Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt & A330 First Class to Detroit

This is the return part of my Lufthansa first class adventure (Lufthansa A380 first class review).  The centerpiece of this part of the trip was the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.  Only passengers flying in first class on Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian airlines that day.  The First Class Terminal is the cornerstone of Lufhansa's strategy to elevate the entire first class experience to make it beyond compare.  It worked.

Some quick highlights:

• Personal assistant to take care of everything for your trip, concierge for everything else.
• Full service restaurant plus buffet plus ice cream.
• Cigar lounge with complementary cigars.
• 80+ Scotch options, the average age of my drinks was 15 years.
• Shower and bathtub facilities. The bathtub comes with a rubber duckie with Lufthnsa First Class Terminal logo.
• Chauffeur service to flight.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Seating

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Cigar Lounge

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Restaurant

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Buffet

Chauffeured To My Plane

The A330 was parked at a stand position with two sets of stairs for the front two doors on the left side.  As my Mercedes pulled up to the front stairs, a bus from the terminal started unloading passengers on the rear stairs.  I got stares from everyone on the rear steps as I hopped up the front steps and my driver followed with my carry on bag.

Lufthansa First Class A330 FRA

The seat on the A330 is a large recliner, antiquated by current standards.  It's comfortable, but I would prefer a lay flat option for overnight flights.  It worked great for an afternoon trip to Detroit. The service on the flight was the best I have ever experienced.  The crew was outstanding and surpassed anything I've ever experienced in air or on land.  The meal service was great too, the best I had the whole year.  Really.  The pigeon strudel was ineradicable.  I ate every bite despite having fill up in the FCT 90 minutes earlier. It was a truly unmatched experience. I was first line line to customs and cleared in less than two minutes. 

Lufthansa First Class Caviar Service

Pigeon Strudel For Lunch - Lufthansa First Class

Mmmmmm....Roquefort Cheese

Lufthansa Chocolate Yummies

Light Salad Mixed At Your Seat Before Landing

Unfortunately I had a connection on United to get home that was cancelled.  I'm glad I didn't have the perfect trip, otherwise I could never fly again.

Airbus Shop Sale

The Airbus Shop is having a sale!  30% off select items, mostly clothing; the PacMin models are still full price.  They are located in German, so shipping is a tad expensive, but the prices online include 19% VAT which is taken off at checkout, so Americans get 19% everything.  I've ordered from them before and the products are top quality, but the lead time on a custom A380 shirt is over 4 weeks.

What Is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking could be anything, from booking error fares, breaking routing rules with hidden city ticketing, or just working to the limits of the rules.  Booking error fares and breaking rules can be harmful to your mileage balance.  Airlines have closed accounts, cancelled tickets, and taken miles from people who break the terms and conditions.  Usually it requires a pattern to emerge, but only one infraction could cost you all your miles.  They can also bill you the extra cost you avoided when you do hidden city ticketing or just void your ticket.  

Lonely CRJ-700 Taxiing at CLT

I'm not a travel hacker.  I just enjoy taking advantage of poorly thought out marketing decisions.  I stay within the rules at all times.  I do work somewhat at the bounds of the rules, but make sure I am always on the good side of the line.  There is no hack to my process, just a good bit of leg work researching deals and finding flights.  There is plenty of value to be had staying within the rules, so don't risk your gains for a few extra points.

E175 Engine Detail

Upgrade List Ranking

Always fun to be first (United shows cleared upgrades alphabetically, but that doesn't take away from the fun).

United Upgrade List

Fun While It Lasted

Office Depot isn't selling variable value Visa or Amex gift cards any more.  I was using my Chase Ink card to buy them and get 5% back on the office supply store bonus category.  After fees it worked out to be 4% back everywhere.  They still sell gift cards to select stores, so 5% on Amazon and Bass Pro Shops still works.  I still have a decent collection of cards, so I'm not stopping cold.  Good deals are always temporary, there usually will be another.

A Few Jets at BCN

Update: I stopped at Office Depot while picking up my cleaning and they still had the Vanilla cards.  Worked just like last month, this deal might not be dead yet.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Review

I flew on Lufthansa's A380 in first class before I started this blog and it was an amazing experience.  A friend asked me to write a post on it and let the pictures tell the story, so here goes.

In 2011 I used some United miles for a Luftastic flight experience and a few days in Copenhagen.  I was able to find a first class seat on the new A380 from SFO to FRA and I quickly built my trip around that award space outlier (I used ANA to search, but United.com would work too).  I also wanted the Lufthansa First Class Terminal experience in Frankfurt and grabbed a FRA-DTW flight in the antiquated A330 first class (more later).  The DEN-SFO, DTW-DEN, and FRA-CHP-FRA flights were wide open and easy to make work.  A quick call to reservations and I was booked.

