For the first segment of my trip of downgrades, suspensions, and delays, I flew Lufthansa’s Airbus A350-900 Allegris first class on the 7hr15min flight from Newark (EWR) to Munich (MUC). As you might expect, after having flown Lufthansa’s “old” first class dozens of times over the years, I was delighted to finally try Lufthansa’s new first class.
How was the experience? The new Allegris first class is an absolutely massive improvement over the old first class. In particular, I lucked out by being assigned the center double suite. Lufthansa’s new first class product is sleek and spacious, while slightly missing the mark when it comes to some of the details.
Before I get into the review, let me point out one of the quirks with this flight. I was supposed to fly with my dad in Allegris first class (as I upgraded both of us from business class), but one of the seats was inoperable, so he ended up being downgraded to business class. Ordinarily I’d leave my loved one in first class and take the downgrade, but literally the primary reason I took this trip was to review the product, so I kept the seat (and my dad wouldn’t have had it any other way).
Given the circumstances, the ground staff coordinated with the crew so that we could still have our meals together in first class (since it was catered that way anyway), which made the flight quite a bit more enjoyable.
How I booked my Lufthansa Allegris first class ticket
While Lufthansa is usually pretty good about making first class award seats available, unfortunately award redemptions in the new Allegris first class are blocked. Short of outright paying for first class, the only option with Allegris first class is to book a business class ticket through Lufthansa, and then upgrade to first class with cash.
An OMAAT reader made me aware of an attractive Lufthansa business class fare, and then I upgraded to first class for $1,990 per person.
That’s way more than I’d ideally spend, but hey, this is a product I really wanted to review, and there was no better option. In this case, we were booked on the following flight:
7/23 LH413 Newark to Munich departing 8:30PM arriving 10:15AM (+1 day)
Lufthansa Allegris first class lounge & boarding
In the previous installment, I reviewed the Lufthansa Lounge Newark, which is the carrier’s first lounge with the new Allegris design concept. It’s a decent facility, and at least there’s a first class dining section, but otherwise it’s nothing too exciting.
Our flight was departing from gate B62, with boarding scheduled for 7:55PM, 35 minutes before the departure time. Sure enough, that’s exactly when boarding started, and Lufthansa even offers an escort from the lounge to the plane for first class passengers.
Lufthansa A350 Allegris first class cabin & seats
I boarded through the second set of doors, where I was greeted by the friendly crew, and pointed left into the first class cabin. This first requires walking through the 20-seat forward Allegris business class cabin (which I’ve reviewed in the past), prior to entering the first class cabin.
Lufthansa’s A350 Allegris first class cabin consists of three to four seats, depending on how you look at it. Along the windows, you have seats 1A and 1K, which are individual suites. Then in the center, you have seats 1D and 1E, which are in fact a double suite, accommodating up to two people. I ended up being assigned the center double suite (the whole pricing system makes no sense to me), which was pretty awesome.
My first impression of the cabin was very positive, as I found that it looked sleek and elegant, with gorgeous finishes. I think the dark seat covers and trim go very nicely with the wood “shells” around the seat.
Let’s start with the individual first class suites, by the windows. The center suite opens up into the left aisle, meaning that seat 1K has full privacy (as it has the aisle to itself), while 1A opens up into the same aisle as the center suite.
The standard first class seat is 35″ wide, so that’s very spacious. Nowadays we see so many airlines launch unconventional first class suites, while this one is pretty straightforward. It’s just one huge seat that reclines into a flat bed.
The standard first class suite has a crisp 32″ 4K UHD monitor. Underneath that is the ottoman, which becomes part of the bed when reclined.
The ottoman is also where luggage has to be stored, as there are no overhead bins in first class. I like that in theory, since it makes the cabin feel more spacious.
A standard size carry-on should snugly fit into the bin, though good luck if it’s a bit too big, or if you have any other items. It’s a bit disappointing that there’s not otherwise any dedicated storage in the cabin, as the crew advises passengers to store excess items in the business class overhead bins.
The first class suite also has a wardrobe, located along the aisle-side of the seat. This has a mirror, and is big enough to hang some clothes, but that’s about it.
The tray table in the first class suite is massive and heavy, and folds out from the side of the seat. It’s big enough so that two people could dine face-to-face and enjoy a meal together.
Beyond the ottoman, storage is otherwise quite limited. The window-side armrest has a panel with seating controls, and underneath that is a small storage compartment, which also has USB-A and USB-C charging. In addition to that, there’s an AC power outlet, plus a wireless charging port.
