The Definitive Guide to Lufthansa’s Direct Routes from The U.S. [Plane Types & Seat Options]

Lufthansa is certainly an airline that people aspire to fly on — especially in first class.

Their first class is consistently well executed, including luxury bonuses such as cigar lounges, Porsche tarmac transfers, and sublime customer service.

Lufthansa flies to many U.S. cities operating a variety of different aircraft. It’s important to ascertain which aircraft is flying to which destinations, as the aircraft can significantly impact your experience, whether you’re in first class, business class, or even economy.

So, we’ve got a lot to talk about. Let’s get down to business!

Update: Due to COVID-19, Lufthansa may temporarily suspend routes, frequencies, and/or aircraft flown. Please check with the airline directly for the most current information.

Lufthansa Seat Options by Aircraft Type

As we mentioned above, Lufthansa flies so many different aircraft that it’s legitimately hard to keep up with them.

Despite this, they’re pretty good about not performing those pesky aircraft swaps at the last minute.

As usual, we’re going to summarize Lufthansa’s different aircraft, seat maps, and rank all of the best seats on each of the aircraft in every cabin class.

The summarized table of Lufthansa seat options and routes is as follows:

Update: Lufthansa has decided to retire half of its Airbus A380 fleet, and the remaining 7 A380’s will not return to service until 2022. When brought back, the A380’s will only serve the Munich hub, and the Frankfurt hub won’t see A380’s again.

LH Route	Flight No.	Aircraft	Cabin Classes	Frequency
Seattle (SEA) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 491	747-4	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 401/405	LH 405: 747-8	747-8: First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	2x Daily
New York City (JFK) – Munich (MUC)	LH 411	A340-600	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 457	747-8	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Los Angeles (LAX) – Munich (MUC)	LH 453	A340-600	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Miami (MIA) – Munich (MUC)	LH 463	A380	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)	LH 455	A380	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)	LH 459	A340-600	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 431	747-8	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Chicago (ORD) – Munich (MUC)	LH 435	A350	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Washington D.C. (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 419	747-8	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Washington D.C. (IAD) – Munich (MUC)	LH 415	A350	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Orlando (MCO) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 465	747-4	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 423	747-8	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC)	LH 425	A340-600	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Atlanta (ATL) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 445	A340-300	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 439	A330	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Houston (IAH) – Munich (MUC)	LH 441	A380	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Denver (DEN) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 447	747-4	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Denver (DEN) – Munich (MUC)	LH 481	A350	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
San Diego (SAN) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 467	A340-300	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	5x weekly
Detroit (DTW) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 443	A340-600	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Tampa (TPA) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 483	A340-300	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	6x weekly
Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 427	Mixed: 747-4 mostly and A340-600 sometimes	747-4: Business, Premium Economy, Economy A340-600: First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 403	747-8	First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC)	LH 413	Mixed: A350 mostly and A340-600 sometimes	A350: Business, Premium Economy, Economy A340-600: First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
Austin (AUS) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH 469	A330	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	5x weekly
Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC)	LH 429	Mixed: A350 mostly and A340-600 sometimes	A350: Business, Premium Economy, Economy A340-600: First, Business, Premium Economy, Economy	Daily
St. Louis (STL) – Frankfurt (FRA)	LH449	A330-300	Business, Premium Economy, Economy	3x weekly

Best Points to Earn to Fly Lufthansa

When flying on Lufthansa Airlines, the main challenge is going to be avoiding the fuel surcharges that come with it.

These fuel surcharges can be upwards of $1,100 on round-trip travel! To avoid these pesky fuel surcharges, you’ll need to utilize a frequent flyer program such as Avianca LifeMiles or United MileagePlus.

Avianca LifeMiles charges 87,000 miles one-way for first class, 63,000 for business, and 30,000 miles for economy. Avianca LifeMiles is an Amex transfer partner, Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partner, and Marriott transfer partner.

United MileagePlus charges 110,000 miles one-way for first class, 70,000 for business, and 30,000 miles for economy. United is both a Chase transfer partner and a Marriott transfer partner.

If you’re willing to pay for fuel surcharges in exchange for saving more miles, you can utilize Asiana Airlines Mileage Club, ANA Mileage Club, or Air Canada Aeroplan.

Asiana Airlines charges 50,000 miles one-way for first class, 40,000 for business, and 25,000 for economy. Asiana Airlines offers the lowest mileage prices but is only transfer partners with Marriott.

ANA Mileage Club charges 165,000 miles for round-trip first class, 88,000 miles for business, and 55,000 for economy. ANA is transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards Rewards and Marriott.

Lastly, Air Canada Aeroplan charges 70,000 miles one-way for first class, 55,000 miles for business, and 37,500 for premium economy, and 30,000 for economy. Air Canada Aeroplan is transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott.

Lufthansa First Class Options

As you’ve seen above, Lufthansa operates a huge selection of aircraft. All in all, there are around 7 aircraft operated on routes to/from the United States. Three planes have first class seating options.

The three planes that I’m talking about are:

• 747-8
• A380
• A340-600

With Lufthansa first class, you’ll have the opportunity to experience a pristine on-board product along with one of the best ground services in the world, including a Porsche tarmac transfer and a luxurious lounge in Frankfurt.

Hot Tip: Check out our detailed review of Lufthansa First Class! 

First Class on Lufthansa’s 747-8

Our first place winner for first class on Lufthansa is taken by the 747-8. There’s just something special about sitting at the nose of the aircraft with nobody to disturb you.

The first class seat is a jaw-dropping 31 inches wide, 83 inches in pitch, and 81 inches in bed mode.

There are a total of 8 open suites in first class, all of which are located in the nose on the upper deck of the aircraft.

The seat map looks like this:

With the lavatories and galleys located at the back of the first class cabin, the best seats are going to be located at 1A and 1K.

If you’re traveling with a companion, conversation could be difficult while sitting across a wide aisle from one another. With this in mind, couples or traveling partners might be more comfortable in 3D and 3G.

But really, seats 1A and 1K are the main reasons why the Lufthansa 747-8 is the best first class product; the privacy is matched by no other aircraft.

You’ll find the 747-8 operated on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 405
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)

First Class on Lufthansa’s A380

Our next first class choice is the A380. The A380 is one of the best aircraft you can fly. An aviation marvel, the double-decker superjumbo still has only 8 first class seats, which makes the experience very exclusive, private, and luxurious.

Each seat is 31 inches wide, 81 inches in pitch, and 81 inches long in bed mode. The seat map looks like this:

Interestingly, the lavatories are located at the front of the first class cabin while the galleys are located at the back. When a cabin is split like this, the rule of thumb is to avoid the lavatories over avoiding the galley.

As a result, solo travelers may like window seats in row 2 while traveling companions may prefer to sit together in 2D and 2G on the A380.

You can find the Lufthansa A380 operated on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 401
• Miami (MIA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Houston (IAH) – Frankfurt (FRA)

First Class on Lufthansa’s A340-600

Our final first class option available on Lufthansa is aboard the A340-600. Remember that Lufthansa operates the A340-600 as well as the A340-300. The latter doesn’t offer a first class option, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.

The A340-600 also has a similar seat map as the A380, only the first class lavatories and galleys are both located at the front of the cabin, like this:

The A340-600’s first class seats are identical in size to the first class seats on the A380: 31 inches in width, 81 inches in pitch, and 81 inches in bed length.

As you can imagine, the case for row 2 seating is even stronger now with all the facilities located at the front of the aircraft.

You’ll find the Lufthansa A340-600 first class cabin operated on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Munich (MUC)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Munich (MUC)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)
• Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC)
• Detroit (DTW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) sometimes
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) sometimes
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) sometimes

Now that we’ve talked about the Lufthansa first class options, let’s move on to our business class options.

