Lufthansa Introduces Its New First Class Premium Experience

The travel experience in Lufthansa First Class with the new cabin interior on long-haul flights is now even more exclusive. The Allegris First Class cabin can be experienced in the summer timetable on flights from Munich to San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, Shanghai and Bengaluru. Travelers can additionally enjoy the new cabin product in Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class on flights to New York-Newark (from mid-April), and from the beginning of August, also to Charlotte.

Since February, nine A350-900s with the new cabin interior have already been flying for Lufthansa, eight of them with the new First Class. Almost half a million passengers in all classes have now enjoyed the new cabin. This year, the retrofitting of the existing fleet with Lufthansa Allegris will commence, beginning with the Boeing 747-8.

"We are completely reinventing the Lufthansa First Class travel experience with Allegris and making it even more exclusive," said Jens Ritter, Chief Executive Officer Lufthansa Airlines. "Our new First Class, with its unique suites, defines the concept of privacy like never before and is unrivaled worldwide. We are also investing in exclusivity and comfort on the ground by completely redesigning our First Class check-in areas and lounges in Munich and Frankfurt."

Three exclusive suites in the Allegris First Class

First Class sets new standards with two individual suites and the extraordinary Suite Plus: guests can heat or cool their almost one-meter-wide seats in the individual suites, according to their personal needs. The separate cabins, with ceiling-high walls and a lockable door, large table and wide seat, an up to 43-inch-wide screen and wireless "over-ear" headphones, define a new standard of comfort and individuality. Generous storage space is provided by a personal wardrobe in the suite, so that travelers can comfortably change and have all their items at hand. Furthermore, individual lamps allow travelers to create their very own “feel-good” atmosphere.

The distinctive double cabin, Suite Plus, with two wide seats that can be combined into a comfortable double bed if required, creates a unique travel experience. The flying private room impresses with maximum comfort and individuality. For the single passenger, the Suite Plus offers exclusivity, with the unique option of using the double cabin as a couple.

The new First Class is part of a major Lufthansa premium initiative. Among the enhancements, First Class guests can also look forward to renovated First Class check-in areas in Frankfurt and Munich, as well as the redesigned First Class Lounge at Munich Airport.

Service improvements for all Lufthansa passengers

There are sustainable improvements not only for First Class guests, but for all travelers. For example, Lufthansa is offering all passengers departing from Frankfurt a new, innovative baggage collection and check-in service. Since last year, travelers have been able to use the Apple AirTag location function to provide the location of their AirTag via the familiar digital channels of Lufthansa baggage tracing. From the summer, Lufthansa will also offer unlimited free chatting on its intercontinental flights. Passengers will be able to send and receive any number of messages, including photos, on their own smartphone or tablet via the familiar apps during the flight, regardless of their travel class.

Lufthansa is additionally revising all service components on long-haul flights in all classes: the entire culinary offering, tableware, pillows, blankets, amenity kits and the onboard service. The introduction of the upgraded service is scheduled to commence in time for Lufthansa's 100th anniversary next year.

There are also many new features, especially for Business Class guests and frequent flyers. Since the end of February, a new catering concept on short- and medium-haul flights in Business Class offers travelers more hot and cold meal choices, as well as completely new menus. The lounges in Newark and London Heathrow have been entirely redesigned, and the renovation of a further 30 lounges will follow this year.

Lufthansa Introduces New "First Class Suite Plus" - Private Room Above The Clouds

Lufthansa is expanding its premium First Class offering with the "Suite Plus," a separate double cabin with ceiling-high walls and an entirely closable door, large table and two wide seats that can be combined into a comfortable double bed if required. With this flying private room, Lufthansa is setting a new standard in comfort and individuality within its most sophisticated travel class.

The First Class Suite's features are unparalleled anywhere in the world: Guests can warm or cool their nearly one-meter-wide seats in the suite according to their personal needs and connect their own mobile device to the entertainment system. Ample storage space is provided by a suite wardrobe so that travelers can comfortably change and have all their personal belongings at hand.

Service at the highest level also awaits: The crew serves the gourmet menu at a time requested by the guests. The meal can be enjoyed in the private suites at the large First Class table, similar to a restaurant.
"Lufthansa Allegris"

The First Class will be introduced in 2024, on the newly delivered Airbus A350s as part of "Lufthansa Allegris," the airline’s new long-haul product. In the process, the company is improving the overall travel experience for customers in all travel classes: Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class. "Allegris" is part of the largest product and service overhaul in the Lufthansa Group's history, with a total investment of 2.5 billion euros by 2025.

