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Home » Trip Reports » Review: Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Frankfurt To San Francisco
Flight ReviewsLufthansa

Review: Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Frankfurt To San Francisco

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 8, 2019November 14, 2023 20 Comments

a plane with seats and windows

Lufthansa provides a comfortable first class experience with superb food and drink and excellent service aboard the A340-600.

First Class service starts on the ground with spectacular lounges in Frankfurt. Leave time for a visit to the First Class Terminal or one of the first class lounges (A or B gates in Terminal 1) before your flight. It is an essential part of the first class experience.

When time to board your flight, you will be chauffeured in a Mercedes Benz or Porsche from the lounge directly to your aircraft, which is always a highlight of flying first class on Lufthansa.

a black car with its hood up

inside the interior of a car

airplanes parked at an airport

an airplane on the tarmac

a plane on a runway

an airplane on the tarmac

a black car parked in front of an airplane

It had been 10 years since I had flown the A340-600 in first class which made the flight all the more exciting for me.

Lufthansa 454
Frankfurt (FRA) – San Francisco (SFO)
Saturday, January 25, 2019
Depart: 10:05AM
Arrive: 01:05PM
Duration: 12hr,00min
Aircraft: Airbus A340-600
Seat: 2K (First Class)

From the car, I was escorted upstairs and directly onto the aircraft. A flight attendant waiting at the door welcomed me onboard and showed me to my seat, 2K.

a sign with text on it

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Seating

Lufthansa A340-600 seating in first class is identical to the A380, with two rows of 1-2-1 seating for a total of eight seats. Some complain the Lufthansa First Class seats are not private enough, but privacy dividers can be raised which essentially block out the people around you.

a plane with seats and windows

a room with tvs and seats

a room with computers and a sign

a seats in a plane

a seats in a plane

a room with tvs and seats in a plane

a seat and a television in an airplane

a seat and a television in a plane

a seat in an airplane

a seat in an airplane

a sign on a wall

a logo on a wall

In a compartment under the left armrest you will find the seats controls. Under the right armrest, you will find your IFE remote. There’s two power ports and a USB port on the right arm of the seat and plenty of storage via two compartments along the window as well as a large ottoman that opens up to store all your essential person items.

a seat with a grey panel

a close up of a remote control

a grey box with a blue and black cover

a device in the armrest of a car

a seat in a car

a white pillow with a logo on it

a power outlet with red lights

You’ll find a reading lamp above your seat and also one attached to your headrest that is controlled by a button directly on it.

a flashlight on a bag

You’ll see that unlike the A380 or 747-8, which have a galley between first and business class, business class is directly behind first class on the A340-600.

After the meal service I asked a flight attendant to prepare my bed. Lufthansa’s bedding is excellent and I enjoyed a nice 4.5 hour nap during the flight.

a bed in an airplane

a bed in an airplane

a person lying on a bed with a television

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Food + Drink

I was welcomed onboard with a glass of champagne and a bowl of mixed nuts. Lufthansa rotates between mixed nuts and purely macadamia nuts in first class. I also received a hot towel.

a glass of wine and a plate of nuts on a tray in a plane

a plate of nuts on a napkin

a white towel on a plate

The purser introduced himself to each passenger prior to takeoff and handed out both the drink and food menu for the flight. He wrote the name of each passenger on the drink menu, which was a nice personal touch.

a book on a table

a close up of a paper

a menu of a restaurant

a picture of a bunch of carrots with a sauce

a paper with text on it

a menu with black text

a menu of a restaurant

a paper with text on it

a collage of images of a vineyard

a book with a picture of wine glasses

a poster of two wine glasses

a document with a signature

a menu with a bottle of wine

a paper with text on it

a white paper with black text and black text

a white paper with black text

a white paper with black text

a menu of beverages on a white surface

a white paper with black text

A formal meal service commenced after takeoff, though a FA reminded me that I could eat “whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted” during the flight. I’ve used on-demand dining on prior flights to sleep first, but started this flight with an elaborate lunch.

