiencing the product.
Step-by-Step Booking Process
Once you've found availability, here's how to complete your booking.
Using United MileagePlus
- Log into United.com
- Search for your desired route using the award search
- When you see "United Polaris First" or "First" on Lufthansa flights, that's the space you want
- Select your flights and proceed to passenger details
- Review the total miles required and any fees
- Confirm your booking
United charges no fees for booking online. Phone bookings incur a $25 fee for standard awards.
Using Air Canada Aeroplan
- Log into Aeroplan.com
- Search your route with flexible dates
- Filter for First Class availability
- Select Lufthansa flights showing "First" class
- Complete passenger information and payment
- Confirm your booking
Aeroplan charges fees for phone bookings, so book online when possible.
Important Booking Considerations
Mixed cabin itineraries: If First Class isn't available for your entire journey, consider booking Business Class for one segment. Both United and Aeroplan price awards at the highest cabin class flown.
Waitlisting: Some programs allow waitlisting for Lufthansa First Class. This rarely clears, but it's worth trying if you have flexible dates.
Partner airlines: Your outbound routing doesn't need to be entirely on Lufthansa. United and Aeroplan allow mixed-partner itineraries, so you might fly United to the East Coast, then Lufthansa First to Europe.
Maximizing Your Miles for Lufthansa First Class
The right credit card strategy puts you on track for First Class redemptions faster.
Building Your Points Balance
Chase Ultimate Rewards offers the most flexibility for Lufthansa First Class. Points transfer to United MileagePlus instantly, and you can transfer to Aeroplan through the co-brand card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve both earn transferable points.
American Express Membership Rewards provides another path through transfers to Aeroplan and ANA. The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5x points on flights, building your balance quickly.
Capital One miles transfer to Aeroplan, making the Capital One Venture X another solid choice for this redemption.
Transfer Timing Strategy
Don't transfer points until you've found award availability. Most programs transfer within minutes to hours, but this prevents tying up points in a program before confirming space.
The exception is ANA Mileage Club, where you must have miles in your account before searching. In this case, transfer the minimum needed to search (the phone agents can see availability regardless of your balance).
Advanced Booking Strategies
These insider tactics increase your chances of securing First Class space.
The 15-Day Window
Some travelers report increased availability approximately 15 days before departure. Airlines reassess their loads and may release premium cabin awards. Set alerts for routes within this window if your schedule allows last-minute travel.
Route Building
Sometimes the direct route shows no availability, but connecting through a different European city opens options. For example, if Newark to Frankfurt shows nothing, try Newark to Munich, then book a separate positioning flight to Frankfurt.
Mixed Partner Routing
United's routing rules allow creative itineraries. You might fly United domestically to a European gateway, then Lufthansa First to Europe. This works particularly well from cities without direct Lufthansa service.
Upgrade Strategy
Lufthansa occasionally offers paid upgrades from Business to First Class, and some credit cards provide statement credits for airline purchases. While this isn't an award booking, it's another path to the product when award space is limited.
What to Expect After Booking
Once you've secured your reservation, here's what comes next.
Seat Selection
Select your seat as soon as possible after booking. The best seats are in the nose of the aircraft (rows 1-2 on the 747-8 upper deck, rows 1-4 on the A380 upper deck).
Special Meal Requests
Order your meal selection in advance through Lufthansa's website using your booking reference. This guarantees your first choice from the menu.
First Class Terminal Access
If connecting through Frankfurt or Munich, arrive with plenty of time to enjoy the First Class Terminal. The facility itself is a significant part of the experience.
Lounge Access at Other Airports
Departing from North America, you'll have access to Lufthansa's partner lounges. This typically means United Polaris lounges at major airports, which offer a premium experience though not quite matching the dedicated First Class Terminal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from others' errors to smooth your booking process.
Waiting too long to search: Award space disappears quickly. Search on day 360 or as soon as you see availability alerts.
Transferring points before finding space: This locks your points into a program. Search first, transfer when you're ready to book.
Booking without understanding routing rules: Each program has different stopover and open-jaw policies. United allows one stopover on round-trip international awards, while Aeroplan offers more flexibility.
Ignoring change policies: If you're not completely certain about dates, understand change fees and policies before booking. United charges $125 per person for date changes on most awards.
Not checking seat availability: Just because award space exists doesn't mean preferred seats are available. Check seat maps before finalizing your booking.
Alternative Routes to Lufthansa First Class
If award space proves elusive, consider these options.
Positioning to Europe First
Book a cheaper economy or premium economy ticket to Europe, then search for First Class on intra-European or Europe to Asia routes. These sectors often show better availability.
Similar Products
If Lufthansa First Class remains unavailable, consider alternative premium products:
- Swiss First Class (similar ground and onboard experience)
- ANA First Class (excellent product on Japan routes)
- Singapore Airlines Suites (widely considered the world's best First Class)
All three book through similar Star Alliance programs and offer exceptional experiences.
Patience and Persistence
Many successful Lufthansa First Class bookings come from persistent monitoring. Set up alerts and check regularly. Space opens unpredictably, and those who watch consistently are most likely to spot it.
FAQ
How far in advance can I book Lufthansa First Class?
You can book 360 days before departure through partner programs like United MileagePlus and Air Canada Aeroplan. Lufthansa releases award space at midnight Central European Time.
Can I upgrade from Business Class to First Class with miles?
Lufthansa doesn't offer mileage upgrades from Business to First Class on award tickets. Only paid Business Class tickets are eligible for upgrade, and availability is very limited.
What happens if Lufthansa cancels my First Class award?
If the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight, they'll rebook you in the next available class of service. If First Class isn't available, you'll likely be rebooked in Business. You can request a miles refund if the change is unacceptable.
Do children get the same First Class experience?
Yes, children receive full First Class service including access to the First Class Terminal. However, Lufthansa doesn't allow children under 12 to sit separately from adults, which may limit seat selection options.
Can I book Lufthansa First Class with hotel points?
Not directly. However, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to airline partners including United at a 3:1 ratio (with a bonus). This offers an indirect path to MileagePlus miles for booking.
Is Lufthansa First Class worth the miles?
This depends on your redemption values and travel priorities. Compared to Business Class (roughly 60,000-77,000 miles transatlantic), you're paying 10,000-20,000 more miles. For the enhanced ground experience and onboard service, many consider this worthwhile for special occasions.
Conclusion
Booking Lufthansa First Class requires strategy, patience, and the right loyalty program. United MileagePlus and Air Canada Aeroplan offer the most straightforward paths, with reasonable pricing and good availability visibility. Start your search 360 days out, remain flexible with dates and routes, and be ready to book immediately when space appears.
The experience itself justifies the effort. Between the exclusive First Class Terminal and exceptional onboard service, Lufthansa First Class represents one of aviation's finest products. Build your points balance through flexible rewards programs, set up availability alerts, and stay persistent in your search. When you finally step into that First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, you'll understand why so many points enthusiasts consider this redemption the ultimate achievement.
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