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Home  >  Lufthansa  >  Booked: Lufthansa First Class Birthday Duck Trip!
Lufthansa

Booked: Lufthansa First Class Birthday Duck Trip!

Matthew Klint Posted onAugust 3, 2022August 3, 2022 35 Comments

My birthday is coming up. A trip to Croatia is coming up. That got my mind racing. What better way to reach Croatia than via Frankfurt in Lufthansa First Class? Why the extra stop? To secure a very special birthday duck, of course. Space available? Yep. Booked!

My Lufthansa First Class Birthday Duck Trip

I’ve become a collector of Lufthansa First Class rubber ducks. It’s a rather odd obsession for someone who tries to be a minimalist and de-clutter at home…but there’s something very special about receiving a duck when flying Lufthansa First Class that goes far beyond the duck itself.

Lufthansa First Class has been one of my favorite ways to travel since I first set foot on the upper deck of a 747-400, then the home of the first class cabin, on a trip home from Frankfurt to Los Angeles in 2008.

Over the last 14 years I have collected dozens of ducks on my many journeys in Lufthansa First Class, each a reminder of a special trip or a special flight.

For those passengers who travel through the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt on their birthday, a special duck awaits…a birthday duck.

I took this picture of the birthday duck (old on right, new on left) during my last trip through the First Class Terminal

This is a rare duck amongst Lufthansa ducks, offered to those who travel on their birthday and know to ask for one.

I won’t say I’m making the entire trip just for the duck (like my trip for the coronavirus duck last autumn), but let’s just say I haven’t chosen the most direct route.

There’s something indescribably special about flying Lufthansa First Class, stepping into the First Class Terminal, being warmly welcomed back, then taken to your “home” away from home.

I am deeply grateful to make this trip and that my wife has blessed my odd obsession. My kids don’t get it. They see my duck collection and want to take them into the bathtub. In fact, I once caught my daughter with one…she had grabbed it and hidden it under her pillow. Sorry little lady, these toys are not for sharing. You’ll inherit them one day.

CONCLUSION

I’m heading to Frankfurt on the eve of my birthday in hopes of securing a rubber duck. While a direct flight on United Airlines from Newark to Dubrovnik may have been the easiest option, this is the better option for me and I look forward to bringing you details (and hopefully good news) very soon.

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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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35 Comments

  1. Rick Londberg Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 12:51 pm

    Congrats! What did you use to book it? We have a London trip this fall that I’m going to try to force through Germany just the same. Haven’t done LH F yet, currently have our return on AC so should be an easy pivot if I can find something.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 3, 2022 at 1:05 pm

      United MileagePlus points.

  2. Mark S Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 12:55 pm

    Don’t get your hopes up. At FCT today and told no more. Maybe birthday ducks are different but today I asked for a duck and was told they aren’t giving them, even to kids anymore. Good Luck!

  3. Joe Chivas Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    So you don’t let anyone play with your toys?

  4. Laurence Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    Good luck, sounds like a great trip! Well, except for the masking requirement. I saw some article today that suggested Germany was going to stick with masking on planes and public transport through at least April 2023. Perhaps the FAs will look the other way for first class pax.

    • Mark S Reply
      August 3, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      They didn’t enforce on long haul in F but did on short hop to ZRH in J. But that flight is 45 minutes and a small meal served. So essentially most of flight was maskless. No masks in airport, immigration hall which was a zoo and lounges, even for employees. Makes you wonder, why?

    • Aaron Reply
      August 3, 2022 at 2:56 pm

      Still whining about masks?

  5. Jared Houser Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 1:36 pm

    Seems like you route through Frankfurt a lot. If United had a LAX-FRA or LAX-MUC flight on their own metal, would you take those flights and use PlusPoints, or would you still opt for the Lufthansa metal?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 3, 2022 at 2:20 pm

      I prefer United business to Lufthansa business, but Lufthansa First always wins.

      • Jared Houser Reply
        August 3, 2022 at 3:08 pm

        Ok good so it sounds like you would support United launching LAX-FRA!

        Let’s make it happen @Patrick Quayle!

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          August 4, 2022 at 5:35 am

          I would love to see either route.

