Lufthansa's 'retired' A380 returns amid industry’s stunning reversal from pandemic lows
Lufthansa's superjumbo jet is back.
The German carrier returned its first Airbus A380 to service Thursday, a victorious return for a fleet that was once considered gone for good amid a bleak future for international travel.
The airline's return flight for the massive double-decker landed at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) after a hop across the Atlantic from Munich Airport (MUC), before departing back to Munich later in the evening.
Now, three years after Lufthansa initially "retired" the A380 due to a collapse in international travel linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline industry can barely keep up with surging travel demand, even choosing to operate fewer flights in order to keep operations more reliable.
For Lufthansa in particular, whose capacity growth plans rely on new aircraft development and deliveries from Boeing and Airbus, the current demand has created a quandary. Travel demand surged back to pre-pandemic levels sooner than expected, but new aircraft deliveries have been delayed amid mounting supply chain issues — it needed a way to add more capacity to its network quickly.
So just three years after saying goodbye to the A380, the German carrier pulled the palatial plane out of storage and put it back into service, starting on the Munich-Boston route.
Lufthansa will also add the double-decker to its route between Munich and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) starting next month.
As the aircraft landed and taxied to its gate, employees from Lufthansa and Boston Logan Airport watched from the ground, noting that it was the first time the German carrier had brought its biggest plane to the New England airport. While British Airways operates an A380 on one of its Boston-London daily frequencies during the summer, and Emirates flew an A380 to Boston before the pandemic, it's nevertheless exciting for the locals to see the flagship plane landing in their city.
Photos and celebrations on the ramp and at the gate, coupled with short speeches in the lounge, capped off the festive arrival.
With airlines scrambling to add planes and pilots, some of the groundings from the peak of the pandemic in 2020 seem to have been a bit hasty. United, for instance, often notes that it chose not to ground any of its wide-body fleet, putting it in a strong position to capture resurgent demand in 2021 and 2022.
Lufthansa's head of the Americas region, Dirk Janzen, hesitates to call the initial planned retirement a mistake.
"At the time, with the knowledge that we had, it was a reasonable decision," Janzen told TPG during an interview at the event. "We didn't expect demand to come back at that rapid pace."
"If I could go back in time, yes, probably, we wouldn't retire it," he added.
Notably, the aircraft also features first-class seats — only Lufthansa's A340-600 and Boeing 747-8 also offer the top cabin in addition to business class — giving the airline a renewed opportunity to sell tickets to wealthy "premium leisure" travelers, a market subset that has emerged and grown since the pandemic began.
"Premium leisure is just extremely strong," Janzen said. "A lot of customers are willing to pay more to sit in premium economy, business class or even first class. So that has changed since COVID."
Lufthansa's A380s can seat 509 passengers across four cabins. There are eight first-class seats, 78 business-class seats, 52 premium economy recliners and 371 economy seats.
Flight review: Lufthansa first class on the Airbus A380
Lufthansa will roll out a new first-class cabin as part of its new Allegris cabin design, set to debut later this year.
Lufthansa plans to have four A380s back in service by the end of the year, so there are plenty of opportunities to book a flight if you want to take advantage of this second chance to fly the legendary two-story jetliner.
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees