I have not been paid by any entity in any way (financially, benefits) to write this Lufthansa A380 Business Class Review. Take precautions when traveling; please stay safe and consult local, state, and national authorities for guidance on traveling.
Trip: IAD-MUC, MUC-BER, JW Marriott Berlin, BER-PRG, Courtyard Prague City, PRG-FRA, FRA-CDG, AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot, CDG-CPH, CPH-BRU, BRU-IAD
For the first time ever, I finally had the opportunity to do a Lufthansa A380 business class review, flying on the second level of the A380. I snagged this upgrade through Lufthansa’s bidding system, where you can bid to upgrade your seat from economy to premium economy or business class.
Quick Take: Lufthansa A380 Business Class Review
| Category | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Seat Comfort | 😐 5.5/10 |
| Dining & Beverages | ✅ 10/10 |
| Service & Crew | ✅ 8/10 |
| Lounge Access | ✅ 9/10 |
| Value for Points/Cash | 😐 5.5/10 |
Defintely an improved experience over economy, but hard to say its worth using cash to upgrade (like I did).
Flight Details
Airline: Lufthansa
Flight: LH 415
Route: Washington Dulles (IAD) – Munich (MUC)
Cabin Class: International Business Class
Aircraft: Airbus A380
Seat: 20D
Booking Method: Cash + Cash Upgrade Bid
Cost: $626 (total roundtrip) + $580 (oneway upgrade bid)
Date: August 15, 2024
Flight Time: 7h 40m
Preflight
I booked this flight through Swiss because it was cheaper than booking with Lufthansa. Since I wasn’t traveling with any checked luggage, I simply arrived at Dulles airport and went straight to security, and then the lounge.
I decided to go to the best lounge available, the IAD United Polaris Lounge, which serves United’s Polaris customers and Star Alliance Business and First Class passengers on long-haul international flights from the U.S. to Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and select South American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.
I also decided to go the Lufthansa Senator Lounge with about 30 minutes prior to boarding just to be close to the gate. Access was provided to the Senator Lounge thanks to my Star Alliance Gold status, otherwise I would’ve accessed the Lufthansa Business Lounge via my Lufthansa Business Class ticket. Interestingly, you can board the flight straight from the lounge, which was a great perk.
Seat & Cabin
Lufthansa business class on the A380 is laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration. Each seat is lie-flat, with very little storage space around. Unfortunately, window seats have no aisle access, and seats in the middle of the cabin feel fairly exposed and lack privacy.
Furthermore, the seats are pretty tight, and make it uncomfortable to actually sleep in. Additionally, the lack of storage makes it pretty annoying, as you’ll find yourself juggling your pillow, blanket, and amenity kit if you don’t place them in the overhead compartment.
At my seat was waiting a pillow and blanket.
And we were provided a Porsche amenity kit.
Lastly, got to take a look at the lavatory before taking off, and it was clean and spacious enough to change in. I will note that the faucet was inoperable, so Lufthansa placed more wipes.
I also appreciated the extra eyemasks and mouthwash.
Food & Drinks
During the boarding process, we received nuts and a choice of orange juice or sparkling wine, which is a nice touch for business class.
We also received menus detailing what was being offered.
Additionally, there was a comprehensive drink menu, which was appreciated!
We started off with the burrata starter and a glass of red wine with water.
I ordered the beef fillet, which was well served and tasted better than expected. Although a tad bit dry, it is definitely a solid choice.
For dessert, an apple bread pudding with berry confit was provided, and I ordered it with a Bailey’s on the rocks.
Entertainment
The inflight entertainment screen is located in the seatback shell in front of you and is honestly poorly designed. Regardless, there were plenty of movies and shows available, but I (in my unique way) like to just put on the map screen and call it a night. Judge me!
As a long-haul international business class passanger, we recieved a voucher for two hours of complimentary wifi.
I unfortunately slept through breakfast and woke up just in time to change and get ready for arrival. Before landing, we received this nice little box of Lufthansa-branded chocolates.
Final Verdict
Service on this flight was solid. Nothing truly spectacular, nothing above and beyond, but solid, which is unfortunately more than we sometimes receive on the U.S. Big 3. The food was good, not great, and the seat was honestly subpar and not worth paying outright for. It was tough to sleep in, which defeats the purpose of upgrading.
With that in mind:
- Was it worth the cost? That depends. Are you paying outright? If so, then no. But if your company is paying or you’re looking to upgrade, then it might be worth it. Factors to consider are if you need to be rested when you land, the length of this flight, etc.
- What are better/worse options? Absolutely. I’d recommend flying United Polaris for a more comfortable seat with more storage. If you’re flying to Europe, options like Turkish, Emirates, or Air France might have a better overall product.
- How to book this flight with points or a sweet spot? Personally, I think the best deal is to upgrade using the bidding system, which can get you a good deal on the upgrade, especially if you buy an economy light fare.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
What are your thoughts? Have you flown Lufthansa’s long-haul business class? Let me know in the comments!
As always, Live Life One Trip at a Time!