Lufthansa's A380 first class is an amazing product that puts United to shame.  The seat is outstanding with ample space.  It reclines into a fully flat bed and the flight attendants will make your bed while you change into your special Lufthansa PJ's. 

A380 First Class Seat and Personal Space

View From 2A

Flight Attendants Made My Bed, Then I Messed It Up

Lufthansa's flight attendants are the best I've encountered. The crews always proper and polite.   They also seem to genuinely care about your flight experience. I wish I could fly with them every trip.  They even helped explain the caviar service (it was my first time). The food was amazing.  The eggs and super crispy bacon (by request) were cooked fresh and better than room service.  

Post Departure Snack and Blue Label

Caviar Service

Salmon Fillet

Made to Order Breakfast, With BACON!

The cabin is unlike anything else.  There is increased humidity to help you feel refreshed.  The sound absorbing material was great, it was as loud as regular airliners when I wear earplugs or Bose noise cancelling headphones.  The bathroom is epicly huge.  The electric window shades were a fun touch too.

A380 Bathroom, It's Huge

First Class Lavatory

First Class Cabin Forward Section

I was disappointed to hear the captain announce we were 20 minutes from landing and I can't wait for my next Lufthansa A380 flight in first class.  

Morning Light

American Miles Are On Sale Too

American is following US Airways' lead and selling miles at a discount.  The American deal gives up to a 50% bonus on purchased miles.  This isn't a very good deal because 90,000 miles costs $1,809 and that isn't enough for a business class award to Europe.

American Airlines 737 Taking Off From LGA

US Airways Is Selling Miles For Cheap Again

US Airways is running a 100% bonus on purchased miles again, up to 50,000 free miles.  If you want to fly around the world in business class, 90,000 miles will cost $1,575.  I wouldn't buy miles to hold onto them, but only buy them to top off my account for an award I'd want to book soon.  These promotions happen every month or two.

You Don't Have to Fly US Airways When Burning Their Miles

Taking a Few Pictures Along The Way

I brought my good camera and lens on my mileage run last weekend and got two dozen fun pictures that will make their way into future posts.  I played with the zoom and was able to catch some fun details.

US Airways Flight Deck Crew at PHL

Double Free Night Credits Bonus at Omni Hotels

I signed up for every hotel loyalty program I could find as part of a research paper I am writing for class (8 weeks until I graduate!), including Omni Select Guest.  Today I found an email promotion for double free night credits on all stays before April 1st (not sure if it's a targeted promotion).  This isn't a status fast track bonus, but just a free night award fast track.  Even though I have no plans to stay at an Omni (I need SPG stays), I signed up.  You never can know travel plans for sure.

There's an Omni hotel in San Francisco

Lufthansa Slim Line Airbus Seats

Slim line seats are coming to the US, Southwest is adding narrow seats and extra rows on their jets.  Lufthansa (and Swiss and Austrian Airlines which they own) has updated their Airbus fleet with these seats.  They are super skinny and have almost no padding. They are fine for a one or two hour flight, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in them for longer than 2 hours.  I do like the seat pocket redesign that provides more knee room.

Lufthansa Slim Seats

Leg room and seat back design

Center seat blocked for business class

First Mileage Run of 2013

I'm taking my first flights of 2013 this weekend and am flying just for the miles.  I found and booked a cheap fare to PHL with an out of the way stop in each direction.  I'm not going to leave the airport in PHL, just get on the airplane I took in and go home. The primary purpose of this trip is to inexpensively boost my elite mileage total.  I also hope to do some reading and work on homework.  One day I'll have a job that gets me 1K status with work travel (again).

United A320

Delta Regional Jet Coach

Frontier (nee. Midwest Airlines) used to run a hub in Milwaukee that would take you to most big and mid sized cities east of the Rockies.  I heard they had cut back service, but I didn't know it was so extreme that you couldn't even get a flight from New York to Milwaukee. The only option out of LGA was Delta on a CRJ700.  I dislike the CRJ family of aircraft because they feel cramped. Add a fat guy (there is no way to report someone who needs to buy a second seat, but oh how I wish I could) and there is no space at all.  Two miserable hours after take off I landed and rejoiced at being able to move my arms and legs.

Delta Connection Coach Seats

Delta Connection Coach

Delta Connection CRJ700

Delta Includes a Minimum Spending Amount For Status

Rip on Delta Week continues with a huge program change. To have Delta status in 2014, you need to spend a minimum of $2,500 with Delta.  Partner flights not booked with a DL1234 flight number and taxes don't count.  This is a seismic shift in elite program rules and it defines loyalty as a monetary transaction.  Loyalty is much more complex than spending money with a company and Delta is missing the point.  Current Delta Elites should just status match over to Alaska, they'll still get Delta upgrades, plus get American upgrades and respect.

Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) – Coming Next Year

Beginning January 1, 2014, SkyMiles members residing in the United States (excluding Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) will earn Medallion status through a combination of miles or segments flown and their annual spending on Delta flights, which will be measured by Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs).

• The threshold ranges from $2,500-$12,500 MQDs depending on Medallion level.
• Alternatively, Delta SkyMiles Credit Cardmembers can be waived from the new Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) requirement if they make at least $25,000 in Eligible Purchases within the calendar year.
• MQDs are the total of the SkyMiles member’s spend on Delta-marketed flights (flight numbers that include the “DL” airline code), inclusive of the base fare and applicable surcharges, but exclusive of government- imposed taxes and fees.

Delta Taking Customers To A Cold And Lonely Place

Delta's Award Booking Website Is Pathetic

I picked up the Delta Amex with a good sign up bonus and wanted to know how easily I can spend my new miles. I tried making a test award booking (all the steps to book, but cancel on the checkout page to see miles and fees) and after a few searches with NO low level awards, I found a city and date combination.  Except when selecting the return flight, I saw the error message below instead. Thanks Delta, I wasn't going to spend my miles, but you made sure of that.

Delta.com Error Message

I do have more respect for United.com's award booking tool, it looks even better now.

United Express CRJ-200

The E175 Is A Great Looking Jet

Embraer is making some sweet looking jets. Just sayin'.

US Airways Express E175

All Messed Up - Airline Terms

Sometimes you overhear things when at airports and I learned a new term, "all messed up." I thought the technical term was irregular operations or IROPS. The United employees at O'Hare seem to prefer saying "all messed up." I was expecting the slang to be worse and have bad words, but this was happily G rated.

All Messed Up - ORD Example

Best Airport Food - BBQ Edition

Airport food isn't always terrible; there are actually places good enough to visit if they weren't in an airport.  My favorite airport BBQ place is Carolina Pit BBQ in Charlotte airport.  It's between the B and C concourses and worth the walk from whatever gate you are at.  The pulled pork and brisket are outstanding! Hush puppies and fried pickle spears are also great.  The one downside is they are closed for breakfast. 

Best Airport BBQ

Yes, I know DFW has six BBQ places in the airport, but it's all Texas style (grill the meat and then add sauce). I enjoyed the sauce bottle I purchased from the one by the United gates, but the food served was flavorless. If you have the time to get to A gates, go to Pappadeaux's, it's outstanding Cajun grub.

Book It While You Can

I was playing around with fares to get to LAX in April (I'm shooting the Grand Prix of Long Beach) and found DEN-IAD-RDU-IAD-LAX for $215, about 4.5c per elite mile. It was an outstanding deal, but I was hesitant to book a 12:30AM arrival.

It Won't Be There Forever

United solved my conundrum today because the fare is gone. I'm kicking myself now for passing on a great deal (only $116 more than the direct).

More Pictures I Like

I took my new camera (Nikon D7000 with my not as new Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 lens) on my Christmas trip to see the family and kept it handy on the flight back.  I grabbed some fun (mostly US Airways) pictures along the way.

US Airways A320

US Airways A321 Take Off

US Airways 767-200

Blue1 - Best Looking Birds in the Air

Blue1, a regional carrier owned by SAS, has the best looking airplanes.  The 717 isn't a sexy shape, but the Blue1 paint on it looks outstanding. Too bad it's part of SAS and in a bad financial state. Pluna used to have the best looking planes until they folded last year; I'd hate to see the new best looking airline fold too.

Blue1 Jet in Helsinki

United Airlines 777 Rear Facing Business Class Seats

I always wondered what the rear facing business class seats on United were like, so I grabbed one (with an upgrade) last month on a flight from Denver to Chicago to find out; I didn't want a longer test in case I didn't like the feeling. I really didn't notice a difference in flight.  The bigger issue with seat 9A was a missing window and claustrophobic feeling.  The forces experienced at take off and landing are reversed too; it wasn't uncomfortable, but just felt a little off.  

United Airlines 777 Seat 9A Rear Facing Business Class Seat

Sunrise at Savannah Airport

I've always enjoyed watching the sunrise at an airport (EWR post, IAD post) and I saw a beauty last week in Savannah.

Nice Sunrise at Savannah Airport (SAV)

Chase Freedom Rewards Poor Values

The Chase Freedom card is my oldest credit card because it has no annual fee and provides consistent value.  The 5% bonus categories are usually great deals and Chase will send me a check (or statement credit or direct checking account deposit) with my rewards.  The program also lets you destroy value with gift card rewards.  3,000 points earns a $30 check or a $25 gift card.  Even if gift cards were 2,500 points, you still lose out because you aren't earning points on that purchase.

Cash Back Via Check or Direct Deposit

Gift Card Values

Happy New Year - Back to 0's

It's January 1st and all the status balances have reset. It's tough looking at 0's across the board.  I wish United and SPG were like Delta and rolled over qualifying points above those needed for the status level reached.

SPG Totals

United Totals

American Totals

Hyatt Goose Egg

US Airways 0's