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.

Porsche And Delta Expand Transfer Service To New York-LaGuardia, Seattle And Detroit

Delta Air Lines will expand its successful customer Porsche service to New York's LaGuardia Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Airport this month. Through its pioneering partnership between a U.S. airline and automotive manufacturer, Delta and Porsche have transferred more than 35,000 high-value customers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York-JFK in the last year.

The program began as a trial at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in 2011 and expanded to Los Angeles, New York-JFK and Minneapolis-St. Paul in 2013. During a typical day more than 100 high-value customers are transferred from gate-to-gate at Delta's largest hub in Atlanta. Transferring select SkyMiles Diamond Medallion customers with Porsche vehicles is just another way that Delta delivers exceptional customer service for its most valuable flyers while providing a unique travel experience.

"Our Diamond Medallion customers expect us to have their backs when they fly with us, and we're always pushing the limits of how to transform potential moments of anxiety into opportunities for great experience that solidify their loyalty to Delta," said Cheryl Scheck, director – Customer Experience. "Our continuing partnership with Porsche gives us hundreds of opportunities to save the day by offering unexpected pick-ups in an even more unexpected vehicle, with a unique surprise and delight to connect them to their destination."

There are 19 Porsche vehicles used across the Delta system to whisk customers quickly between connecting gates. Follow a behind-the-scenes video experience with 19 year Delta employee, Dawn, as she transfers three of Delta's customers at its Minneapolis-St. Paul hub:

A Day in the Life of Delta's Elite Services
The service cannot be requested or reserved but is provided to Diamond Medallion customers based on a number of factors including the day's flight operations, connections times between flights for customers and a member's status. Once customers are added to the priority list for the service by Delta's Elite Services team, they are greeted at the aircraft boarding door and escorted with their baggage to an awaiting vehicle and on to their connecting gate.

Since 2010, Delta has invested billions of dollars in the customer experience including airport facilities with more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New York-LaGuardia Airport and $15 million at Sea-Tac including its Delta Sky Club and recently completed lobby renovations, Sky Priority services, expanded ticket counters and enhancements to the international arrivals area.

Earlier this year, Delta announced updates to its SkyMiles program by introducing a new mileage earning structure and more redemption options for premium customers which begins January 1, 2015. In August, the airline also introduced its new Delta Studio product offering free entertainment from every seat on more than 1,000 aircraft worldwide through a combination of seat-back entertainment systems and in-flight streaming directly to customers' own smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Car Lover's Guide To Germany

Germans love their cars enough to pick up their new one at the factory, something akin to bringing home a new baby from the hospital. The five big German car manufacturers—Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen—have fueled the passion with museums, factory tours, restaurants and other car-themed attractions to enjoy, even if you aren't buying a new car. Here's a guide to their museums and hometowns, where you'll gain a new appreciation of how the motorized carriage changed the world.

AUDI, INGOLSTADT

The Audi Forum displays vehicles from Horch, DKW, Auto Union, and Wanderer, the brands which merged to form Audi, plus examples of Audi racecar history and technical displays, including the R18 hybrid racecar. Add a factory tour to the museum visit for the full experience.

History: One hour from Munich, Ingolstadt is where the German Beer Purity laws were written in 1674, and which still govern brewing. The city is old enough that its Neue Schloss (New Castle) dates from the 1400s, replacing one from the 1200s. It now contains the country's largest collection of medieval arms and armor. Audi moved here at the end of WWII from Dresden, in what became East Germany, so it could sell cars in the West.

Also See: Assamkirche (Assam Church), built in the 1730s, features an optical illusion painted into the ornate ceiling. No matter where you walk, when you look up, it appears that an archer's bow is following you.

BMW, MUNICH

BMW Welt (World) sits inside Munich Olympic Park, the site of the 1972 summer games. One building houses a car, motorcycle, and boat showroom—where everybody stops to applaud owners picking up their new cars. The museum focuses on BMW's technology and design, past and future, including an original one-door Isetta from the 50s, BMW brands Rolls-Royce and Mini, and examples of art cars painted by artists such as Jeff Koons.

