Greetings Flight Report community and thanks for stopping by. I am sharing an around the world (mostly) First Class series of trips in this series. I have a strong affection for Lufthansa First class so that was my motivation for the beginning of this trip. The product is well documented and, as a whole, one of the best First Class experiences obtainable on points. Also, I get an inordinate amount of enjoyment trying to secure the space. The windows for partner redemption in LH premium cabins opens approximately 2 weeks prior to departure so you have to operate in that window to secure seats. Additional flights/seats may open as departure nears. This is good fun! For the return I already has the second leg of a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club redemption on ANA so I would ideally use LH to get to Tokyo to complete the circle. It didn't end up that smooth but a lot of fun was had along the way.
Booking the LH legs is a little tricky because you may find a North America - FRA segment but then no FRA - Asia segment to pair with it. That was the case with me. While I initially saw BOS-FRA open there was nothing to pair with it. Then, a few days later FRA-SIN opened however I wasn't thrilled about a BOS departure so I waited, hoping for something further west as a departure point. About 3 days out JFK-FRA opened and I caved, booking JFK-FRA-SIN. At lease JFK would give me the opportunity to try the only LH F lounge in North America, so that was something. I departed not knowing how I would get from Singapore to Tokyo but I did wait list for SQ F SIN-HND. Those normally clear, right?
Courtesy of gcmap.com
Carrier, route, equipment, class, lounge, and procurement method:
United Airlines - LAX-ORD - 757-300 - First - No Lounge - Cash (No Report)
United Airlines - ORD-LGA - A319 - First - No Lounge - Cash (No Report)
Lufthansa - JFK-FRA - 748-8i - First - Lufthansa Wining and Dining - United Mileageplus (This Report)
Lufthansa - FRA-SIN - A380-800 - First - Lufthansa First Class Terminal - United Mileageplus
Thai Airways - SIN-BKK - 787-9 - Business - Silverkris Lounge T3 - Krisflyer Miles
Thai Airways - BKK-NHD - 747-400 - First - Thai Royal Orchid Lounge - Krisflyer Miles
ANA - NRT-LAX - 777-300ER - First - ANA Suites Lounge / United Global First Lounge - Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Lufthansa Fist Class "Wining and Dining" JFK
A beautiful clear day in The Big Apple.
I took a $15 shuttle between LGA and JFK and it was easy enough. I was able to check in at Terminal 1 at an "early" check in position for Lufthansa. With no pre-check line security was more cumbersome than I have become accustomed to. The Lufthansa lounge is directly after security so I went there directly.
The Wining & Dining (First Class) area does not open until 14:00 so I was invited to use the Senator Lounge until then. The Business Class Lounge is on the first floor, the Senator Lounge is on the second floor and the First Class dining room is on the third floor.
Looking up at the Wining & Dining level.
I took a look at the food spread but wanted to wait for the dining room to take something to eat. I thought there was a decent selection and the items appeared fresh and appetizing. The lounge was only sparsely populated at this hour so I'm not sure there was good turnover on the buffet items.
A shower was on my list of objectives and I was shown to a shower room with no wait. It's a spacious, albeit basic, space. The Salvatore Ferragamo amenities are quite nice.
After a refreshing shower I took a walk down to the gate. I wanted to pop in on the Air France lounge via Priority Pass but here was a tacky hand written note on their sign saying they were not accepting Priority Pass visitors.
Some of T1's other tenants can be spotted.
SU to SVO
JAL to HND
I made it down to my departure gate in anticipation of catching the LH 748 arriving.
Soem diverse equipment parks here.
Lined up for 31L.
This is a tow in gate.
Upon returning to the LH lounge I had a look at the Business Class portion of the lounge. I really couldn't discern that much of a difference between Business and Senator.
I was excited for a pretzel and beer….however there were no pretzels in any of the lounges!
There are great ramp views from all levels of the lounge.
One of the lounge staff came to notify me that the dining room was open and I could go upstairs at my leisure. The third floor can be accessed by two sets of stairs at either end or an elevator. A key card is required to open the doors or select the floor in the elevator.
There is a reception desk with a guest log book at the entry. It was not staffed during my stay.
There is a divider between the foyer and the seating area.
Magazines and newspapers are available as well as luggage storage.