Hot Tip: Have your heart set on flying Lufthansa first class? Check out our in-depth guide on the best ways to book Lufthansa First Class!

Lufthansa Business Class Options

Lufthansa business class products are relatively consistent throughout the fleet, with a couple of exceptions. No matter what aircraft you’re flying, even if there’s a last minute swap, your business class experience will be more or less the same.

Our business class rankings are as follows:

1. A340-300
2. A330
3. A350
4. 747-8
5. A380
6. A340-600
7. 747-4

Business Class on Lufthansa’s A340-300

We consider the A340-300 to be the best business class product because the seat size is a little larger than other business class seats and the business class cabin is relatively small, with only 30 lie-flat bed seats.

Each of these business class seats is 20.5 inches wide, 64 inches in pitch, and 78 inches in bed length.

The 30 business class seats are arranged across 5 rows in a 2-2-2 configuration. Most seats feature direct aisle access, with the exception of window seats on both sides of the aircraft.

The Lufthansa A340-300 business class seat map looks like this:

The business class lavatories, though not shown in the seat map above, are located in the front left side of the aircraft, so you’ll want to avoid seats 1A, 1C, and 1D when possible.

That being said, the best seats on the Lufthansa A340-300 are probably 5H/K or 4H/K since they’re as far as you can get from the lavatories.

You’ll find the A340-300 flown by Lufthansa on these routes:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Diego (SAN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Tampa (TPA) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Business Class on Lufthansa’s A330

Our runner up in business class is the A330. The A330 has business class seats in the same configuration and size as the A340-300. The only difference is that the business class cabin is larger, with 42 seats instead of the 30.

Here’s the seat map:

As you can see, the business class cabin is split into two cabins by the galleys and lavatories. The larger half of the cabin includes 5 rows while the smaller half includes 2 rows. The best seats in business class are in row 11 because you’ll have minimal foot traffic and avoid proximity to the lavatories.

The Lufthansa A330 is flown on these routes:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Austin (AUS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• St. Louis (STL) – Frankfurt (FRA)

As you can see, the A330 is flown on many point-to-point routes from cities like Austin, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

Business Class on Lufthansa’s A350

The next best business class seats are known to be slightly narrower, hence why they’re lower on our list.

The A350, which maintains the 2-2-2 configuration of the A340-300 and A330, lacks the comfortable wide seats. The seats are 20 inches wide compared to the 20.5 inches on the other aircraft. The pitch and bed length remains unchanged at 64 inches and 78 inches, respectively.

There are a total of 48 flat-bed seats on the A350 as shown here:

The trade-off to the slightly narrower seat is that the A350 is one of the newest aircraft operated by Lufthansa, so you can almost guarantee a less worn business class seat.

Additionally, the A350 is a technologically advanced aircraft, similar to the 787, so your in-flight comfort will be maximized in that regard.

In this case, the best seats are going to be in row 1 because the lavatories are located in between the two business class mini-cabins.

You’ll find Lufthansa’s A350 on these routes:

• Chicago (ORD) – Munich (MUC)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Munich (MUC)
• Denver (DEN) – Munich (MUC)
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) mostly
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) mostly

Business Class on Lufthansa’s 747-8

Next, let’s talk about the 747-8‘s business class setup.

The 80-seat business class arrangement on the 747-8 is in 2 separate areas of the aircraft.

There are two sections of business class seats as shown here:

The best business class seats in the 747-8 will be in row 11. This is because the lavatories and galleys are further forward from your seat and no other business class passengers will be walking past you.

You’ll find the 747-8 operated on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 405
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Business Class on Lufthansa’s A380

Our next winner for business class is the A380. On the Lufthansa superjumbo A380, there are 78 fully lie-flat seats in the same 2-2-2 configuration and seating arrangement as the 747-8. The main difference is that all the business class seats are situated together, making the cabin quite dense.

The seat map looks as follows:

As you can see, the layout is pretty dense. There are lavatories and galleys at the front and middle of the business class cabin, so the best seats are going to be at the back of the business class cabin, preferably in rows 24 or 23. 

You’ll find the A380 on the following Lufthansa routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 401
• Miami (MIA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Houston (IAH) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Business Class on Lufthansa’s A340-600

The second-to-last best business class product is the A340-600.

Aboard the A340-600, there are 56 lie-flat business class seats, each measuring 20 inches wide, 64 inches in pitch, and 78 inches long in bed mode. The seats are arranged as follows:

The best seats on the A340-600 will be in row 3. These seats are closest to the front, far from the lavatories and galleys, and have the most privacy of all the business class seats.

You’ll find this business class seating arrangement on these A340-600 routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Munich (MUC)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Munich (MUC)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)
• Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC)
• Detroit (DTW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) sometimes
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) sometimes
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) sometimes

Business Class on Lufthansa’s 747-4

The very last business class product we’ll be talking about is different from the other business class products. Up until now, the business class seats have all been in a 2-2-2 configuration.

The 747-4, features an interesting business class seating configuration. Most seats are in a 2-3-2 configuration, which tapers down into a 2-2 configuration at other parts of the aircraft.

Additionally, there are two sections of business class seating. Here’s what we mean:

The best seat is 4D, which is a lone seat in the middle of the mini-cabin located at the nose of the upper deck. If traveling with a companion, seats in row 1 will definitely appeal to you, as travelers love the privacy it affords.

You’ll find the 747-4 on these routes:

• Seattle (SEA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Orlando (MCO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Denver (DEN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) mostly

Hot Tip: Need help booking? We wrote a super-detailed guide on the best ways to book Lufthansa Business Class!

Lufthansa Premium Economy Options

Now that we’ve exhausted all of our business class options let’s talk premium economy.

• A380
• 747-8
• 747-4
• A340-300
• A350
• A340-600
• A330

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A380

Our first choice for Lufthansa premium economy goes to the A380. Not only is the A380 the quietest aircraft in the sky but, it also happens to have a great premium economy seat configuration.

The seats themselves are 19 inches wide and 38 inches in pitch, which is pretty ordinary for premium economy seats. There are a total of 52 recliner seats arranged like this:

As you can see, the side rows at the front of the cabin have 2 seats each, which is fantastic when traveling with a companion. To get even further ahead, choose seats in row 50, which are situated at the exit row and are therefore more spacious.

You’ll find the Lufthansa A380s on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 401
• Miami (MIA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Houston (IAH) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s 747-8

Our second place winner is the 747-8, which has 32 premium economy seats, each 19 inches wide and 38 inches in pitch arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration across 4 rows.

Here’s the seat map:

Seats 21A/C, 22D-G, and 21H/K are exit row seats that offer a lot of extra legroom. However, they’re still “close” to the lavatories, though in actuality the lavatories are far enough forward that the main thing to worry about is the foot traffic.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide between a lot more legroom or peace and quiet away from the lavatories. You’ll find this 747-8 premium economy layout on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 405
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s 747-4

Our next winner is almost identical to the 747-8: the 747-4. The difference is the placement of the lavatories and galleys, which dropped this cabin below the 747-8 in our ranking.

There are 32 seats spread out in a 2-4-2 configuration across 4 rows. The seat map looks the same as the 747-8, except that the galleys and lavatories are much closer to the premium economy cabin, which can result in some added noise and foot traffic.

For the simple reason that the lavatories and galleys are closer to the premium economy seats, we believe that the best seats are in row 27; specifically, seats 27A/C and 27H/K are great for solo and duo travelers.

You’ll find the 747-4 operated on the following routes:

• Seattle (SEA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Orlando (MCO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Denver (DEN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) mostly

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A340-300

Our next spot goes to the premium economy seats on the A340-300. The seats are slightly narrower at 18 inches wide and 38-39 inches in pitch. 