Lastly, the suite has a large tablet along the aisle-side of the seat, which can be used to control all the seating functions, the entertainment, etc. More on that in a bit.
I was lucky enough to be assigned the double suite, given that seat 1A was inoperable, and someone else was seated in seat 1K. It’s hard to know how to judge this seat, since in theory it can be occupied by either one or two people.
While the standard first class suites are 35″ wide, this double first class suite is 49″ wide. So as a solo traveler, this is awesome. However, I find it absurd that Lufthansa wants people to pay two whole first class fares to sit here together, while not even giving them 50% more space than a standard first class seat. It’s highway robbery. That being said, if you can be assigned this seat with a standard first class fare, you’re in for a treat.
The suite can accommodate two people, but it’s rather snug. Of course it’s way more comfortable than economy, but the idea is that if you’re paying the standard first class fare for two people, you should have at least double as much space as a standard first class suite, if you ask me.
The double first class suite has a massive 43″ 4K UHD monitor. That’s in line with the biggest monitors you’ll find in commercial aviation, though to be clear, you can only screen one thing at a time (should you be traveling with someone).
The ottoman matches the width of the seat, though this design feels like an afterthought. You don’t have twice as much storage space, so if you’re traveling with someone, it’s a real mystery where you’d place things. For that matter, the barrier in the center of the ottoman actually means this one has less width than the window seat ottomans, so my full size carry-on couldn’t fit there. Instead, I had to store it in the ottoman for seat 1A.
The double suite also has a wardrobe, which is quite a bit wider than at the window seats.
Another thing that surprised me is that the tray table in the double suite is the same size as in the single suites. So if both people want to dine, they’ll have to sit face-to-face. And of course if one person wants to sleep and one wants to stay awake… well, good luck.
The double suite does have a second tray near the aisle, which is big enough for a drink and small snack, but not much more.
As you’d expect, the double suite has all the same charging opportunities as the window suites, including AC, USB-A, USB-C, and wireless charging, with an extra set of USB-A and USB-C charging ports by the aisle.
When it comes to privacy, Lufthansa Allegris first class has something that I’d describe as being between a door and curtain. It’s basically a soft material that you can easily slide forward and backward, but it’s super flimsy.
Annoyingly, there are cutouts that essentially act as door handles. It’s not that I’m concerned about having 100% privacy, but this is less than ideal in terms of cabin light. For example, on my flight, the crew didn’t close the blinds at the window seats after takeoff, so I woke up pretty early in the morning from the amount of light that was coming into the suite.
For that matter, it’s worth noting that the privacy partitions aren’t quite floor-to-ceiling. There’s a little bit of a cutout, which again, just isn’t ideal in terms of light.
For example, when my suite was totally dark, here’s what it looked like when I was looking up, due to the natural light in the cabin.
The double suite has two tablets that can be used to control all the seat functions, along with the entertainment. In theory, there are some cool features.
For example, while the seat doesn’t have individual air nozzles (super frustrating), it does have seat heating and cooling. However, I’m convinced it wasn’t working, because I just didn’t feel any difference. I wasn’t expecting it to feel like sitting on an ice box, but I just literally felt nothing. When I flew Allegris business class, that function actually worked, so I’m not sure if it was just broken at this seat, or what?
All-in-all, what can one really say? The double suite is mighty impressive if you’re traveling alone, and this is a huge improvement over the old product. It really is a very lovely experience, and it leaves a positive impression.
However, I just can’t wrap my head around actually trying to sell the double suite to two fare paying first class passengers. I also think there was a lack of obsession to detail with the design of these suites, with a number of minor little downsides that add up, from lack of air nozzles, to light pollution, to seemingly broken seat cooling, to the bag storage situation.
Lufthansa Allegris first class amenities
While Lufthansa has completely overhauled its hard product, the soft product remains largely unchanged (at least for now — this is expected to change in 2026). Waiting at each first class suite upon boarding was bedding, including two pillows and a blanket. Then there’s additional bedding offered with the turndown service.
Within moments of settling in, the lovely flight attendant taking care of me offered a pre-departure drink. I had a glass of champagne, which was served with both mixed nuts and olives (not just macadamia nuts anymore?!).
The champagne on offer on this flight was 2015 Louis Roederer Brut, which is perfectly drinkable, but hardly the most exciting first class champagne out there.
Moments later, I was presented with the amenity kit for the flight. This was a sleek Porsche Design kit, with a hair brush, shoe horn, socks, eyeshades, earplugs, a peppermint, and two skincare products from Augustinus Bader.
I was also offered the typical van Laack pajamas, along with a pair of very well padded slippers.
I was then given headphones for the flight, but now that Lufthansa has bluetooth audio, those are less necessary than in the past.
Then there was also the menu and drink list, along with a voucher for free Wi-Fi.
Lufthansa A350 Allegris first class entertainment & Wi-Fi
Lufthansa has nicely upgraded its entertainment system over the years, though admittedly that’s not saying a whole lot, given how bad it used to be back in the day. Being able to watch entertainment on a high definition 43″ monitor is very nice, and made me briefly forget I was flying on Lufthansa. 😉
Due to how entertainment options are organized, it’s hard to know exactly how many options there were, but the selection was decent. It wasn’t in the top tier of airline entertainment systems, but most people should have no issues staying entertained.
The ability to pair your own headphones with the system is nice as well.
Here’s something that’s annoying, though. Lufthansa has a tail camera on its A350s, and as an aviation geek, this is literally my favorite type of entertainment. Yet for whatever reason, this could only be watched on the little tablet, and not on the main screen. I’m not sure if this glitch was specific to this flight, or what, because both the flight attendant and purser tried to troubleshoot it, and couldn’t figure it out. Grrr!
While minor, I also found it strange how the entertainment system would cycle between all languages, even when selecting English or German as the language. You’d think these kinks would be worked out at this point.
Lufthansa also has its FlyNet internet system on A350s.
Ordinarily you’d pay 15 EUR for a two-hour pass, or 25 EUR for a full flight pass, which I’d consider to be reasonable pricing. However, because I was in first class, I was given a voucher code for free Wi-Fi.
While not the fastest Wi-Fi in the world, I find Lufthansa’s system to be consistently reliable, so it does the trick.
Lufthansa A350 departure from Newark
Boarding was quite efficient, and by 8:25PM, the process was complete and the main cabin door was closed. At that point the captain added his welcome aboard, informing us of our flight time of 7hr15min. Five minutes later, at 8:30PM, we began our pushback. Since seat 1A was inoperable, I unfortunately couldn’t get a window view, though the sunset looked beautiful.
We started up our engines and started taxiing by 8:35PM, and taxied for quite some time. Then at 8:50PM, the captain announced that we were number 14 for takeoff on runway 22R, and that we’d have to wait a while longer. At 9:10PM, we ended up being cleared for takeoff, and rocketed off into the evening sky.
The seatbelt sign stayed on for around 10 minutes, at which point the crew got the service started. At that point my dad also came up from his business class seat to enjoy a meal with me.
Lufthansa Allegris first class dinner
Dinner was served after takeoff in Lufthansa first class on this flight, and you can find the menu below and drink list below.
Service began around 20 minutes after takeoff, with the typical warm towel presented on a plate with a rose petal.
The first drink was then served around 30 minutes after takeoff. We both had a glass of champagne, plus the amuse bouche, which consisted of an artfully presented scallop.
Service was definitely a little on the slow side at times, but that’s simply because there’s just one flight attendant working Allegris first class. One flight attendant taking care of three passengers might not sound like a bad ratio, but it’s challenging to both work the aisle and the galley, since she was having to heat and plate the meals, set up the service trolleys, etc.
The first course consisted of caviar, which was served in typical Lufthansa fashion. As you can see, the tray table is big enough for two people to be served, but there’s not much room to spare.
Next up was the appetizer course, with three choices, plus a salad. The appetizers included ham and burrata, ahi tuna with watermelon, and asparagus with orange and watermelon, along with a mixed green salad. While this is the same appetizer concept Lufthansa has had for a long time, I think it’s actually one of the better aspects of Lufthansa’s catering, as it’s nice to get a taste of several things.
For the main course, my dad had the asparagus and pea soup (described as a “hot pot”), since the appetizers largely filled him up.
Meanwhile I had the sea bass, served with a shrimp, potatoes, and vegetables.
We then split the two dessert options, including the panna cotta with fresh fruit, and the date pudding cake with mango puree and mascarpone cream.
To finish off the meal, we were presented a cute plate with two sets of chocolates to enjoy.
All-in-all, it was a good meal with friendly service. While Lufthansa’s first class catering isn’t going to win any awards, it’s at least consistent.
Lufthansa A350 Allegris first class lavatory
After the meal, I asked to have my bed made, and decided to check out the lavatory. Lufthansa has a single lavatory in Allegris first class on the A350, located right by the flight deck door. Ideally there would be a second lavatory, since this one is shared with the pilots as well, but that’s not a huge deal.
