Why I Regret Flying Lufthansa Short-Haul Business Class

I took a 3-week solo trip spanning 4 countries in Europe: Iceland, Ireland, Germany, and Portugal. It was an incredible trip, but it wasn’t the fanciest by any means. I stayed in hostels nearly the entire time and flew economy between each country, except on the flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Lisbon, Portugal.

The price difference between economy and business class wasn’t too bad, so I decided to splurge on one leg of my trip. Unfortunately, I wish I had saved the money because after I left the lounge, the experience was all downhill.

My Expectations When Booking

When I searched and booked in June, a ticket in economy was €234 (about $260) or €493 (about $548) for business. I decided to splurge for this flight. I had been quite low on points at the time, so I used my American Express^® Business Gold Card to book this flight. I earned 4x Membership Rewards points on the purchase, netting me 2,112 points worth roughly $42 according to our valuations.

Keep in mind, you’ll earn 4x Membership Rewards points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories.

I also earned 1,749 United Airlines MileagePlus miles for this flight, which I credited to United as I rarely fly with Lufthansa. Those United miles are worth approximately $21.

I knew going into after booking that it wasn’t going to be an over-the-top experience. The flight was roughly 3 hours, which is enough time for maybe a quick meal and a nap. My expectations were at a realistic level, but I was quickly let down.

Everything Before the Flight Was Great

When I walked into Terminal A, I immediately saw the large business class and first class check-in area. There was no line. I checked my bag and got my boarding pass within 3 minutes.

I arrived at the airport several hours before my flight, so I had plenty of time to enjoy the Lufthansa Business Lounge near gate A13 (in the Schengen area). It was worth the early arrival time as it was a pleasant lounge to kill some time at (and take a shower) before my flight.

The lounge was fantastic. The food was great, and it was a nice way to relax before my flight to Lisbon.

My Disappointment Started With Boarding

Once I left the lounge, disappointment quickly ensued. Here’s what went wrong.

Unclear Communication About Delays and Crowded Preboarding

My gate was A60 for the 7:55 p.m. takeoff. I arrived a few minutes before I needed to. The boarding time came and went, and the front desk announced the plane was late, resulting in a 40-minute delay. I got a quick snack and came back to find the delay was going even longer. The total delay time was just short of 2 hours, getting me close to claiming coverage under EU 261.

The crew was able to get the flight boarding, although it seemed they were under mounting stress and pressure from passengers. The boarding pass check process was a bit unorganized, but I got through and headed to the shuttle.

The bus dropped us close to the plane, and I headed to the plane’s front stairwell.

The Seat Was No Different Than Economy

I quickly found seat 4D after I passed the partition curtain and got comfortable. The seat was no different than an economy seat, only with a purposely saved seat between the window seat and myself.

The hard product was identical to sitting in economy. The pitch and width of the seats were exactly like economy seats. The lack of inflight entertainment, charging ports, amenity kit, and blanket/pillow to make the seat more comfortable was disappointing.

Food and Beverage Was Less Than Great

Shortly after takeoff, I was offered a warm towel to clean my hands, a delicious chocolate nougat, and the menu for dinner. I selected the roast beef, and it was mediocre. The saving grace was the black forest tartlet dessert, which was quite good.

Final Thoughts

The hard product left much to be desired. The boarding process wasn’t very smooth, and the seat wasn’t anything special. Landing 2 hours later than I expected also made the post-flight process a bit more irritating.

I expected more from this short-haul business class flight. I left disappointed, but this disappeared quickly after I landed in Portugal (my 25th country). I should have done more research before booking the seat itself. Resources like SeatGuru are a great place to start to see what kind of seat you’re purchasing.

I would give the overall experience a 4/10, with the only positive part being the check-in and lounge experience. Looking back on it, I would have chosen to fly in economy to save the few hundred dollars I spent to enjoy business class.

It’s always much more satisfying to fly in business or first class when you use rewards to pay for it, but sometimes it’s easier to pay cash. In this case, I wish I would have saved my money and flown in economy, but that’s OK.