Since the A340-300 is a smaller aircraft than, say, the A380, the premium economy seating configuration is a 2-3-2. There are a total of 28 premium economy seats in 4 rows:

As you can see, the lavatories and galleys are located at the front of the premium economy cabin. For this reason, the best seats are in row 14 on the A340-300.

The A340-300 is flown on the following routes to/from the United States:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Diego (SAN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Tampa (TPA) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A350

We’re going to hand out the next premium economy spot to the A350. The A350 is known to be one of the quietest and most technologically advanced aircraft out there, but the smaller seats brought it down in the ranking quite a bit.

Every inch counts when flying, and the premium economy seats on the A350 measure up at 18 inches wide and 38 inches in pitch. There are 21 seats across 3 rows in a 2-3-2 configuration.

The smaller cabin size is a big benefit, but the premium economy seats are still quite small compared to the other premium economy seats at the top of our ranking.

The seat map looks like this:

The best seats in this relatively intimate cabin are going to be the farthest away from the lavatories, namely, row 15.

You’ll find the A350 premium economy arrangement on:

• Chicago (ORD) – Munich (MUC)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Munich (MUC)
• Denver (DEN) – Munich (MUC)
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) mostly
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) mostly

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A340-600

We’ve got two premium economy products left, and the next one we’re going to discuss is the A340-600.

The A340-600 has the same seat dimensions and configuration as the other airplanes; the only difference is it includes 1 more row of seats. The 2-3-2 configuration across 4 rows brings the total premium economy cabin to 28 seats.

Since the lavatories are nowhere near the exit rows, you’ll want to select row 26 as your first choice, due to the tons of extra legroom you’ll get.

You’ll find Lufthansa’s A340-600 on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Munich (MUC)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Munich (MUC)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)
• Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC)
• Detroit (DTW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) sometimes
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) sometimes
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) sometimes

Premium Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A330

The very last Lufthansa premium economy product available on routes to/from the United States is aboard the A330.

There are 28 seats across 4 rows in a 2-3-2 configuration, all of which are sized at 18 inches wide and 38 inches in pitch, which is the same as the last several products above.

The ideal seats are those in row 15, due to the exit row position providing more legroom.

You’ll find the A330 on these:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Austin (AUS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• St. Louis (STL) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Lufthansa Economy Options

This very last section will be dedicated to all the different economy class seats you can find in Lufthansa’s fleet.

Our ranking for economy seats is as follows:

1. A380
2. A340-600
3. 747-4
4. 747-8
5. A350
6. A340-300
7. A330

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A380

The A380 offers the best economy seats and is the best aircraft to fly economy on, to be honest. The Seats are 18.2 inches wide and 31 inches in pitch! This is actually wider than most of the premium economy seats on Lufthansa.

371 economy seats are arranged in the A380 with a 3-4-3 configuration, for the most part. Since the A380 is a double-decker, there are two distinct economy sections, which we’ve shown here:

If you can, you always want to be seated in the smaller economy class section, which is arranged in a 2-4-2 arrangement and is more private than the larger sections.

That being said, the best economy seats on the A380 are 95C-H and 76A/K. With the exit row in front of row 95, you’ll enjoy unlimited legroom. However, avoid 95A and 95K due to the protrusion of the exit row door into your leg space.

76A/K are outstanding economy seats because there’s no seat in front to hinder your legroom.

Overall, the A380 economy seats are the largest, and by choosing the preferential seats, your in-flight experience will be dramatically better.

You’ll find the A380 operated on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 401
• Miami (MIA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Houston (IAH) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A340-600

Next, our second-place winner is the A340-600, which is 17.3 inches wide and 31 inches in pitch. The economy seats on the A340-600 are each 0.9 inches narrower than the A380, but it’s still the second-widest Lufthansa economy seat.

There are a total of 189 economy seats arranged in a mostly 2-4-2 configuration.

In the middle of the economy cabin, there’s a flight of stairs that lead to more lavatories. You’ll want to avoid sitting near this staircase at all costs.

There’s not any preferred seating, though couples traveling together will generally want to pick side row seats.

You’ll find the A340-600 on these routes:

• New York City (JFK) – Munich (MUC)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Munich (MUC)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Munich (MUC)
• Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC)
• Detroit (DTW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) sometimes
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) sometimes
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) sometimes

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s 747-4

The third place prize goes to the 747-4, which has 272 economy seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each seat is 17.1 inches wide and 31 inches in pitch. The seats are 0.2 inches narrower than the second-place winner (the A340-600) and 1.1 inches narrower than the first-place winner (the A380).

The seat map looks as follows:

There are only a few truly preferential seats, and those are 32A and 32K. There aren’t seats in front of either 32A or 32K, so you’ll have extra room to stretch your legs out. Couples traveling together may find seats in side-rows 54-55 to be beneficial due to the fact that there are only 2 seats on each side.

You’ll find Lufthansa’s 747-4 U.S. routes here:

• Seattle (SEA) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Orlando (MCO) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Denver (DEN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Frankfurt (FRA) mostly

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s 747-8

Next, we have a similar plane, the 747-8. The seat size of the 747-8 is the same as the 747-4, only instead of 272 seats, there are 244 seats.

The seat map looks like this:

Seating on the 747-8 is in a 3-4-3 configuration with 3 rows of 2-4-2 in rows 45-47. The best seats, in this case, will be side rows 45-47 because there are only 2 seats per side.

Find the 747-8 on:

• New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) on LH 405
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A350

Our next aircraft is the A350. We chose the A350 because there are a couple of preferential seats and the aircraft is known to be very quiet. The cabin contains 224 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration as follows:

For optimal seating, choose 28A and 28K. The exit row seats in row 27 are more spacious, but they’re also closer to the lavatories.

You can fly on the new Lufthansa A350 on these routes:

• Chicago (ORD) – Munich (MUC)
• Washington D.C. (IAD) – Munich (MUC)
• Denver (DEN) – Munich (MUC)
• Newark (EWR) – Munich (MUC) mostly
• Charlotte (CLT) – Munich (MUC) mostly

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A340-300

The next option is on the A340-300. Seats measure 17 inches wide and 31-32 inches in pitch.

Most of the seats on the A340-300 are in a 2-4-2 configuration with a few rows in a 2-3-2 configuration. The 221-seat map looks like this:

The best seats on the Lufthansa A340-300 are located at 29D-G, 30A/C, and 30H/K. The drawback is that the lavatories are located right in front of the exit row, so that’s something that may inconvenience you. Still, for extra legroom, it might be totally worth it.

Find the A340-300 flown on these routes:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• San Diego (SAN) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Tampa (TPA) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Economy Class on Lufthansa’s A330

Our very last option is the Lufthansa A330. The 185 seats are each the same size, 17 inches wide and 31 inches in pitch. The seats are arranged mostly in a 2-4-2 configuration and tapers to a 2-3-2 configuration at the back of the plane.

The best seats are located at the forward part of the cabin, particularly in rows 22 and 23. On top of the extra legroom, you’ll notice that these seats are far from the lavatories. Lastly, the location of the seats means you’ll be among the first to deplane, which can save you tons of time.

You’ll be flying the Lufthansa A330 on the following routes to/from the United States:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• Austin (AUS) – Frankfurt (FRA)
• St. Louis (STL) – Frankfurt (FRA)

Final Thoughts

Overall, there’s a ton of variation in Lufthansa aircraft that fly to/from the United States.

Since Lufthansa is one of the largest airlines in the world, it only makes sense that they fly to a ridiculous number of American cities. Their operational demands cause frequent aircraft swaps, which can dramatically affect your experience, depending on which cabin class you’re flying.

Hopefully, this provides you with the information to help plan your next flight(s) on Lufthansa!