"Every guest has their own understanding of premium, which is why we focus on maximum individuality and exclusivity. The First Class Suite Plus conveys the feeling of privacy and individuality similar to a hotel room – only at an altitude of eleven kilometers," explained Jens Ritter, CEO Lufthansa Airlines at the launch of the "First Class Suite Plus" on February 28 in Berlin. "The Allegris range promises individuality, exclusivity, and premium service along the entire travel chain."

Business Class: More flexible than ever

For the first time, guests in Lufthansa Business Class can also look forward to their own suite, which offers even more comfort and privacy due to chest-high walls and sliding doors. Here, travelers in the first rows can enjoy extended personal space, a monitor up to 27 inches in size and ample storage. Each suite also offers its own wardrobe and personal minibar. Inside, it is possible to connect the two suites so that business class guests traveling together can enjoy a large degree of privacy.

With "Allegris," the freedom of choice for Business Class guests has never been greater. Travelers can choose between six additional seat options, depending on whether they want an extra-long bed measuring 2.20 meters, extra space and work area, a seat with a baby bassinet, or simply an exclusive seat directly by the window. A double seat, in which the center console can be retracted to transform it into a reclining surface for two, is also available.

High seat walls and generous shoulder space provide greater privacy in all options. The seats can be converted into a bed at least two meters long and also offer high-definition screens (4K), generously-sized dining tables, wireless charging, noise-canceling headphones and Bluetooth connectivity. All seats are also equipped with a heating and cooling system, giving business class travelers the flexibility to set their own temperature. For extra comfortable side sleeping, seats also feature a shoulder sink-in, allowing the shoulder to sink into the seat, increasing sleeping comfort for side sleepers. A tablet-sized control unit provides access to all seating, lighting, heating/cooling and entertainment functions. Naturally, each seat is directly accessible from the aisle.

Lufthansa First Class Offers Exclusive Porsche Traveling Experience

Porsche First Class Excitement offer now available from Munich 

Lufthansa First Class passengers and Lufthansa Private Jet guests can now enliven the waiting time before their next take-off with a unique experience—taking a Porsche 911 or Panamera for a spin through Munich, the sub-Alpine landscape or Lower Bavaria. The Porsche First Class Excitement offer is available for all Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian Airlines passengers, Lufthansa HON Circle members and Lufthansa Private Jet guests who possess a valid First Class boarding ticket for that day. “With Lufthansa First Class, we offer our customers the highest travel quality. This is suitably complemented by the exclusive offer from Porsche, which turns the waiting period before take-off into a memorable experience,” said Thomas Klühr, Lufthansa Passage Executive Board member for Finances & Munich Hub.

How it works: The Lufthansa First Class Personal Assistant accepts reservations in the First Class Lounge and arranges the car rental. Passengers can book their sports car online before the flight, or make a spontaneous on-the-spot decision, as long as the chosen offer is available. 

Back at the airport, your First Class flight starts as usual— a limousine takes passengers straight to the apron position beside the aircraft. Once on board, passengers enjoy First Class menus by famous star chefs and a selection of premier wines. A 6 foot long bed tops off a relaxed flying experience.

Porsche First Class Excitement can now be booked at Frankfurt airport, as well as in Munich. The Porsche of your choice can be booked at LH.com/Porsche or via +49 6171 68 1377. A 3-hour rental, including 150 kilometers, petrol and insurance costs EUR 99.11 (EUR 0.99 additional costs per km, deductible EUR 1,500).

About Lufthansa

One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa, serving 21 North American gateways, currently flies to 237 destinations in 78 countries. The air carrier offers hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. With the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, SWISS and a stake in Brussels Airlines, additional hubs include Vienna, Brussels, and Zurich. The entire Group flew a total of 106 million passengers in 2014. Lufthansa, along with its Group members and Star Alliance partners, serves over 1,300 destinations worldwide. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating one of the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleet in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380— the industries’ two most environmentally-friendly passenger aircraft. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and was also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8. By 2025, Lufthansa will receive 272 new aircraft worth about USD 46 billion in list prices on order. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues to build new or upgrade existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network and will spend more than USD 3.7 billion in new products and services by 2016. In 2014, Lufthansa introduced its new Premium Economy Class which offers further comfort and more personal space. By the end of 2015, Lufthansa’s entire long-haul fleet will feature all new onboard products in each class– bringing Lufthansa one step closer to becoming the first five-star airline in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, nearly the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet is equipped with its onboard broadband wireless Internet service, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit www.LH.com.

