Review: Lufthansa Boeing 747 Business Class Frankfurt to San Francisco

Flight no.	LH 454
Aircraft	Boeing 747-8
Seat no.	85K
Cost	IDR 18.8 million (US$1,255) (CGK-SIN-FRA-SFO, LAX-ZRH-SIN-CGK)
Flight duration	10.5 hours

This was a SWISS codeshare flight that was booked through an error fare.

How to fly in Lufthansa Boeing 747 Upper Deck Business Class

How to choose Upper Deck seats

As the iconic Boeing 747-8 aircrafts (aka “Queen of the Skies”) are no longer in production, flying in this upper deck cabin can provide a unique and nostalgic experience; although they have the exact same seats that are found in the lower cabin.

There are only 32 seats in the small, private upper deck cabin of the aircraft and all of them are Business Class seats.

As these seats are popular among passengers, be sure to select them as early as possible, or at the time of booking.

How to book with Miles

Travellers can book Lufthansa Business Class seats with miles from partner Frequent Flyer Programs like KrisFlyer, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, which can be earned through the best travel/rewards credit cards in Singapore.

Pre-flight

Prior to take-off, I was greeted and offered a beverage of choice.

Lufthansa Boeing 747 Business Class seat

The seats are laid out in a 2-2 configuration and can be transformed into fully-flat beds; which are soft and comfortable, but a little narrow. It is also worth noting that passengers in the window seats will have to cross over the legs of another passenger on the aisle seat, if they need to go to the restroom.

The window seats come with huge storage bins, located between the seat and the window.

Privacy is poor in this seat type, as there are no privacy screens or doors attached to them. And unfortunately, cleanliness wasn’t great either, as I saw bits and pieces of trash on the floor

Amenity kit

Business Class passengers on this flight receive a Porsche Design amenity kit which includes hand/body cream, face cream, socks and dental kit.

Dining

My in-flight dining experience was mixed. The first meal service had delicious, nicely-plated dishes, but it felt like the cabin crew stopped trying, when serving light meals that are served prior to landing.

My ratings

This is how I am rating my Business Class experience (vs other airlines):

Seat	6/10
Bed	7/10
Dining	7/10
Privacy	4/10
Storage	9/10
Service	7/10
Cleanliness	7/10

Bottom line

Lufthansa is one of very few major airlines that are still fly Boeing 747 passenger aircrafts at this time. While the seats are not as modern-looking as the newer ones out there, it was a unique experience, especially as it was my first time flying in the upper deck of the aircraft.

However, the in-flight service and dining experiences were just as average and uninteresting as my previous experiences with the airline.