There is a small seating area and self serve beverage area.
The selection is quite good and there is proper stemware to suit a wide variety of pours.
Past the seating area is a small hallway with a few buffet items and then the dining room. I selected a table overlooking the Senator Lounge. The furniture seems identical to what you would find in any of the LH F lounges in Frankfurt.
There are maybe 20 seats in the dining room.
I am quickly offered a beverage and presented a menu.
The Ruinart.
The pour.
The starters menu.
The entrees.
The table is nicely laid with quality German cutlery… and a Portuguese spoon.
Elgar to try something from the menu but wanting to save my appetite for the airplane I ordered the lobster bisque and the lobster tail. The soup was presented first and it was very good. The stock had a strong lobster flavor and smelled of the sea. The texture was silky.
The lobster tail was also quite appealing both visually and perfect in cookery.
The woman serving was working very hard and at first he was all on her own. A second server arrived and service picked up from there. Still I felt that my Ruinart was topped up regularly and the dishes were presented timely and not in a rushed manner.
In the time left before boarding I retired to the seating area to charge my phone and sample some of those beautiful single malts.
The Dalmore King Alexander III
The Balvenie 25.
Those of us in the seating area were verbally advised that the flight was boarding so off to the gate.
LH 401 JFK-FRA
The F cabin on the 747-8i is very private and visually pleasing.
For the crossing today I selected 3K specifically hoping it was far enough back for wing views.
My resplendent perch.
4 windows for long-haul.
The ticket to ride.
Lockers are provided in addition to the overhead bins.
Pre-departure service items are laid out on the small console in the center of the cabin.
Beverages are offered and there is a nice surprise in the Champagne selection. After I requested the Vueve the gentleman sitting next to me commented we both ordered the same items in the lounge and also on board. He commended me on my taste. We had a good laugh and chatted a bit. His wife and he were headed back home to Poland.
Served with the macadamia nuts.
In case you forget where you are.
About the only place I'd rather be…
The awesome Rimowa kits are distributed as well as sleep wear.
Push back occurs on time and we taxi for 31L Via Alpha, Juliet, and Zulu.
Traffic.
Soon we are aloft and banking away from Manhattan and out over the Atlantic.
I admire the subtle changes Boeing have made with this version of the 747 including the "Sky" style interior.
The stairs with flair.
Service begins promptly with the amuse.
Another pour of the La Grande Dame.
Ahhhh.
The table is laid by the male cabin attendant who was a delightful soul. Very chatty, fun and generous. His female counterpart was the exact opposite. She was stern and cold. I chipped away at her and even managed to get her to smile a couple of times but she made me work for it.
No stamp.
I finally got my pretzel, sort of.
We were a thirsty lot as we blew through the 2 bottles of Veuve. It was Tatty from the duration.
I am a complete failure when it comes to documenting menus and wine lists. The menu tonight followed the historical LH F path starting with the caviar cart.
A generous second helping was offered and accepted. thsi was Chinese farmed caviar and dare i say it was very good quality. My Polish friend asked about the source of the caviar and was, somewhat in jest, aghast. I'll quote, "Caviar should be from Russia, and this pains me a great deal to say, being Polish."
When I expressed interest in a white wine I was delivered two bottles and an equal number of glasses to make an informed decision. While not the most elegant presentation of wine I appreciated the effort to be fun and generous.
The choices.
The tasting.
In case I need to revisit.
The appetizer cart rolls next. I enjoyed my tastes of all of these items.
For the main I ordered braised short rib with lobster mac and cheese. I will say it was a successful if a bit unusual dish. The beef was fantastic and the "deconstructed" mac and cheese was nice too.
To pair with the main a unique Chilean wine blend of 41% Syrah, 29% Carmenere, 20% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Mourvedre, 1% Petit Verdot.
The cheese is on the roll. Please stop here.
The flags are a bit off…
Presentation.
For some reason I am drawn to the cognac on board LH.
The dessert was not memorable and by this point I could only manage a taste.
At this point we are preparing the cabin for arrival. No, i kid, but it seems like it on these short trips over the Atlantic. No at this point we are preparing for a whiskey and a bed.
The LH bed is a good one. Plush bedding and a spacious seat.
