I’m still working on figuring out exactly how widespread this is, though in the meantime wanted to share what I know, so that OMAAT readers can hopefully snag some comfortable transatlantic award seats. Thanks to a reader for bringing this to my attention.
Continue reading: Lufthansa Releasing First Class Awards In Advance!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ngl, I’ve noticed this for about a month. Random dates leaving ORD 3-4 weeks in advance of a given departure date.
This is awesome, thanks for posting this Ben!
One question, wouldn't it be best to book through Asiana though? They charge only 50,000 miles for F each way, and you can transfer Bonvoy there. 120,000 Bonvoy = 50,000 Asiana. But they do charge fuel surcharges. I am not sure how much the charges are, so not sure which is the best route.
@Lucky, Expertflyer is showing the 748 flying FRA-SFO as well. Not sure when it started but I think as of a few days ago.
They also fly FRA-SFO. I just booked two seats. The availability showed up 16 days out. Strangely it did not show up on United. I first saw it on Aeroplan then confirmed through Singapore Air.
Any idea when the First Class Terminal will reopen?
I don't think it's worth spending the miles on first class from Europe to US until it does.
I must be doing it wrong, but I can’t seem to find any availability through United at all. The First saver award doesn’t ever show up via ORD or EWR.
I’ll be heading back from Europe on 8/20 and have Polaris booked, but was really trying to get An LH First flight.
Anyone have a suggestion on how to make it happen?
Asiana fuel surcharge for that route in F is substantial. $1000 range for a round trip I believe.
I don't see much availability overall but I do see 3 seats First class 87,000 + $158/each on September 1 via LifeMiles. Better than nothing -- thank you, Ben for pointing this out.
This availability IS visible on ExpertFlyer. However, it's pretty easy to search quickly on LifeMiles as well, as you can scan dates and if there is First availability, that column will pop up and if there's none, the column will not be there.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen lh biz (and maybe first) available for greater than 14 days from ord for a while. Maybe even pre pandemic.
just wish the flights back to the US didn't leave so early. Need more FCT time
Don't trust it as I have seen no availability when displaying a weeks worth but availability showing when changing to specific date
I actually noticed this a few weeks ago when I got an ExpertFlyer alert for F space on ORD-FRA for a date next week. I booked it as soon as I saw it! There were 6 F seats available for award bookings and given that it was weeks out, I assumed it was a glitch. Good to know this may be more widespread! I hope this sticks.
Haven't you heard? Endre no longer flies with the commoners who scratch and scrimp to get enough miles to fly first class for once in their pathetic lives, He simply found the experience dreadful and bought his own jet.
Has anyone found availability for EWR to FRA or FRA to EWR?
I haven't seen anything during August or September in First Class
Outlier, but I prefer the Munich first class lounge. Mostly in the situation that you have to trek outside to the fct. I like the deck in Munich.
Sure if the there is space available it will get available within the few days of the flight I was planning to fly this week and when I checked it was available on Sunday 7 seats monday 4
I was tempted. FRA-ORD on Aug 31 or Sept 1 has seats in row 1 on the 748. There’s a TRYP in downtown Frankfurt for 47EUR and aero plan 100K plus $233. I’ll wait. Lufthansa First would be the flight of a lifetime. But It’s not like there won’t be new airline products in 2022 and 2023. Asia won’t be closed for ever.
All i did at the height of the pandemic was fly domestic first in row 1 and 2 on the 77W with American I was like 6 for 6. I’ve quenched my thirst.
Started 7/31 was on the first flight SFO-FRA - snagged 2 seats few days prior
UNITED avail still wonky vs Aeroplan and even Lifemiles
Also no sparkling Rose on SFO-FRA
Starters were served on the larger biz class starter plates maybe a first day hiccup
Lifemiles has almost no availability with Lufthansa or ANA whatsoever, let alone in First Class
When Joe decides to open up US borders. But - plot twist - maybe Joe is actually waiting for Carsten to open up the FCT first...? 😀
Much easier trick than waste money on credit card points just buy cheapest economy ticket you can on long haul and then pay a mere 460eur for an upgrade in business. Just got screwed on LH to Almaty economy ticket 600 eur max upgrade one way 469 euro at gate 2x this roughly half full fare I paid.
LH is completely disregard its loyal customers senator etc
In addition they never repaid me a ticket since 2020.
A joke of an airline subsidized by European and German taxpayers
Sad as I liked the product in first
But now it is a free for all approach.
Will be on another carrier next.
just booked CDG-FRA-EWR first weekend of september using aeroplan! expertflyer wasn't showing any space, but i checked anyway and it was there. couldn't believe it! i cross-checked, ua didn't show it but sq did, so i figured it was real. confirmed in seat 1k! go forth, everybody. (obviously it wasn't showing on lifemiles.)
Does anyone have any insight into the lack of star alliance availability on LifeMiles avianca? For example, this week for EWR to FRA there is TONS of availability on United, but every day on Lifemiles shows "not available"
It appears that all space has been pulled.... There are still plenty of open seats between ORD/MIA/IAH - FRA. MIA-FRA and ORD-FRA both showed space 8 days out from yesterday but everything appears gone now. Have you seen anything to suggest different or read anything as to why this has happened? I have been looking through Aeroplan and United.
With LH401 back as a 748 starting this weekend, I am seeing JFK to FRA availability on MileagePlus even just a couple days before departure. Unfortunately, it doesn’t show anything more than two weeks out again, but it also doesn’t seem like many people are going for it. EWR has no availability in first and barely any availability in Business.