History: Founded in the 12th century, Munich seems to be most famous today for its gargantuan Oktoberfest each fall. BMW, which stands for Bavarian Motor Werks, began as an aircraft and engine manufacturer in 1916 and switched to cars after WWII. It’s an ongoing debate whether the pie-shaped BMW logo represents the blue and white Bavarian flag, an airplane propeller, or both.

Also See: The Residenz (Royal Palace), home of Bavaria's ruling dukes from 1363 to 1918, contains a family portrait gallery longer than a football field, and an astounding collection of royal diamonds, emeralds, and other jewels in the form of crowns, scepters and necklaces.  

MERCEDES-BENZ, STUTTGART

The Mercedes Museum displays vehicles in a historic timeline. A glass elevator takes you to 1888 to see contraptions designed by Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz. Follow the circular ramp to successive decades, including the iconic 1950s gullwing roadster, the 300SL, and a 1936 500K roadster, the most powerful street vehicle of its time, which cost the equivalent of $500,000 in today's dollars. A sophisticated, multi-track audio guide, free with museum admission, lets you choose from historic, social, and technical interpretations at each stop. The track for kids offers insights for grown-ups, too.

History: The sixth largest city in Germany, and one of its wealthiest per capita, Stuttgart was settled originally as a Roman fort for its mineral springs, which still attract devotees. Mercedes moved here in 1926.

Also See: The Stadtgalerie (State Gallery) contains one of the finest art collections in Germany, with a treasure trove of Medieval and French Impressionist art.

PORSCHE, STUTTGART

This sleek white museum in the Stuttgart suburb of Zuffenhausen expands upward and outward from the street, much like a sports stadium. The racecar section includes a 1922 Austro-Daimler and 2008 Penske RS Spyder. Hundreds of racing trophies are suspended from see-through filaments that make them appear to be floating in mid-air. The non-racing collection includes an original Type 64 vehicle (better known as the Beetle) designed by Ferdinand Porsche for the company that became Volkswagen. Stand under sound cones to hear the different engines revving, purring, and roaring, from a "James Dean" 550A Spyder to a GT3. 

Also to see: Ludwigsburg is just 15 miles from Stuttgart, an easy daytrip to enjoy Germany's largest Baroque palace, which contains a 74-acre formal garden, and fashion, ceramic, and art museums focusing on the royal clothing and art of the 18th century. 

VOLKSWAGEN, WOLFSBURG

Autostadt (Car City) is a combination automotive theme park and museum, with separate buildings for each VW brand. Bentley and Lamborghini focus on their racing heritage, while the Czech brand Skoda focuses on Bohemian artwork and crystal. The main museum, ZeitHaus, includes everything from a rare 1957 Bugatti AC Atlantic to a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz and a jewel-encrusted Beetle.  With the recent merger of Porsche and Audi into the VW family, there also are pavilions showcasing their technology and design. Get behind the wheel to test your driving skills on an off-road track and a mini racetrack. 

History: One hour from Berlin, historic Wolfsburg has preserved the original red brick factory built by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s to build affordable Beetles (Volkswagen translates as "people's car"). It's been turned into a space for concerts and art events.

Also to see: This is the world's only car factory with its own Ritz-Carlton, designed in the same open and airy architectural style as the rest of Autostadt.

Contributed by Evelyn Kanter, a NYC-based travel and automotive journalist who loves merging her two specialties into a single article. A regular visitor to Germany, she updated several chapters of the latest edition of Fodor's Germany guidebook, including Stuttgart.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Audi Forum (racecar); Courtesy of BMW Museum (Isetta); Courtesy of Mercedes Museum (300SL in front); Courtesy of Porsche Museum; Courtesy of VW Autostadt

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