Goodnight world. See you soon.
The crew honored my request to be roused for breakfast. I know, we just ate, but I'm here to experience everything. Plus, I have 16 hours in FRA and sleeping rooms at my disposal.
A cappuccino is delivered quickly.
Breakfast as we approach Scotland.
This fruit is beautiful.
A selection from the meats and cheeses.
A parfait of sorts.
The scrambled eggs cooked on board.
We're almost there, better get dressed.
Arriving under the cover of darkness.
Bonus Arrival and Porsche Experience
A brisk walk to the A First Class lounge.
These lounges are so beautiful to me. They really fit with my aesthetic and sensibilities for what understated luxury looks like. Oh, and the food!
The lounge is only just opening and is virtually empty at this hour.
But the buffet is setup and ready for the influx of passengers. The selection and quality is fantastic. DO&Co is in a class of its own.
The dining room is tidy and well set. The chairs are identical to JFK.
There is a menu describing the buffet as well as a la carte items.
I can resist a quick graze before laying down for a nap.
After catching up on email and enjoying the proper barista made cappuccino I present to the shower attendant and request a nap room. This is arranged directly and I am led to the room. It's really a fantastic amenity. The room is very dark and quiet and perfect for rest. There is a high end sound system, water, and an eye mask in addition to the bed. I am out quickly and sleep for the better part of 4 hours.
Quite refreshed I emerge from my cave and seek a shower. The shower suites are impeccably clean and offer great Etro products.
Finally the pretzel!
I bid the lounge staff adieu and make my way to the Avis rental car counter seemingly in the bowels of Frankfurt Airport. I've done the Porsche experience one other time and thought it would be the only time but I just cannot resist. The sensation of commanding this stunning example of German engineering is to euphoric not to have another go. Even with sub-obtimal weather I was grinning from ear to ear for my 3 hour tour.
Of course the experience of piloting this automotive masterpiece to the First Class Terminal and walking away is priceless.
Some good company in the lot today.
It's difficult to let it go but the pleasures of the FCT await.
Very good review as always. Food was some choices hard to get right on a plane and seemed to work out well. They do do a good spread.
Hello Andyw and thank you for checking out my report and leaving a note. Happy flying.
Thank you, it’s a very good FR
Greetings Nico83et13 and thank you for the kind words. Happy flying.
As usual, Lufthansa F looks amazing. I'll have to try it sometime. Thank you for sharing!
Greetings 757Fan and thanks for the note. The LH F product is consistently high quality in my experience. Thanks again and happy flying
As an outstation lounge, LH First class lounge in JFK looks pretty good, although somewhat little bit small.
Decent food for a US lounge.
"I wanted to pop in on the Air France lounge via Priority Pass but here was a tacky hand written note on their sign saying they were not accepting Priority Pass visitors"=>only from 06:30AM to 01:30PM and from 11:00PM to 01:15AM
"For the crossing today I selected 3K specifically hoping it was far enough back for wing views."=> not too close from the galley?
"The awesome Rimowa kits are distributed as well as sleep wear."=> Arghhh, I'm so pissed off. I flew on LH First last august and didn't get the Rimowa kit
I didn't get the First Class hanger when I changed into the pyjamas either
Even if the catering onboard doesn't look like very First class-ish, it looks better than the one I had last summer.
Porsche rental is a very good idea. I see that an Aston Martin car was parked at the FCT. If I can drive one of those, I might spend some miles/money to fly LH First again
Thank you for sharing Christian.
Thank you for teh note Indianocean.
"only from 06:30AM to 01:30PM and from 11:00PM to 01:15AM"
-My visit was within the Priority Pass hours, it was around Noon, but they were not interested in honoring that agreement.
"not too close from the galley?"
-NO, the curtains in LH F are made of lead, I think. They are very heavy and totally block out light and apparently noise as I was not bothered. That said, there is no wing view.
"I see that an Aston Martin car was parked at the FCT. If I can drive one of those, I might spend some miles/money to fly LH First again"
-I would be right there with you. Alas, I think that car belongs to a patron. The Rapide isn't my favorite anyway...
Thank you again Indianocean and happy flying.
Greetings, Socalnow, and thank you for this FR.
