Finally some good news: Lufthansa resumes selling first class tickets
Nearly every major airline has announced that they'll emerge from the coronavirus pandemic smaller than they went in, shedding hundreds of aircraft and tens of thousands of staff in the process. First to go have been old planes that were slated to be retired soon anyway, and large jumbo jets that will be difficult to fill in a world of depressed demand for travel.
We've already seen a number of airlines send their superjumbos off to an early retirement, including Air France's fleet of A380s and Qantas's 747s, as well as airlines announcing that they'd be grounding their A380 fleets for at least the next several years.
All of this raises serious questions about the future of international first class, which was already falling out of favor with many airlines around the globe. Adding to this speculation, both Lufthansa and Etihad removed all first-class award availability on select routes (including paid and award tickets), suggesting they were considering grounding or retiring larger sections of their fleet.
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Fans of Lufthansa's incredibly refined and consistent first class product can breathe a sigh of relief, as the German flag carrier has resumed selling first class tickets on U.S. routes. While there's certainly the chance of an equipment swap if demand remains low, this suggests that Lufthansa is more confident in its fleet planning now.
With the A380s out of the mix until 2021 at the earliest, you'll find a first-class cabin on Lufthansa's 747-8s, as well as some A330 and A340 aircraft. Capacity downgrades mean that not all routes that used to offer first class will do so for the near future. For example, Lufthansa used to operate a daily flight between Frankfurt (FRA) and Washington DC (IAD) with a first class equipped 747-8, though that flight is now scheduled to be operated by an A330 without first class when the route resumes in September.
Related: 6 tips for booking Lufthansa first-class awards
Lufthansa only releases first class award space to partner programs like United MileagePlus and Avianca LifeMiles 15 days before departure. While now is not an ideal time to travel, especially with the EU closed to American travelers, it is once again possible to book Lufthansa first class awards between the US and Europe:
Based on current schedules, here are the U.S. cities that will offer Lufthansa first class service this year:
- Chicago O'Hare (ORD): 5x weekly 747-8 flight (moving to daily in August)
- Los Angeles (LAX): 3x weekly 747-8 flight (moving to 5x weekly in August and daily in September)
- San Francisco (SFO): daily A340-600 flight (beginning October 25)
- Houston (IAH): daily 747-8 flight (beginning October 25)
- New York (JFK): daily 747-8 and A340-600 flight (beginning October 25)
- Newark (EWR): daily 747-8 flight (beginning October 25)
These routes are all subject to change based on local government regulations and the spread of the coronavirus. Absent from this list are cities like Boston (BOS), Miami (MIA), Detroit (DTW) and Washington DC (IAD) that used to receive Lufthansa first-class service before the pandemic.
Bottom line
As if the rapid disappearance of travel wasn't hard enough, AvGeeks have had to watch airlines retire or indefinitely ground some of our favorite planes knowing that we'll never get to fly them again. While it was highly unlikely that Lufthansa would entirely discontinue its first class offering, the lack of availability for cash or award tickets was suspect. While there's still a lot of uncertainty right now, Lufthansa once again selling first class tickets (and making them available for awards) is the first piece of good travel news we've had in a while.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. 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, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.