Lufthansa Receives Its First 787-9 Dreamliner, More on Order

Have you flown Lufthansa recently? Its seats (and service), while comfortable, are not up to par with today’s standards — especially in business class. Happily, Lufthansa has just taken delivery of its very first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which means a big upgrade in aircraft, especially when sitting up front. Let’s take a look at what this means for passengers.

Lufthansa’s Fleet

Currently, Lufthansa operates a fleet of nearly 300 planes. Most of these are from Airbus (and the A380 is expected to be back in service starting summer 2023), though Lufthansa currently operates 27 Boeing 747s and has placed orders for 31 more Dreamliners and 20 777-9s.

In 2017, Lufthansa debuted its newest business class product, which would feature direct aisle access for every passenger. To date, however, the airline hasn’t managed to install this product on any of its aircraft. Unfortunately, this means most passengers are still stuck with Lufthansa’s outdated 2-2-2 product, which forces those in window seats to climb over those seated in the aisle.

Originally, Lufthansa was supposed to take first delivery of the 787-9s in late 2021, though delays have meant it is just now acquiring the aircraft. This newest Dreamliner was originally intended for Hainan Airlines; Lufthansa picked it (and 4 others) up, so we’ll likely see an excellent new business class product, including direct aisle access for every passenger.

However, this is now the second new aircraft configuration Lufthansa has grabbed from other airlines — the other is from Philippine Airlines, whose A350s Lufthansa snagged during bankruptcy.

These planes feature yet another version of business class, meaning Lufthansa will now be operating several distinct business class configurations … so if you’re worried about where you’ll sit, you’ll want to check out your seat map well before departure (SeatGuru is also a great resource).

Booking Lufthansa Business Class

Our step-by-step guide details the best ways to book Lufthansa business class using points using programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA Mileage Club, Asiana Club, Avianca LifeMiles, Lufthansa Miles & More, and United MileagePlus.

For a simple, nonstop round-trip flight between the U.S. and Germany in Lufthansa business class, you can expect to pay between 80,000 to 154,000+ miles, though the cost of miles with taxes and fees varies greatly by program.

Hot Tip: Learn more about how to fly Lufthansa from the U.S. to Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC) in our definitive guide to Lufthansa’s direct routes from the U.S.

Final Thoughts

It’s always good news when an airline receives new aircraft. In Lufthansa’s case, this is another step towards a better business class product — even if it’s not quite the one the airline promised.