LH F sure seems to be a favourite among many frequent TATL flyers. AF puts up a good competition, but at the end of the day, LH is the only one awarded 5 stars by Skytrax ;) ;) ;)
I virtually see no difference between the Business and Senator lounges. Maybe the WiFi is faster, and the service more efficient? Owing to fewer people having access to the Senator lounge, is what I mean.
"The lobster tail was also quite appealing both visually and perfect in cookery."
-That broccoli looks so out of place, it's almost irritating.
"In the time left before boarding I retired to the seating area to charge my phone and sample some of those beautiful single malts."
-Excellent offers, I must say. I do love me some Dalmore.
"About the only place I'd rather be…"
-Ahh yes. AF F is indeed a fantastic - arguably somewhat better - product than LH F. Funny thing is, both LH & AF are quite renowned for their strikes..
"Push back occurs on time and we taxi for 31L Via Alpha, Juliet, and Zulu."
-Are you allowed to raise the seat's privacy divider before takeoff?
"A generous second helping was offered and accepted."
-I do love me some unhatched Ossetra.
'""Caviar should be from Russia, and this pains me a great deal to say, being Polish."'
-There exists a different variation of caviar that's gold in colour, usually found & sold by the country SOUTH of the Caspian sea. At least it wasn't the preserved kind that was served?
"The beef was fantastic and the "deconstructed" mac and cheese was nice too."
-What part of that is deconstructed..?
Most of the plating on board looks fantastic! Was onboard catering also Do&Co, or Lufthansa's own LSG SkyChefs?
"I've done the Porsche experience one other time and thought it would be the only time but I just cannot resist. The sensation of commanding this stunning example of German engineering is to euphoric not to have another go."
-The sensation of (test) driving one of those on the roads of rural Europe (or the Autobahn) is one heck of a way to let off some steam. Now if only NH/JL offers the same kind of partnership with Nissan to sample the GTR, or with Lexus for the LFA..
Look forward to reading the rest of the series. Thanks again for this FR. Cheers!
Hello Razza_Pr and an early Happy New Year to you. Thank for the comments.
"AF puts up a good competition, but at the end of the day, LH is the only one awarded 5 stars by Skytrax ;) ;) ;)"
-Oh dear. You may need 20 or so more "winks"...
"That broccoli looks so out of place, it's almost irritating."
-Yes, and menu says the dish is served with rice however...that mashed potato is not rice...
"AF F is indeed a fantastic - arguably somewhat better - product than LH F"
-I've never flown AF in any cabin but i would like to know the argument for LH being superior in any way... From the reviews I don' see how such an argument can exist. Could LH have an edge on breadth and depth of network offering F service?
"What part of that is deconstructed..?"
-The dish is advertised as lobster mac n cheese however the lobster is on the dinner plate and the macaroni and cheese is in a separate vessel. I'm not entirely sure that qualifies as "deconstructed" so I used quotes...
"Was onboard catering also Do&Co, or Lufthansa's own LSG SkyChefs?"
-It's still LSG.
"Now if only NH/JL offers the same kind of partnership with Nissan to sample the GTR, or with Lexus for the LFA.."
-Now you're talking! Where do I sign up!?!
Thanks again Razza and happy flying.
Hola, Socalnow.
"Could LH have an edge on breadth and depth of network offering F service?"
-That's about the only edge they have over AF imo.. though maybe LH has better schedule too? I don't know if one is more rewarding in terms of mileage than the other, though that's rather trivial. Maybe AF should consider partnering up with Bugatti for test drives in and around Paris hm? Or at least a Jaguar F-type, considering their current partnership..
Cheers
"Maybe AF should consider partnering up with Bugatti for test drives in and around Paris hm? Or at least a Jaguar F-type, considering their current partnership.."
-You have a marvelous penchant for marketing and product placement Razza_Pr! Please phone Paris directly.
Was wondering, how difficult it is to snap a LH first seat using partner programs? They never seem to exist
Greetings JW19 and thanks for the note. I use Expert Flyer and set alerts for O space on just about everything that could work. So far I have had fairly consistent success. It helps being in North America where LH serves many gateways with F. Happy flying.
Hello Christian, it's amazing how you put these itineraries together.
-What no report on United???? Is the 57-3 as bad as reports have it? They used to be nice back when CO ran them internationally.