Shortly after takeoff, FAs presented an amuse-bouche to each passenger. Today’s selection was a scallop served cold with pickled vegetables.

a plate of food on a tray

a plate of food on a table

As flight attendants set the table for lunch, I surveyed the menu. I always expect a culinary feast on Lufthansa, but I have had mixed success in finding tasty main courses (beef is always overcooked). Consequently, I have been sticking to fish on recent flights and chose the dish again today. I chose a pretzel roll and garlic bread from the bread basket, which were served with decadent olive oil + balsamic vinegar and “first class” stamped butter.

a table with food on it

a plate of bread and pretzels

a bowl of brown liquid

a bowl of butter with text on it

You can always tell if you have a good crew by whether they arrange the S&P shakers with the Lufthansa logo facing you. That’s attention to detail.

a salt and pepper shakers on a table

Caviar, Caviar, Caviar…

Every Lufthansa First Class flight begins with caviar service, an acquired taste that I now really look forward to. Caviar is one of those things that is tasty but that I simply cannot justify on the ground, so I get my “caviar fix” only when flying first class. The caviar is served with toast and a garnish of chopped hardboiled eggs, cheese, onions, and sour cream.

a table with plates of food and glasses on it

a glass container with black balls inside

a table with food on it

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food with a bag of bread and a bag of food

Next came an appetizer tray, which included veal, salmon, and gorgonzola cheese.

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a tray

I ordered this mainly for the photo opportunity and promptly moved onto a mixed green salad. I loved the sun-dried tomatoes.

a plate of salad and pretzel on a table

a bowl of salad with vegetables

A pear sorbet was proactively offered as a palate cleanser prior to the main course.

a glass of liquid on a plate on a table

Finally, the main course arrived; Skrei (Atlantic Cod) with chorizo and spinach risotto. The portion was rather small and frankly the fish and risotto I had on United a couple days earlier was better, but it was still very tasty. I loved the cream gravy and the sliced chorizo presented a nice contrast of flavors.

a plate of food and a glass of wine on a table

a plate of food on a table

a table with food and a tv

I enjoyed a nice glass of Riesling with my fish.

a person holding a bottle of wine

The meal service continued with a beautiful cheese course. Usually, flight attendants will wheel a cheese cart through the cabin allowing you to pick and choose the cheese and crackers you desire. On this flight, I was presented a sample of each cheese type and each cracker without asking. Cheese is another thing, in my American diet, that I rarely eat as a separate course. Still, I quite enjoyed every one of the cheeses on the plate.

a plate of cheese and grapes on a table

a plate of crackers on a table

Dessert arrived; warm baked apple crumble served with ice cream and a superb cappuccino.

a plate of food and a cup of coffee

a cup of coffee with foam on a saucer

And as if we needed anything else, chocolate truffles as well.

a box of chocolates in a box

Pre-Arrival Snack

Two hours prior to landing, I ordered a snack…which turned out to be the highlight of the flight. While I never expected to see a cheeseburger served in first class on Lufthansa, what a tremendous cheeseburger it was. It was so good I dedicated a separate post to it.

Flight attendants again set the table prior to serving it. The cheeseburger contained a succulent beef patty with melted cheddar cheese, mushrooms, and guacamole. Vegetable chips (crisps) were served on the side and I also ordered a green salad served with an interesting walnut dressing. And of course fresh-squeezed orange juice, a drink I enjoy more than even champagne on Lufthansa.

a table with plates and a television on it

a piece of butter with text on it

a napkin on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a burger with cheese and guacamole on a plate

a salad on a plate

a piece of food on a plate

a plate of food on a table with a television in the background

There were more tantalizing dessert choices, but I just ordered a small bowl of raspberries and another cappuccino.

a cup of coffee and a bowl of raspberries

a glass cup with raspberries on a plate

a cup of coffee with foam on top

Overall, the meals were excellent on this flight…I truly enjoyed both meals.

