Flight Review: Lufthansa Airbus A380-800 First Class – MUC-JFK

It’s been two years since I last flew Lufthansa First Class. While I did not get to fly on an aircraft equipped with Lufthansa’s new Allegris cabin, I loved the flight, service, and experience from start to finish. We were pretty stressed headed back to the United States after having everything stolen the day before in Como, Italy. The crew was warm and made us forget about what we had endured in the 24 hours proceeding the flight. We checked in with the app and had no problem getting boarding passes.

Anthony’s Take: Lufthansa First Class delivers a consistently excellent experience both in the air and on the ground. From the moment we landed at Munich International Airport (MUC), we were treated well and had a luxe trip back to the United States. Lufthansa gets props for its food, seat comfort, lounge, and ground experience on this trip (it was what I have come to expect from flying F with Lufthansa and this was the ninth time that I have done it). As I mentioned in a past review, I always land with a smile on my face and find myself dreaming about when I can fly Lufthansa First Class again.

Booking

This flight was booked as a one-way award ticket using United MileagePlus® miles. I had booked this flight the day before departure for 140,000 miles plus $66.81 per person. This included our flight (review here) on Air Dolomiti from Silvio Berlusconi Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) in Business Class and this flight to New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK). 280,000 miles for two people is a lot, but I felt we were getting a good value considering that the tickets were selling for around $13,600 each when I booked them last minute.

Munich International Airport (MUC)

We arrived on time and were met at our inbound plane that landed at a remote stand with a private van. The driver took us directly to the First Class Lounge where we relaxed until it was time to walk to our gate. Passport control was handled in the lounge and it took only a few minutes to walk to the gate.

Boarding

One of my favorite parts of flying Lufthansa First Class out of Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is being taken to the plane in a car or van from the First Class Terminal (my review here). The same is not done at Munich International Airport (MUC). We walked over to the gate and waited for the gate agent to call Group 1, which is First Class and HON Circle. We boarded first and were in our seats shortly thereafter.

On-Board

We selected the only open seats in the cabin when we booked: 1D and 1G. I love the seats in row one (though I prefer those on the sides more) and these worked well for us traveling together. It’s nice that there are not overhead bins above as it made the cabin feel much more open.

The seats were huge and when fully reclined provided more than enough space for my six-foot-five-inch frame (the seats are 84-inches long). I also loved the ottoman as an additional seat for visiting when you’re not seated next to a travel partner.

The cabin had a total of eight seats in First Class with two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. The flight was booked full and flew with all seats taken.

At the seat were two pillows, a blanket, and slippers.

An amenity kit, pajamas, and menus were distributed. The amenity kit and pajamas were Porsche Design branded. I liked the design and the bag held quite a bit inside.

Each seat had a single rose. Such an elegant touch!

Seat Features

The seats on this Airbus A380-800 were huge and extremely comfortable. They were very open and there are no doors like on other carriers’ premium seats. The seat had multiple controls for different positions, several lights, the entertainment system, and more.

Each seat came with a locker near the galley for rollaboard bags.

Each seat featured a 17-inch personal entertainment screen with roughly 170 movies and more than 50 TV shows.

Controls on the left side operated the seat positions.

The remote on the right side controlled the entertainment system, lights, and flight attendant call button. Noise-cancelling headphones were attached to the aircraft so that there is no possibility of theft.

There were two other storage compartments on the right side.

A single button on the armrest returned the seat to its upright position.

Two USB-A ports and a standard outlet were found near the right armrest.

A light was found in the seat over my shoulder.

Another light was over my other shoulder.

A separate slot held a water bottle.

This space works well for holding your passport, phone, and wallet.

There were more lights overhead, but no individual air vents.

A literature pocket held the safety information card and magazine.

The tray table was a bit hard to operate, but quite large once extended.

Food

Menus were brought shortly after we boarded. There was one filled with dining options and a rather extensive beverage menu.

A warm, moist towel was distributed shortly after boarding.

Then macadamia nuts and a choice of beverage were provided. We started with Louis Roederer Rosé Champagne. I’ve had it before and it was tasty. Meal orders were then taken.

An amuse bouche of Grilled Eel, Apple, Radish, and Soy was served first. It was a bit odd and I like eel.

The table was then set for lunch. The bread was so good.

I love Lufthansa’s little salt and pepper shakers.

Appetizers consisted of Herb-Cooked Chicken Breast with Celery, Kohlrabi, and Truffle; Salmon with Horseradish; and Mixed Field Greens with Belgian Endive, Celery, Pomegranate Seeds, Feta Cheese, and dressing. A full caviar service was also provided. I enjoyed all of these dishes. There was supposed to also be Chilled Gazpacho with a Seared Scallop, but this was not boarded.

For an entree, I selected the Wiener Schnitzel. It was a solid choice.

I had Bitter Lemon to drink (it’s my favorite when in Europe).

Dessert was a Walnut Caramel Cake with Raspberry Compote and Vanilla Ice Cream.

I had a glass of Apple Ice Wine. It was sweet and delicious.

Chocolates were then passed out.

Prior to landing, I selected the Creamy Pumpkin Soup and the Bavarian Platter. I wish the soup was warmer, but the flavors were good. This was the perfect meal to cap off our Bavarian-themed flight.

Wi-Fi

First Class passengers receive complimentary Wi-Fi. The purser handed out vouchers. The Wi-Fi would have cost €29 for the flight. It was so slow that it was barely usable for the entirety of the flight.

Lavatory

First Class had two dedicated lavatories. These were spacious and I loved that there was a separate bench. It comes in handy when changing into pajamas. There was also a urinal and lots of amenities to be found here. This is an airplane bathroom that you won’t dread visiting.

I loved the number of toiletries like mouthwash and Evian spray on offer.

Cloth towels were a nice touch.

The toilet had plenty of space.

A urinal was nearby. How often do you see that?

The bench was large.

The lavatory had its own rose.

Service

The flight attendants were warm and attentive. One in particular kept asking about more drinks and anything that she could do for us. The experience overall was solid. What’s not to love about being in Lufthansa First Class?

Overall Impression:

We departed late and arrived almost on time. Flying Lufthansa First Class is arguably one of the most comfortable ways to cross the Atlantic. I had not flown on an Airbus A380-800 in some time and I love the huge aircraft. I look forward to the next time I can savor this experience (maybe even in Lufthansa’s new First Class seats once those are widely installed).