Lufthansa flying its Boeing 747, Airbus A350 on select intra-Europe routes
Here's something you don't see often: Lufthansa plans to fly its Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft on two short-haul routes this summer.
As reported by Paddle Your Own Kanoo, the German airline's 364-seat 747-8 will fly between Frankfurt (FRA) and Mallorca (PMI) on four Saturdays between mid-July and early August, which are typically peak times for European leisure travel.
We rarely see planes this large fly intra-Europe. This route is typically operated by an A320, so the upgrade signals a surge in demand for European leisure travel this summer as lockdown measures loosen and borders reopen.
The plane is equipped with four cabins: economy, premium economy, business and first class. That said, you can expect to receive standard intra-Europe service in both economy and business.
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You can also select some premium economy seats without paying an extra fee. That said, I was not able to select a first-class seat on a business class booking. These may be saved for Lufthansa HON Circle elites.
Further, Lufthansa is also flying its newest plane — its Airbus A350-900 — from Munich (MUC) to Mallorca as a one-off service on July 31. This represents a huge upgrade from the A320 that normally operates this route. This A350 is equipped with proper international business class and premium economy seats, so it's sure to provide a more comfortable ride.
Related: 6 tips for booking Lufthansa first-class awards
Pricing and award space
Most flights on the Frankfurt to Mallorca route start at around $225 one-way on the 747-operated flight in economy class this summer. The cheapest business class ticket I found on this route was $381 one-way, which may be worthwhile if you're based in Europe and want to sample Lufthansa's lie-flat business class.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find saver award space on this route.
Related: The best websites for searching Star Alliance award availability
Bottom line
It's really cool to see Lufthansa bring two of its best airplanes to intra-Europe routes this summer. To me, it's a sign that European travel demand is picking back up as the coronavirus pandemic subsides around the region.
If you're an AV geek flying from the U.S. or U.K. to Mallorca this summer, you may want to route your flights through Frankfurt or Munich. This is a special opportunity to fly the Queen of The Skies on a very nontraditional route.
Feature photo by Lukas Wunderlich/Shutterstock
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Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees