After three flights in luxurious First Class cabin on the Lufthansa 747-8i, I was curious about the Lufthansa First Class A330 cabin and overall in-flight experience. Would a flight in one of Lufthansa’s A330-300 airplanes measure up to flying First Class in one of the Lufthansa 747-8i aircraft, affectionately known as “Queen of the Skies”?
Eat & Drink
Upon arrival into the A330 First Class cabin, I was pleased to be offered the customary Lufthansa pre-flight champagne and macadamia nuts. Our almost eight-hour flight from Montreal to Munich departed shortly after 8 pm, and as much as I wanted to enjoy the extensive onboard dining experience and catch-up on a few movies, I needed sleep for a few hours.
After changing into the cozy Van Laack pajamas, I indulged in a few appetizers, including the Lufthansa First Class caviar service. I selected champagne and an aromatic Merryvale Chardonnay from Carneros to accompany the appetizers.
Sleep
Sleeping during a First Class flight is a difficult decision because I cherish the onboard experience. But, sometimes sleep is a priority, and this was one of those times. As usual, the sleep-enhancing comforts offered to Lufthansa First Class passengers make slipping into slumber effortless – a two-metre long bed, comfortable mattress, cozy duvet, and feather pillow.
I woke up toĀ fresh squeezed orange juice and a barista-worthy cappuccino on our approach into Munich. A full breakwas was offered, but I opted to sleep longer.
Refresh
The mini-Rimowa suitcase amenity kit distributed during the pre-flight service contained typical in-flight amenities such as a hair brush, toothbrush, as well as La Praire face creams and lip balm.
Transfer Service
We arrived at a non-gate position in Munich, and a luxurious S-Class Mercedes was waiting to transport me to the security screening area. First Class passengers transferring through Munich clear security first, so there was no lineup. After the screening, my driver escorted me to the First Class Lounge where I cleared Customs.
First Class Lounge
The First Class Lounge in MunichĀ is smaller than the First Class Lounge in Frankfurt, and it was at or near capacity when I arrived shortly after 10:00 a.m. Poor weather over part of Europe had resulted in delayed flights and a backlog of passengers in the lounge. Luckily, I found a seat in the restaurant and enjoyed a light breakfast before boarding a flight to London.
The First Class Lounge in Munich offers a restaurant, shower rooms, and an inviting living-room-like environment.
Lufthansa First Class A330 vs. the 747-8i
The First Class cabin on both the A330-300 and 747-8i has the same look and feel, passengers receive similar services and amenities, and the food and drink menu is the same quality. Overall, theĀ Lufthansa First ClassĀ A330 experience is comparable to flying First Class on Lufthansa’s 747-8i, with only a few differences.
The First Class seat is the same quality and design, but the configuration varies between aircraft. The Lufthansa A330-300 First Class cabin offers eight seats organized in a 1-2-1 configuration over two rows. The 747-8i offers eight seats over three rows with two window seats separated by an aisle in rows one and two, and four seats in a 1-2-1 configuration in the third row. The 747-8i is a larger aircraft and the First Class cabin is located in the nose of the main deck, providing a more exclusive experience.
The Lufthansa First Class cabin on the 747-8i includes a few extra amenities like individual storage lockers for hanging clothing and more spacious lavatories.
Lufthansa First Class A330 Review – Travel Tips
- If you are on your own, rows one and two in First Class on the 747-8i offer the most privacy. Families will appreciate row three on 747-8i. In First Class on the A330-300, the window seats are the most private.
- Based on my recent experience in Montreal, the boarding process was not the typical expedited Lufthansa First Class experience. An Air Canada representative directed me to join the long line-up of Business Class passengers and everyone else eligible for priority boarding. Lufthansa First Class passengers usually enjoy priority boarding and a dedicated cue.
- If you are flying in or out of Munich and your aircraft is in a non-gate position, it means the aircraft is parked on the tarmac. If you are an HON Circle Member, First Class passenger on Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian Airlines, you will enjoy VIP transfer service in a luxury vehicle. Business and economy passengers will transfer to the terminal via buses.
- I have flown between Munich and either Montreal or Vancouver on my own and with my family and I have noticed that there is something extra special about the service offered by Lufthansa’s Munich-based crew.
- Munich is an easy airport to transfer through, and if I have a choice between Munich or Frankfurt airport, I choose Munich.
- I often use Aeroplan points to book First or Business Class tickets on Star Alliance carriers.
You might also enjoy reading about the Lufthansa First Class 747-8i experience.
As someone who has only flown First-Class three times in her life … Wow! It would be so very nice to fly First-Class on all the long international flights. I just can’t justify the additional cost, though. We’d rather take three coach flights instead of one First-Class flight. Everything boils down to choices.
Thanks, Cherri. I agree, three trips vs. one is an easy choice. Happy travels!
Great post Nancy š Im still yet to fly first class yet and I done over 300 flights! š
Thanks, Danik! I often use airline points to book First or Business Class seats.
I don’t want a review of first class Lufthansa. I want to know how to get it without having to pay š
hahaha, I’m with Claudia! I haven’t ever flown first class – though I do try to upgrade to business class for long haul. It DOES look amazing though, so at some point I will just DO it
First Class is fabulous on a long haul flight, and I often use points to book or upgrade my seat. It was difficult to sleep through the dinner service because I knew what I was missing!
Looks like fascinating accommodations. Caviar? Get out! That is impressive! I was actually even more impressed that you scored La Prairie toiletries. š Woo-hoo!
I just returned from Asia and flew on Asiana in the Business Class cabin. The cabin wasn’t as fresh as Lufthansa’s Business Class, but the service was incredible. The European and Asian airlines are so much more service-oriented than the North American carriers.
That’s the stuff dreams are made of! I’ve never had the opportunity to fly first class, but I’ll be imagining this on my next Spirit Airlines flight š
How fun–looks like a great experience! I’ve never been in first class, but I think I could definitely get used to it š Which might be a bad thing because I would never want to go back to coach, lol! Looks like Lufthansa knows how to do it right–I think my favorite part would be the Transfer Service–would be so nice to skip the lines and have a special transfer car!
The only downside to flying First Class is that you know what you are missing when you aren’t sitting up there! I love the Transfer Service because it extends the First Class experience into the airport.
When you get such service, you probably don’t notice how long the flight is, am I right? Sleeping in a reclined seat sounds like heaven to me for a long flight.
Yes, I often wish the flights were a bit longer when I am in the First Class cabin, and that never happens when I am in Economy!
Lufthansa seems to offer a comparable service to the Asian airlines. It must be one of the few European airlines I have flown with that offers proper First-class level food. I ma about to book flight to New York from Singapore and I was considering Lufthansa instead of SQ, this makes me more comfortable that it will be a comparable experience
I recently flew Business Class on Asiana and although the cabin wasn’t as fresh as the Lufthansa Business Class cabin, the service was amazing. The service on European and Asian airlines is so much better than North American carriers.
Oh, how I wish I could afford first class – flying would definitely be much nicer experience, now it’s just something I need to bear in order to get to the next dream destination.
First Class is a special treat, Monica. I often use Aeroplan points to fly First Class. It is a great way to maximize the value from airline points.
I love those mini Rimowa cases as amenity bags! Very cute and clever design š
Thanks, Jean! I love the Rimowa cases too. I wish more airlines distributed amenity kits that are useful post-flight.