8 Top Tips For Flying First Class On Frequent Flyer Award Tickets

Ever dream of flying Singapore Suites, Cathay Pacific First Class, Etihad First Class Suites, Lufthansa First Class and other first class airline cabins, but think that they’re impossibly out of reach? They don’t have to be, depending in part on where you’re located, on your credit score, and on your flexibility. You don’t even have to be a true frequent flyer or do much actual paid flying. Here are 8 tips to help you fly first class on award tickets, whether for a honeymoon, destination wedding, anniversary, or special family trip:

1. Have a US social security number and credit history

You can of course earn frequent flyer miles from flying no matter where you live. And another option is buying some of the miles you need. But if you don’t fly a lot for work, it helps enormously to be U.S. based or have a U.S. SSN, credit history, and U.S. billing address. That’s because US banks offer much higher signup bonus for travel rewards credit cards than most of their foreign counterparts. In 2014 for example, we've seen a 100,000 Citi Executive AAdvantage offer that was possible to earn a couple times or more, and there have been targeted AMEX signup bonuses of up to150,000 for the AMEX Business Platinum card. Right now there’s a 70K offer for the Ink Plus small business card.

2. Have (or build) a strong credit score

Let’s be clear: I do NOT recommend applying for new credit cards if any of the following are true:

• You have any credit card or other high-interest debt
• You don’t have a steady income
• You don’t always pay your credit card bill in full
• You plan to apply for a mortgage, student loan, car loan, or other major loan within the next year or so
• You tend to spend more if you have more credit cards

The miles and points game is only for those who are debt free, with a strong credit score, who are able to successfully apply for the most rewarding miles and points credit cards without actually spending any more than they would with just one credit card. If you have any high interest debt whatsoever, you’ll want to pay that off first before getting started and strengthen your credit score, otherwise your debt payments will easily negate the value of the miles and points you’re earning.

3. Strategically apply for credit cards

It’s important to have a strategy before starting to apply for new credit cards. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so I don’t recommend going out and applying for 7 or more new credit cards. First figure out what your travel goals are, and which miles and points will be most useful to you when redeeming for awards.

Next, consider which cards’ signup bonuses and category bonuses will best help you to earn the miles and points you need, and over what time frame.

Also keep in mind that it’s best to apply for a few (I recommend 2-4) credit cards at the same time, then wait 4-6 months before applying for any more cards. That’s because at the time you apply, the bank will do a hard credit pull and look at your credit report. One reason even otherwise qualified applicants are sometimes declined is for “too many recent credit inquiries.” This can happen if you apply for a new credit card each month, as it looks as though you may have increasing credit needs, which can be concerning to an issuer. If instead you apply for all cards on the same day, without having applied for any credit cards for the past several months, no bank will see that you’ve applied the same day to other issuers.

4. If you travel with a partner, ensure they also apply for cards

If you travel with a spouse or partner, make sure they’re applying for credit cards as well, assuming they also have excellent credit and meet the other criteria I mentioned above. First class awards can require a large number of miles, so ideally each person needs to be earning what they will use for the award, although of course for families, parents will need to earn miles for their children’s awards, at least until the kids are college age and old enough to successfully apply for their own credit cards.

5. Take advantage of category spend bonuses

It’s not just about signup bonuses; some credit cards have particularly advantageous category spend bonuses. For example, the Ink Plus small business card gives 5X points for spend on Internet, cable and phone service and office supply stores, and 2X for hotel spend. The AMEX Premier Rewards Gold card yields 3X points for spend on airfare booked directly with airlines.

6. Don’t hoard: earn and burn

This year, 2014, has been a perfect illustration of why you shouldn’t view your frequent flyer miles and points as any kind of retirement fund: frequent flyer programs regularly devalue, sometimes with advance notice, sometimes without. For example, United MileagePlus announced updated award charts last November, which became effective February 1, 2014, increasing some partner first class awards by 86%. And on April 8, 2014, American AAdvantage eliminated US gateway city stopovers and AAdvantage Explorer Awards without any advance notice. That’s why you want to regularly redeem your miles and points for first class or other frequent flyer awards that you value, and not be sitting on a million or more miles.

7. Know your redemption options or use an award booking service

In addition to the airlines’ own frequent flyer award charts, there are plenty of online blogs and resources to help you figure out your best award redemption options. If you don’t have the time or inclination to spend hours poring over all the nuances, you can also pay an award booking service to help research and book your award with the miles and points you’ve earned.

8. Plan ahead and be flexible with dates

It’s important to understand that award tickets, especially first class awards, are in high demand, so your best chance of being able to redeem miles for a first class award is to plan well in advance and be flexible with your travel dates. If you have very inflexible dates or only make last minute plans, you may need to stick with paid tickets.

Contributed by Hilary Stockton, CEO at TravelSort. www.aluxurytravelblog.com

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