Face it – your chances to fly in business class on the iconic 747-400 are pretty limited, and they’re only getting slimmer.
So when I had the choice of flying in a brand new 787, A350, or a nearly-30 year old 747 from Europe to India… well, I think the title gives it away.
Lufthansa still flies its older 747-400s on many long-haul routes, such as Frankfurt to Delhi, Mumbai, Seoul, and New York. The main downside of the 747-400 is its high capacity format, offering fewer premium seats and an undesirable configuration in business class.
But as you’ll see shortly, flying Lufthansa’s older 747-400 in business class is still worth it.
How to Book Lufthansa Business Class from Frankfurt to Delhi for 45,000 Miles
Using Air Canada’s fantastic Aeroplan, I found several options from Europe to Delhi for 45,000 points. While Virgin Atlantic does offer reward seats from LHR for as low as 37,500 miles, they tack on a huge surcharge and did not have availability over my travel dates.
And when I saw business class award seats available on a 747-400, as someone who once had the privilege and incredible opportunity of flying them, I naturally could not resist going for it.
45,000 miles to fly business class from Frankfurt to Delhi felt like a steal – even if it was to be on a super outdated Lufthansa business class product. It’s not quite the 55K deal I got from Auckland to New York, but it’ll still do.
I transferred 45,000 points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, which took less than 2 minutes to transfer to Air Canada’s Aeroplan.
Steps to Book:
- Sign Up for Aeroplan: Ensure you have an Aeroplan account.
- Check Availability: Use the Aeroplan website or app to find available flights.
- Transfer Points: Move points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Aeroplan.
- Book the Flight: Secure your business class seat from Frankfurt to Delhi.
Note that Aeroplan is sometimes subject to ghost award availability, displaying flight awards that are not available. If the search results show 1 or 2 seats, I’d recommend calling Air Canada and confirming availability.
Preflight: Transiting Frankfurt Airport (T1), Best Places to Nap, and Lufthansa Business Lounge Review
I arrived at Frankfurt about 5 hours before departure, with aims of catching some sleep and grabbing a decent meal. As some of you may already know, Frankfurt is not my favorite airport, and I find transiting here quite convoluted and overly complicated.
As I arrived from within Schengen/Europe, I had to transit from 1A gates to 1B gates. This of course sounds easier than it is in practice, especially with Frankfurt’s strange signs, indications, and messy lines. Luckily, if transiting from Schengen to International within the same terminal at Frankfurt Airport, you only need to pass immigration (no security check).
Review: The Lufthansa Business Lounge and why it’s not worth it
Pros:
- Polished, modern look
- Comfortable lounge chairs
- Private phone rooms
Cons:
- Shower Process: Tedious sign-up with limited availability.
- Food Quality: Disappointing breakfast with packaged eggs and low-quality sausages.
- Sleep Rooms: Limited privacy and availability.
After about a 20 minute trek through the maze that is Frankfurt Airport, I made my way to the Lufthansa Business West Lounge at B24.
An employee scanned my boarding pass outside the entrance to the stairs and elevators, where I proceeded upstairs.
First order of business was signing up for a shower. I found this process unduly tedious, as the attendant hardly spoke English, and I was to be fourth in line. I was handed a beeper to let me know when my turn was up.
A disappointing breakfast
Whilst waiting, I made my way to the main dining area and grabbed breakfast. I’ve had incredible breakfasts in Germany – unfortunately this was not one of them. The eggs were packaged, and the sausages were not of the best quality. There really wasn’t much else outside of bread, yogurt, and cereal to eat. If I was truly hungry, I would have unquestionably left the lounge to find a proper meal – which there is plenty of at FRA.
An even more disappointing shower
I found the Lufthansa Lounge shower a mixed bag. The bathroom was small, water pressure was excellent, but you only get about 20 seconds of water at a time. This seems awfully cheap for a business class lounge. It was practically the same as the 6€ shower all passengers have access to at Frankfurt airport.
The Lufthansa Business Lounge features decently comfortable lounge chairs, private cell phone rooms, as well as a sleep room. However, the sleep room had little privacy, leather cots, and was already fully occupied by the time I got there. The Lufthansa lounge wasn’t going to be the place to sleep.
Unfortunately, the LuxxLounge is the only PriorityPass lounge available… and it’s not great either.
NapCab, my favorite new way to sleep at Frankfurt Airport
As I was in desperate need of sleep, I decided to try out the new NapCab system at Frankfurt airport. I actually found it very impressive, clean, and comfortable. I would highly recommend it, even for an overnight stay.
Looking back, I probably should have used my Amex Platinum alongside the business class ticket to enter the Senator Lounge. Maybe I would have had better luck here instead of spending 37€ for a two hour nap.
Boarding in Europe: what is the rush?
The Lufthansa app and departure boards signaled that boarding had started, so I made my way to gate B20. What I found, however, was an all-too-typical mass herd of European travelers far too antsy to be the first onboard. (Airline crew call these people gate lice).
If there’s anything superior about American culture, it’s definitely our airplane manners (if only slightly).
The actual boarding began about 15 minutes after the departure board and Lufthansa app depicted the flight as boarding, and it was kind of a free-for-all. It seemed like half the airplane was in group 2 (which includes business class travelers).
Our India Visas/E-Visas had to be verified prior to boarding, which of course could be simplified through the app (like United does).
A flight to remember: Lufthansa 747-400 Business Class In-Flight Experience from Frankfurt to Delhi
Boarding a 747-400 has its perks
I was happy to find a separate jetway for business class travelers, unlike my experience with Qantas.
Once onboard, I took a right and happily made my way up the stairs of this beautiful 747, with massive appreciation for this glorious workhouse and all of the places and adventures it’s been to and seen. You could tell that the working crew felt this too.
I made my way to seat 86K, all the way in the back of the upper deck. I love the secluded and private feeling of the upper deck, as well as the specialized attention you get from two specially trained flight attendants.
I was offered help with my suitcase (which didn’t fit in the small 1990s overhead bins), delicious champagne, and an excellent menu to choose from.
Flight attendants passed out hot towels during the preflight. I thought this was an excellent touch, and as a transiting passenger you definitely love feeling refreshed sooner than later. I felt truly taken care of from the moment I stepped on the airplane.
The only downside was a baggage loading issue which delayed our departure by nearly an hour. This seems all too common at FRA these days!
Reviewing Lufthansa’s Business Class Seat on the older 747-400
Seat Review:
- Configuration: 2-2 on the upper deck, 2-3-2 on the lower deck.
- Comfort: Adjustable cushioning, good seat length, but small footrest.
- Storage: Adequate but not extensive.
Though quite antiquated, the seat was surprisingly comfortable, even on Lufthansa’s undesirable 2-2 (upper deck) and 2-3-2 (lower deck) configuration. Despite having a neighbor, I never felt like we were invading each other’s space.
It’s cushiony (which is adjustable), wide, and surprisingly versatile considering its age. It features a great selection of different and great positions. The static footrest is perhaps a bit small, but the overall seat length is quite good (I guess it’s for Germans after all!), and there’s is a decent but not over-exhaustive amount of storage. For an old seat, it is fine.
The window view from 86K was pretty good, with 3 windows to look out from. However, the curvature of the upper deck does slightly obstruct the view.
Other things to note about Lufthansa’s 747-400 Business Class:
- Row 86 in the upper deck does not feature the awesome side storage bins other seats have.
- There is only one electrical outlet per seat (2 or 3 per row).
- The amenity kit is very simple, but it comes in a quite nice Porsche Design bag.
Inflight Entertainment on a 25 year old 747: not great, but not as bad as you’d think
The IFE is alright. The screen is nice, bright, with about average resolution. But it’s not a touchscreen, and navigating via the cursor on the remote can be challenging. It’s like using one of those static computer mouses (mice?), but worse.
Coverage of movies and TV is also good, but not Qantas good. There are around 100 movies and another 30-40 shows or so. Other things to note about Lufthansa’s 747-400:
WiFi is available for a very high fee. First class passengers have access to complimentary WiFi – it’s a bummer business class is not included.
Lufthansa’s (Excellent) Business Class Dining and Service
As we took out from Frankfurt’s runway 18, I watched the outboard aileron deflect in the gusty winds as the 747 gracefully lifted itself into the air like magic. I loved the sight of leading edge Krueger slats sticking out into the wind, sucking airflow upwards and enhancing the wing’s lift. Pretty neat.
Two amazing meals on one short flight
Meal service was quite prompt, and much more delightful than I anticipated. I was actually surprised by how great Lufthansa’s meal service is in business class.
Cashews were served about 30 minutes after departure alongside beverage service, with some excellent fine wine options to accompany the gorgeous views over the Alps.
Next was a delicious, fresh salad with pomegranate and hazelnut. I actually enjoyed it!
As an appetizer, I chose the halibut (which was kind of like a sashimi). Quite good too. The bread & butter are definitely the ‘bread & butter’ of Lufthansa’s meal service! 😂 Truly tasty bread.
As we approached the Asian continent, the main dish was served. Unfortunately, the fish was quite dry. Everything that accompanied was fresh and tasty, but I’d definitely recommend picking a different/non-fish main meal. This obvious depends on the cooking skills of the flight attendant in the galley that day, but fish is always delicate to cook.
Prior to landing, we were offered a second real meal even though the flight was just over seven hours. Options were chicken or eggplant, and I definitely did not regret the chicken – even if I still felt full from the first meal!
Though the landing wasn’t as beautiful as I hoped (still quite nice), the disembarkation was smooth through both the L1 and L2 doors. I’m always thankful when flight attendants allow business class passengers off first, as I believe this to be an integral perk of business class.
Lufthansa Business Class on a 747-400: Why it’s so worth it (to me)
Getting off at Delhi, I looked back at the 747-400 with a nostalgic gratefulness for its existence. It’s the quintessential airliner, the ‘Queen of the Skies’, and its days are sadly numbered.
So, as much as I could easily complain about its dated cabin and lack of amenities, I find myself being thankful for every time I get the opportunity to witness another minute of this gentle giant gracing the sky.
One day, I’ll look back – wishing I could still sit in that old 2-3-2 business class cabin, control an IFE using a cursor, and look out at those beautiful winglets from a curved upper deck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lufthansa’s 747-400 business class worth it? Yes, especially for aviation enthusiasts and those who appreciate the historical significance of the 747-400.
How can I book Lufthansa business class with miles? You can book through Air Canada’s Aeroplan or other airline reward programs. Transferring points from credit card rewards programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards can also be a quick and efficient way to secure your booking.
