FlyerTalker70

The main benefits I see for flying LH would be the onboard service (courteous FAs and a 5 course meal if memory serves me correct on my somewhat recent FRA -> YYZ jaunt), bragging rights (i.e. saying you flew upper deck on an A380 and got to hear 4 engines spool up and barrel down the runway like a madmen much like the 747s of yesteryear). On the other hand, UA has LH beat on things like seating/aisle access and the hard product (i.e. mattress pad and proper noise cancelling headphones non of this Bose QC-3 nonsense) oh and savings in points. These days LH and UA J products are a real toss up.

If you're going to splurge on premium cabin on LH go F or go home. The F experience of LH is out of this world: from a dedicated first class terminal to a limo service that picks you up from your house and everything in between.

Flying in J, the lounges you'll have access to will be identical regardless of who you fly with (i.e. Polaris lounge if flying out of SFO/ORD/EWR/IAH or Lufthansa lounge if in Germany, the latter of which I can access flying in Y on AC as a UA Gold).

Safe Travels,

James

seanp7

LH F doesn't pick you up from your house in a limo (although LH Private Jet Service will). From the FCT (and sometimes FCL), yes.

dll

Can only report from my experiences, but I've measured the cabin pressure on all of my longhaul flights (my watch has that feature). I'm not sure I'd classify it as an urban myth, really.

787: Generally 6,000 feet or less (I've noted as low as 5,250 feet on one flight)
A380: Typically ~6,000 feet, so the same as 787
777/A330/A340: vary between 7 and 7,500 feet

There's a big difference between 787 and other widebodies, excepting the A380.

In this case, my preference is for UA's 787 over LH's A380. I really, really don't like the LH hard product in any iteration.

dhuey

I was about to emphasize that. That's a pretty big plus for a 10-11 hour flight. It's roughly the difference between being at 8,000 ft. and 6,000 ft. Good chance your body will really notice the difference.

ETA: Whoops! I see now that the A380 also has that improved cabin pressure. I guess this difference is not in play with the OP's choice.

Christefan

LH doesn't open up F on their A380s very often for non M&M members, so if you see it, take it, its worth it.

polarbears

I sometimes makes last minute personal trips to Europe (from SFO) and see it now and then, so I'm not sure it's *that* rare. And yes, definitely worth it! F on LH's A340 is excellent, too, you just miss the gigantic bathrooms.

The LH business class not so much, I much prefer United on either a 787 or the new Polaris seats (as many many others in the thread said; amusing to see that occasionally there's something people agree on!)

mellon

I agree very little difference so its not worth the extra miles.

nsx

On my travel date (Sunday) I have yet to see any United saver award availability in Business class. Now it's moot. A saver award seat appeared in Lufthansa F and I grabbed it. Row 1 for my first flight on the A380.

From my observations of available seat counts for cash and awards, I believe Lufthansa is using approximately the following algorithm on its West Coast to FRA routes:
- Business class award seats are released if the unsold count is >2 one day before departure, >4 two days before departure, and >6 three days before departure.
- First class award seats are released if the unsold count is >2 one day before departure, and possibly if the unsold count is >3 two or three days before departure (seen early in August but I didn't check unsold seat count)

A minor note: I paid the fee to change to LH Business class two days before departure, then the F seat opened 24 hours before departure. United was kind enough to waive the second change fee. I would have paid it without complaint, but the waiver was the icing on this 110k cake.

polarbears

Enjoy! If you are flying from SFO I believe you'll board through door 1 and basically never see that there are other passengers on the plane than the handful others in your mini-cabin.

nsx

itsMoe

They do pretty regularly, it's just a bit last minute (I think within 2 weeks of departure)

MostlyUA

LH First Class is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I actually prefer it to SQ F Suite. Qatar F Class is IMHO the best out there.