Review: Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Business Class (upper deck) from Frankfurt to San Francisco

The Luxury Travel Expert

Oct 4

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Today: Review of Lufthansa's Boeing 747-8 Business Class on the upper deck (Frankfurt to San Francisco flight)

Flying the Boeing 747 – dubbed the Queen of the Skies – is always an epic experience and Lufthansa is one of the last remaining airlines in the world that still flies this aircraft type, with 27 Boeing 747s in its fleet. The Boeing 747 has been a bestseller with airlines: between the first 747 flight on February 9th 1969 and the end of the 747 production line in 2022, Boeing has built 1,560 B747 aircraft. The Boeing 747-8 is the latest, quieter, more economical, and more environmentally friendly version of the famous aircraft type. The B47-8 features similar engines & cockpit technology as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It is also the world's longest airplane with a fuselage length of 251 feet (77 m).

But while the Boeing 747 is a marvel of technology (I always feel privileged to fly in a 747, especially when seated on the upper deck), Lufthansa's Business Class does not match the grandeur of its flagship aircraft. The cabin configuration (2-2-2 on the lower deck and 2-2 on the upper deck), the lack of privacy as well as the mediocre amenities are disappointing and lightyears behind the Business Class product offered by the carrier's competitors. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, Lufthansa is the only flag carrier in the world that still offers a subpar layout in its Business Class where not all passengers have direct aisle access. The good news is that Lufthansa will soon introduce a new Business Class seat and cabin layout - called Alegris - so that's something to look forward to (although the launch of the new product just keeps getting postponed).

Have you ever flown onboard the Boeing 747? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

I made a YouTube movie with my impressions onboard, which you can watch here:

Trip: Frankfurt (FRA) to San Francisco (SFO)
Airline: Lufthansa
Aircraft type: Boeing 747-8
Aircraft registration number: D-ABYJ (built in 2014 and nicknamed 'Hannover')
On time departure: Yes (10:30 am)
On time arrival: Yes (12:30 pm)
Distance: 5680 miles (9140 km)
Flight time: 11 hours
Seat: 87A (upper deck)
Class: Business Class