Best Lufthansa First Class: 747 Vs. A380 Vs. A340?

Lufthansa first class is the long haul first class product that I fly the most. That’s not because I think it’s the world’s best first class, but rather because it’s bookable with miles close to departure, and it’s one of the most comfortable ways to cross the Atlantic.

Lufthansa’s first class hard product isn’t much to get excited about, but the airline generally has friendly service, a very comfortable bed, and a great ground experience, between the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt and Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich.

Lufthansa currently offers first class on three aircraft types, so in this post I thought it would be fun to look at which plane offers the best first class experience, should you have the choice between them.

Lufthansa’s three first class experiences

Currently Lufthansa offers first class on a variety of routes operated by all Boeing 747-8s, Airbus A380s, and Airbus A340-600s. If you had the choice of which plane to fly, which offers the best first class experience?

The first thing to understand is that all three types of aircraft have eight first class seats, and the seats are identical. The only difference between the first class products is the layout of the cabin, the general traits of the plane, and some of the unique aircraft specific amenities.

So if I could board a Lufthansa first class flight on the 747-8, A380, or A340-600, which would I choose? Below is my thought process, starting with my favorite…

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 first class

As an aviation geek, it’s such a treat to be able to fly on the Boeing 747, as there are very few airlines still flying these planes. What I particularly love about Lufthansa’s 747-8 first class is that it’s in the nose. There are three rows of seats, with the first two rows having two seats each, and the third row having four seats. There’s simply not another aircraft in the world where you literally sit right underneath the cockpit, and in the nose of the jet.

I love sitting in seat 1A or 1K for the cool feeling of being at the very front of the aircraft. And I also very much like seats 2A or 2K, thanks to the amount of privacy they offer, as there are no center seats in that row either. The 747-8 also has two spacious lavatories in first class, and they each have a window.

I’d say one main downside is that I don’t love the pair of center seats in the third row, so if I’m traveling with someone and really want to sit next to them, the 747 might not be my first choice. Furthermore, the 747 isn’t as quiet as the A380, and it also lacks some of the cool amenities. But that’s a small price to pay for being able to sit in the nose of the plane.

You can read a Lufthansa 747-8 first class review here.

Lufthansa Airbus A380 first class

From a passenger comfort standpoint, the Airbus A380 is my favorite plane to fly. The jet is just so quiet and smooth. While there aren’t that many in service anymore, there are a lot more than of the 747. Lufthansa’s A380 first class is on the upper deck, spread across two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration.

The cabin definitely affords less privacy than on the 747-8, since there’s more of a traditional layout. That being said, there are several things to love about Lufthansa’s A380 first class:

• There are two massive lavatories at the front of first class, and they even have urinals, which are the only ones you’ll find on commercial planes
• While minor, I love how Lufthansa has tail cameras on the A380 that you can watch from your personal television
• To give the cabin a more spacious feel there are no overhead bins, but rather each passenger is given a private locker in which they can place their belongings

Honestly, I love both the 747-8 and A380. If traveling alone I have a slight preference for the 747-8, while when traveling with someone, I really like the A380 as well.

You can read a Lufthansa A380 first class review here.

Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 first class

The Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 first class cabin is spread across two rows and in a 1-2-1 configuration. The layout is identical to what you’ll find on the A380, minus any of the A380-specific amenities.

The plane isn’t as quiet, the lavatories aren’t as big, there are overhead bins, and there’s no tail camera. It’s still a very nice experience, but it’s definitely the least remarkable of the three products, since there’s not much that makes it unique (well, aside from the economy bathrooms in the cargo hold).

You can read a Lufthansa A340-600 first class review here.

What about Lufthansa’s new first class?

Lufthansa intends to introduce a new first class product, as part of its new Allegris cabins. This will initially debut on newly delivered Airbus A350-900s to be based in Munich. However, this product has been delayed considerably, and there are even questions about whether Lufthansa will move forward with this on a widespread basis.

For all practical purposes, I’d just consider Lufthansa’s current first class product to be the only one that’ll be available for the foreseeable future.

Bottom line

Lufthansa offers a solid first class experience across the Atlantic, and it’s available on 747-8s, A380s, and A340-600s. All three planes offer exactly the same seats, though what’s different are the aircraft specific amenities, as well as the cabin layouts.

Personally, the 747-8 offers my favorite first class, as I love the window seats in the first and second row, and I also love sitting in the nose of the jumbo jet. The A380 offers my second favorite experience, thanks to the A380’s quiet cabins, as well as the large lavatories and tail camera. Then the A340 also offers a great experience, but it’s the least exciting of the three.

I’m curious to hear what OMAAT readers think — what’s your favorite Lufthansa first class cabin?