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Lufthansa First Class is one of the nicest ways to travel between the United States and Europe. Plus if you fly out of Frankfurt in Lufthansa First Class, you get to access the First Class Terminal, one of the nicest lounges in the world.
The problem is that for a few years you have usually only been able to book Lufthansa First Class award space up to 15 days before departure with partner airline miles like United miles.
This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule though. Lufthansa is phasing out First Class on its Denver to Frankfurt route in early April 2015. In anticipation of that move, it has released 2+ First Class award seats to partners on many of its flights between now and then in both directions.
Unfortunately since February 2014, United has charged a ridiculous 110,000 miles one way in Lufthansa First Class between the United States and Europe. Luckily some Lufthansa partners charge much more reasonable prices to book Lufthansa First Class.
- Which First Class is on the Denver to Frankfurt route? (It’s awesome!)
- What is the award space picture?
- What if you don’t live in Denver or don’t want to visit Frankfurt?
- Which miles book this space cheapest?
Denver <-> Frankfurt
Denver to Frankfurt is served by a 747-400. All refurbished 747-400s feature a 8 First Class Seats, each with a separate bed next to the seat, on the upper deck. Here is a trip report on this plane on this route.
There are still two unfurbished 747-400s that ply the Denver route occasionally. Check the seat map to make sure you aren’t getting one, though I believe that First Class on those planes is not being sold as First Class any more.
Award Space
Days listed with FRA-DEN below have 2+ award seats in First Class from Frankfurt to Denver. I searched from January 12 to March 29, 2015, and there is award space several days per week, especially in March.
Denver to Frankfurt shows a similar pattern, but flying out of Frankfurt is more fun to enjoy the First Class Terminal.
Booking the Space
You can book this Lufthansa First Class space with almost any Star Alliance miles, though unfortunately Avianca LifeMiles cannot book Lufthansa First Class. The prices vary dramatically depending on which miles you use to book:
- United: 110,000 miles each way + taxes (no fuel surcharges)
- Air Canada Aeroplan: 62,500 miles each way + taxes + fuel surcharges (transfer partner of Membership Rewards and SPG)
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: 80,000 miles each way + taxes + fuel surcharges (transfer partner of Membership Rewards, Ultimate Rewards, ThankYou Points, and SPG)
- All Nippon Airways Mileage Club: 120,000 miles roundtrip between Denver and Frankfurt + taxes + fuel surcharges (transfer partner of Membership Rewards and SPG)
Fuel surcharges are $428 on the flight from Denver to Frankfurt and 230 euros ($293) from Frankfurt to Denver.
Despite the steep fuel surcharge, I would rather pay them than 110,000 United miles, so I think the best option is Aeroplan for a one way award and ANA for a roundtrip.
Pay the taxes and fuel surcharges with your Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard® and redeem Arrival miles for a statement credit equal to the out-of-pocket cost of the award.
Connections
United has a major hub in Denver, and Lufthansa has its biggest hub in Frankfurt. You can get from anywhere in the United States to anywhere in Europe or beyond using this flight.
All of the award prices listed in the last section are the same whether you start in Denver or somewhere else in the continental United States and whether you end up in Frankfurt or somewhere else in western Europe with the exception of the ANA award price, which is distance-based.
I might book myself a date on this route in March in First Class with Aeroplan miles because I have always loved the fact that each seat has a separate bed next to it. Will you book yourself some of this Lufthansa First Class award space?
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I have flown Lufthansa F many times (thank you Lifemiles), and always enjoy the experience especially on the 747-400. Its been sad ever since Lifemiles started blocking Lufthansa F awards. I was looking at booking but the nearly $2000 taxes and fees with Aeroplan for the wife and I makes me think twice, especially with all the low fare business class tickets I have purchased lately. We just booked a trip to Barcelona in the spring and Riga in the summer. We might drop the return leg on one of paid business class tickets we bought and just book the way home on Lufthansa…will see. Thanks for the heads up.
United.com is showing all of the availability from Feb 23 to Mar 29 as business class only (or first in two-class cabins, but I don’t think LH446 is a two-class cabin). And searching on ANA doesn’t show any availability for one first class seat on any of those days.
Am I missing a trick for finding and booking this award?
This was all from ANA. Perhaps space has changed because they are flying the old 747-400 that day and marketing the top cabin as Business.
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