The lavatory is a bit bigger than average, but nothing remarkable.
It has some elevated amenities, including creams from Augustinus Bader.
There were some maintenance issues, though, as one of the drawers was taped shut, with an “INOP” sticker on it.
Lufthansa A350 Allegris first class bed
Once back at my seat, the flight attendant had prepared my bed. Okay, I’ve gotta say, the Lufthansa A350 Allegris first class bed in the double suite is absolutely incredible. It’s massive, and I believe it’s the largest bed in commercial aviation. That’s because this seat is 49″ wide, while I believe the bed in The Residence on Etihad’s A380 is 47.5″ wide.
Laying down in this bed was definitely one of those “pinch me” moments, like “I can’t believe I’m on a plane right now and lucky enough to fly this!” Now, I’d find this way too snug if traveling with someone (unless you’re looking to basically spoon), but if you have the suite solo, this is incredible.
Lufthansa has excellent bedding that makes the sleeping surface comfortable, and you barely feel a dip in the area between the two suites.
I will say, the suite definitely felt a bit stuffy due to lack of airflow, since there are no individual air nozzles, and I didn’t find the seat cooling to work.
I ended up falling asleep with a little under five hours remaining to Munich, while off the coast of Newfoundland…
…and I woke up a little under two hours before arrival, while over Ireland.
Lufthansa Allegris first class breakfast
After waking up, I went to get my dad, to join me for breakfast. He was sleeping in business class without reclining his seat, as usual. You can find the breakfast menu below.
Service began with warm towels.
To drink, I ordered a cappuccino.
I wasn’t really hungry, since I had dinner just over three hours earlier, but I know I also have a job. 😉 I appreciate how Lufthansa consistently offers scrambled eggs for breakfast in first class, which are prepared onboard, and one of the better airplane egg dishes. The flight attendant asked if I wanted the eggs with caviar, and who was I to say no? My dad wasn’t very hungry, so just had a cup of coffee, some fruit, and a croissant.
At the conclusion of breakfast, we were each presented a four-piece box of chocolates, to take with us on our trip.
Lufthansa Allegris first class service
The flight attendant working first class on this flight was great. She was friendly, attentive, and personable.
As mentioned earlier, you definitely feel that staffing is a bit tighter with just one flight attendant in first class, since working both they galley and the aisle can be difficult. And on this flight she had a relatively easy job — my dad and I were dining at the same pace, there was no fourth person, and the other person had a kosher meal (which requires less work in terms of presentation, preparation, etc.). But she did a great job balancing efficiency with being personable.
Lufthansa A350 arrival in Munich
Before we knew it, our Allegris adventure was coming to an end. At 9:45AM Munich time, the captain was on the PA to announce that we’d be landing in around 35 minutes. The seatbelt sign was already turned on five minutes later, in anticipation of some turbulence.
Of course I wanted to watch the tail camera for landing, but since I couldn’t get it to actually screen on the entertainment system, I just watched it on the tablet.
The weather wasn’t great on the approach, so there were some bumps, but nothing bad. At 10:25AM, we touched down on runway 8L.
From there, we had a roughly five-minute taxi to our arrival gate, where we pulled in at 10:30AM, around 15 minutes behind schedule (with the delay presumably being due to the long takeoff queue at Newark).
We bid farewell to the crew, cleared immigration, and headed to the Koenigshof Munich, our hotel for the next couple of nights.
Bottom line
It was a real thrill to finally fly Lufthansa’s new Allegris first class, given for how long we’ve been anticipating this. There’s no denying this is an absolutely massive improvement over Lufthansa’s old first class. For Lufthansa, it’s revolutionary rather than evolutionary, and the new first class is sleek, and offers a much higher level of comfort than before.
As of now, Lufthansa’s soft product remains largely unchanged compared to the past decade, so it’s mid. However, a refresh of that is expected within the next year.
The biggest challenge with the new Allegris first class is how there are only three suites, and one of them is a double suite. It’s hard to know how to judge that double suite, since I’d have a massively different impression based on whether I were traveling with someone, paid extra to select the seat as a solo traveler, or was just assigned it as a standard first class passenger (which is easy enough to make happen).
As someone who just got assigned the double suite as a standard first class passenger, I’ve gotta say that this must be one of the most impressive first class hard products out there, especially in terms of the bed.
What’s your take on Lufthansa’s A350 Allegris first class?
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