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Amenities

Lufthansa First Class passengers receive slippers, pajamas, and an amenity kit. After boarding, a FA asked me what size I wanted. Unlike in Air France first class, large is actually large (versus small…). The van Laack pajamas are currently brown in color. The slippers are super comfortable and also merited a dedicated post.

a brown and white fabric with a bow on a black surface

a folded brown and white shirt

a cushion on a chair

Rimowa amenity kits remain out of the rotation, which is disappointing, but the amenity kits are still stocked with La Prairie skincare products. You’ll also find socks, a shoehorn, comb, an eyeshade, toothbrush, toothpaste, and earplugs in the amenity kit, currently by Windsor.

a group of items on a table

a box on a table

a label on a brown fabric

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Lavatory

Two lavatories in first class offer plenty of space to move around and a window to look out. I appreciate all the amenities available in the lavatory including mouthwash, Evian facial spray, shaving kits, and La Praire hand cream. Unlike the A380, the A340 does not have real towels, which detracts from the first class experience.

a sink and toilet in a bathroom

a sink with faucets and a sign

a container with condiments and packets

a group of bottles on a shelf

a couple of white containers of hand cream

a group of bottles of facial hair wash and a paper towel holder

a red rose with green leaves

If you’re flying economy class on this plane, the lavatories are downstairs in the rear of the aircraft…I think that is such a cool feature of this plane.

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class IFE + Wi-Fi

First class passengers receive complimentary wi-fi onboard. My computer kept logging me out, but I was able to re-connect by inputing the one-time code again. Internet worked fairly well in the first couple hours of thee flight, but then stopped working for the remainder…I was not able to do anything other than send and receive iMessages.

Over 200 movies are available as well live TV (only one sports channel), TV shows, games, and music. I watched the latest Mission Impossible installment, which was…predictably ok.

a screenshot of a computer

a screen shot of a television

a man in a yellow and green uniform

a screen shot of a computer

a screenshot of a computer

a screenshot of a computer

a screen shot of a computer

a map of the world with cities

a screen shot of a computer

Lufthansa uses noise-noise cancelling headphones from Bose.

a pair of headphones on a white surface

Lufthansa A340-600 First Class Service

I’ve never had a flight with bad service on Lufthansa, but was very especially pleased with the service onboard. The crew was lovely and engaging. I always appreciate that the purser thanks passengers before takeoff and landing and the two FAs working first class were the perfect blend of kind and professional.

On this flight, the captain did not come out and greet each first class passenger prior to takeoff, something that while not a big deal is always a nice touch and was missed here.

Additional Pictures

Here’s some additional pictures I took out the window during the flight. The highlight was the picture of Iceland below. Look at how cold and desolate that looks, even though you can see KEF airport. One of the FA told me it was thee first time she had clearly seen the terrain in Iceland in many years.

airplanes parked at an airport

an airplane on the runway

an airport with airplanes on the runway

an airport runway with airplanes on it

an aerial view of an airport

an aerial view of an island

an aerial view of an island

a screen shot of a computerI took a picture of the map as we passed over KEF in Iceland above

aerial view of snowy mountains and blue sky

a window with a plane's shadow

a runway with a building in the background

CONCLUSION

We arrived into San Francisco 30 minutes ahead of schedule and I was sorry to exit the aircraft. As far as I am concerned, you simply cannot go wrong with Lufthansa First Class and it continues to represent the most attainable aspirational first class experience with frequent flyer miles.

Personally, I find the A380 a better first class experience than the A340 (due to the larger lavatories and real towels), but the A340 was very quiet…unlike the 747-8.

The bottom line is this: you’re in for a treat if you fly in Lufthansa First Class. Even dozens of flights later, I always look forward to flying Lufthansa First Class.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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20 Comments

  1. jasdou Reply
    February 8, 2019 at 12:55 pm

    That “desolate airstrip” in Iceland actually is KEF, on the Rekjanes peninsula. We can even see the outskirts of Reykjavik on the upper right hand side of your pictures.