Interesting that Star Alliance carrier LH uses T1 at JFK with their own lounge and SQ uses T6 (or is it 5) and they use the Virgin Clubhouse. Someday would like to try the LH first dining at JFK. Looks pretty good.
What can be said? You do manage to sample everything possible from the time you show up to the time your flight arrives. Kudos. Happy rewardflying!
Greetings Mark and Happy New Year to you and yours. Thanks for the note.
"What no report on United???? Is the 57-3 as bad as reports have it? They used to be nice back when CO ran them internationally."
-They are capable of time travel, which is pretty cool. The year 2001 says hi. I do like turning left on boarding and big plush old school seats.
"Interesting that Star Alliance carrier LH uses T1 at JFK with their own lounge and SQ uses T6 (or is it 5) and they use the Virgin Clubhouse. "
-It's T4 for SQ, VS.
"You do manage to sample everything possible from the time you show up to the time your flight arrives."
-Everything.
Thanks again and happy flying.
-And to think I was just there, ugh.
Yes it was 2001, Happy New Year Christian!
"And to think I was just there, ugh."
-Good, I have a FR to look forward to. And the JAL ORD -NRT F trip. Don't dally.
I'm flying to JFK on a red eye on 1/11. LAX-JFK-HND-SIN-KUL-NRT-ORD-DEN-SNA. Quite excited about all of it but my MH KUL-NRT flight just changed yesterday from A330 to A350. I went in and selected an F seat, 1A. It's still there this morning but I'm reading folks are getting moved back to J in these circumstances.
"And to think I was just there, ugh."
-Good, I have a FR to look forward to. And the JAL ORD -NRT F trip. Don't dally.
-Wow, you sure get around. JAL to NRT and SIN? JAL back to ORD? I'll have mine posted before you leave. So the deal on MH as far as I can tell is that they are not selling first class seats on the NRT or AKL routes, only LHR. All premium sales are in J and they are using the 4 F seats for MH Elites. But it's still an A350!
Yes, JAL to HND and SIN(AS Miles). MH SIN-KUL-NRT(AA Miles) and NH NRT-ORD(VS Miles) and UA ORD-DEN-SNA(Cash money).
"So the deal on MH as far as I can tell is that they are not selling first class seats on the NRT or AKL routes, only LHR. All premium sales are in J and they are using the 4 F seats for MH Elites. But it's still an A350!"
-That makes sense. My risk is not having a good J seat left when they move me back. But I suppose there's a remote chance that it sticks? What would you do? Secure a preferred J seat or hang onto 1A and hope against the odds it sticks?
Nice. Sweet spots all around! Your HND-SIN flight is on 787-9 with the new seats? NRT-SIN for me last week had them. Interested to get your take.
-From what I can tell they put the Vantage XL in first like Delta did on the A350. I flew that the other day and really disliked these seats, especially for sleeping. In J it looks like they put the Vantage seat in and not the XL. So there are throne seats available, which really aren't bad seats. If it were me I'd switch to a throne. Of course you can always plead your case to stay in 1A if you want to stay up front. But I think the door is a big gimmick. There isn't anything gained from it, at least on DL.
"If it were me I'd switch to a throne. Of course you can always plead your case to stay in 1A if you want to stay up front. But I think the door is a big gimmick. There isn't anything gained from it, at least on DL."
-I'm leaning toward that too. It's like musical chairs and I don't want to be left with a sub-optimal set when the music stops. I don't think MH even bothered with doors in F. Or at least I haven't seen a pic with the door closed.
Thanks for the advise Mark.
They do, Check out Eric V P's reports, he's got a R/T on the front page. Row 1 is identical to Delta's door suite and J is without a doubt Vantage with throne seats ala Austrian, Swiss and others. I'd absolutely try and snag one of those. Have a great trip!
Awesome trip you put together, and thanks for the details report!
I'm planning a similar trip through FRA, and am curious about the transiting details. What was the process like upon landing in FRA? Clear immigration, then go back airside to the lounge?
Hi Shapalo - You can visit the LH lounges without clearing immigration the only exception is the First Class Terminal (FCT) where you would need to enter Germany and walk over to the FCT. Good luck with your trip and happy flying.