  6. derek Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    I long for the pre-pandemic days when Lufthansa First Class Terminal had weekly contests to guess the number of a food item. For example, they might ask “how many bananas are consumed in a year in the First Class Terminal”. The closest entry wins. They will send you a duck. My guess is that about 500 people responded in an average week.

    I once won the prize!!!

  7. Matthew Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 3:43 pm

    Ducks are no more in the FCT, I believe. Sorry to disappoint you. Maybe the are some birthday ducks left somewhere.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 4:15 am

      I can tell you that ducks are still very much available in the First Class Terminal.

      • Matthew Reply
        August 4, 2022 at 6:49 am

        Awesome. Have a good trip.

  8. Maria Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 4:02 pm

    Where in Croatia will you be visiting?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 4:14 am

      Dubrovnik

      • Joe Chivas Reply
        August 4, 2022 at 9:20 am

        I highly recommend a side trip to Mykonos to visit my favorite restaurant: DK Oyster.

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          August 4, 2022 at 9:20 am

          Rotfl

  9. Ed Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 4:14 pm

    I wonder if the cigar lounge and self-serve scotch bar have returned. I think that was closed during Covid.

  10. John Henriksen Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    Matthew- I hope while in Dubrovnik you’ll have a chance to eat at Restaurant Horizont- preferably at one of the tiered outdoor tables overlooking the Old City. Wonderful food, quaffable Croatian wines, and a spectacular view- especially as the sun goes down

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 5:37 am

      Thanks for the tip.

  11. touchmeduza Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 5:15 pm

    I’m curious where you will be staying in Croatia, no Hyatt and not sure there are many points options either. Or I’m wrong?

  12. pmv Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 5:29 pm

    I have not been able to find ANY available dates using United Miles….even within two weeks of travel. Didnt’t they also loosed the rules to open up seats earlier than the two weeks?

  13. Ryan Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 8:09 pm

    Just booked a flight for tomorrow evening ex-LAX to FRA. Space is opening at the last minute. Interestingly, they seem not to be opening space on the LAX-MUC flight, even though it had more seats for sale.

  14. Michael Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 8:41 pm

    I love these rubber duck posts…..who doesn’t love a rubber duck!

  15. John Reply
    August 3, 2022 at 11:42 pm

    Just got back from Greece but missed out on my duck. Plane arrived late and we had to go directly to the 747 so no time for the lounge. I wonder if they would send me one if I begged…

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 4:11 am

      That’s too bad. Next time.

  16. Mick Reply
    August 4, 2022 at 2:44 am

    My ducks always ended up in the bathtub with the kids haha.

    We’re also heading to Croatia in a few weeks with the family. Won’t be arriving on lh f rather an overnight ferry from Ancona

  17. Caleb Reply
    August 4, 2022 at 9:10 am

    @Matthew – I’d never have guessed you’re into masochism. I’m Croatian and I wouldn’t wish Dubrovnik in August on anyone – not on my worst enemy. I do hope you won’t actually be staying in Dubrovnik. That beautiful city is probably the world’s biggest tourist trap and sold its soul several seasons ago to cruise ships, low quality trinkets, and Easyjet/Ryanair budget flights. Croatia is beautiful but you couldn’t pay me to return to Dubrovnik between June 1 and October 15.

    • Caleb Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 9:11 am

      Visit nearby islands. See the Pelješac Peninsula. But don’t waste your money in Dubrovnik.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 10:34 am

      Will address reason for trip now in my trip report. Indeed, July/August is a not a wise time to go to DBV…

  18. michel d Reply
    August 4, 2022 at 10:28 am

    Hello, you are very lucky to get a duck. Every time my wife and I have traveled first class (4 times) on lufthansa we haven’t had a duck! We found that several first class lounges were forbidden to us in Frankfurt. And that the only one allowed didn’t have a duck. All this before the epidemic.
    Maybe because we are French?
    We noticed a certain disdain and arrogance from the lufhansa staff towards us. Confirmed by other fellow citizens.
    What we have never experienced on other airlines

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 4, 2022 at 10:35 am

      Sorry to hear that. I’m sure my ability to speak German helps, but I’ve traveling with American friends and they’ve never experienced poor service.

  19. Dsvid Reply
    August 4, 2022 at 2:14 pm

    Good Luck…hope your flight doesn’t get cancelled like ours did (and a ton more) 3 weeks ago.

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