    • Matthew Reply
      February 8, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      Fascinating.

  2. Garrett Reply
    February 8, 2019 at 1:37 pm

    I know I might get some heat from your LA-based readers (like myself) on this, but here goes. If you’re ever in the mood for caviar, the fountain bar that sits along the center park/fountain area at the Grove (I know, I know…) has a very decent caviar offering. It’s not fancy, but it works. You get creme fraice, blinis, shallot, boiled egg, etc… and EXCELLENT people watching. It’s a nice way to spend an afternoon.

    • Matthew Reply
      February 8, 2019 at 7:19 pm

      Thanks for the tip!

  3. Patrick Reply
    February 8, 2019 at 4:37 pm

    Great review, thank you.

    I think there may be a typo. I believe it was the “purser” who introduced himself. I hope it wasn’t the “pursuer” 🙂

    • Matthew Reply
      February 8, 2019 at 7:19 pm

      Indeed! Thanks Patrick.

  4. Mike Reply
    February 8, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Matthew, super review. IMO you are the high standard of travel blogging. I hope you know that you are really good at this stuff. I do hope your businesses are as successful as your blogging – somehow I believe that is probably the case.

    Many thanks from one of your readers.

    • Matthew Reply
      February 8, 2019 at 7:17 pm

      Very kind of you say. Thanks Mike!

  5. Andrew Reply
    February 8, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    Matthew do elaborate on what you consider constitutes ‘decadent olive oil’ and why you felt the pear sorbet was served ‘proactively’

    • Matthew Reply
      February 9, 2019 at 9:54 am

      The olive oil onboard was cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil from Modena with low acidity that had a perfect flavor. Like coffee or wine, what constitutes great flavor is a somewhat subjective measure. I called it decadent because that word is a contronym in the English language. One of its meanings is rich and delicious.

      The pear sorbet was served “proactively” because I never requested it…the FA simply brought it over after my salad.

      Any other questions Andrew?

  6. Nick Reply
    February 9, 2019 at 12:39 am

    The burger and salad alone look better than anything I have seen from one of the large carriers in a long while. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want, a decent cheeseburger rather than the usual over cooked steak.

  7. Immanuel Reply
    February 9, 2019 at 6:55 am

    Thanks for the thorough review. Small spelling error – palate, not palette.

    • Matthew Reply
      February 9, 2019 at 9:59 am

      Fixed. Thanks.

  8. Debit Reply
    February 9, 2019 at 10:55 am

    Well done. Review at least a couple of flights in a month and you will replace lucky for trip reviews.

  9. Rick Banzhoff Reply
    February 9, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    Oh, Matthew! What a story. The photos of Iceland brought back so many memories for me …. including many an afternoon spent at Blue Lagoon. Thanks for a great trip down memory lane!
    I just returned from a LH F trip from FRA to LAX. My experience mirrors yours. They are simply the best!!! Rick

  10. Frank Reply
    February 10, 2019 at 10:40 am

    Great story, I must admit. But let me compare with my competitive experience of flying First Class with EK 225, seat 1K, A380 Dubai to San Francisco on Feb 9th – a 16h flight.
    While Emirates has no chauffeur service to the plane, there is simply no need as boarding gate A12 has direct access from the first class lounge in terminal A to the plane. The privacy offered by the suite in Emirates First Class is second to none, I suggest. One thing which really impressed me was the choice of high end spirits and wine selection on board. The choice by also accessing the business class bar allows to combine privacy with nice chats in a more busy environment, talking to fellow travelers.

  11. Ralph Reply
    July 11, 2019 at 4:59 pm

    Thank you for your outstanding review! I am soon flying to Bogota Lufthansa First Class (my first time) on Seat 1K. I’m kind of worried that the toilets in front are a little disturbing. What do you think? Would a seat in the 2nd row be better?

    • Matthew Reply
      July 11, 2019 at 7:15 pm

      I think row one is fine in terms of noise, but I generally prefer row two and would move back a row.

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