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Lufthansa's A350 Premium Economy Becomes Top Choice for US-Europe Travelers
Lufthansa's new Allegris premium economy on Airbus A350-900 offers near-business comfort with wider seats, enhanced service, and big cost savings on US to Europe routes.
The gist
Lufthansa's Allegris premium economy cabin delivers nearly 80% of business class comfort at half the price on key transatlantic A350 flights.
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Lufthansa has innovated its long-haul premium economy offering with the Allegris cabin on the Airbus A350-900, reshaping transatlantic travel choices between the US and Europe. Faced with soaring business class fares exceeding $4,000 round-trip and cramped economy cabins on 8- to 11-hour flights, the Allegris product bridges the gap by delivering substantial comfort improvements without the four-figure premium. By placing the Allegris cabin on routes from major US hubs to Munich, Lufthansa creates an attractive middle ground for travelers seeking premium comfort on a budget.
The Allegris cabin architecture marks a significant upgrade from standard economy. The A350-900 features a seven-abreast 2-3-2 layout, improving aisle width and reducing middle seats to just one per row. Seats measure 19 inches wide with 39 inches of pitch, providing about 50% more space than typical economy seats arranged nine abreast. A standout feature is the fixed-shell recliner, which allows seats to slide forward when reclining rather than pivoting backward, preserving the personal space of the passenger behind and avoiding intrusion into work areas.
Each seat in Allegris includes an integrated leg rest, fold-down footrest, and adjustable headrest with privacy wings. The in-flight entertainment system boasts a large 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen with Bluetooth audio pairing, letting passengers connect noise-canceling headphones wirelessly. Multiple charging options including AC power, USB-A, and USB-C ports ensure devices remain powered throughout long-haul flights. Such upgrades align the premium economy experience closer to business class standards in terms of comfort and technology.
Pricing dynamics underscore the cabin's value proposition. Business class tickets between US cities like New York or Chicago and Munich frequently cost between $3,800 and $5,500 round-trip. By contrast, premium economy fares for the same routes often fall between $1,400 and $2,100. This gap of over $2,000 per segment makes premium economy a cost-effective alternative, especially for travelers prioritizing seat comfort and sleep quality over flat beds and lounge access. Families and couples can save upwards of $4,000 per round-trip by choosing Allegris over business class.
Lufthansa also enhances the soft product around Allegris to enrich passenger experience. Premium economy travelers check in with double baggage allowance of two 23 kg bags, saving potentially $150-$200 in extra fees. Onboard, passengers receive welcome drinks, bottled water, and upgraded amenity kits featuring socks, eye masks, and dental items. Meals come on porcelain plates with metal cutlery and cloth napkins, a clear step up from economy service trays. Ground perks include priority boarding and discounted access to Lufthansa business lounges in Munich and Frankfurt, adding further comfort during travel.
Operationally, Lufthansa concentrates its Allegris-equipped A350s mainly at its Munich hub, facilitating consistent product availability on high-frequency transatlantic routes. Key US gateways served daily with Allegris A350s include New York JFK, Newark EWR, Chicago O'Hare ORD, San Diego SAN, and Miami MIA. In Frankfurt, newly delivered Boeing 787-9s also feature Allegris cabins, extending the premium economy offering. Passengers can verify cabin type by noting the distinctive seven-abreast 2-3-2 seating in reservation seat maps.
Munich Airport supports this strategy by providing an efficient transit experience, known for streamlined security and compact terminals that make connections manageable. This operational advantage complements the aircraft cabin improvements, offering a cohesive and comfortable journey for international travelers connecting through Bavaria. The focus on comfort, convenience, and value positions Lufthansa's Allegris premium economy as a strong competitive option on US-Europe transatlantic flights.
Deciding whether to upgrade to business class or select premium economy depends on individual preferences such as flight timing, fare differences, and sleep needs. The premium economy Allegris cabin delivers most of the tangible comfort benefits of business at a fraction of the price, which is particularly compelling for daytime flights under 10 hours or for travelers prioritizing seat space and recline over flat-bed capability. Lufthansa’s approach reflects shifting market demands where comfort and value increasingly define passenger choices.
Frequently asked questions
- What features distinguish Lufthansa's Allegris premium economy seats on the A350-900?
- The Allegris seats offer 19-inch width, 39-inch pitch, fixed-shell recline that protects personal space, integrated leg and footrests, and privacy headrests in a 2-3-2 layout.
- How does the pricing of Lufthansa's premium economy compare to business class on US-Europe flights?
- Business class fares frequently range from $3,800 to $5,500 round-trip, while premium economy fares typically cost $1,400 to $2,100, making premium economy a substantially cheaper option.
- Which US cities have direct Lufthansa A350-900 flights with the Allegris premium economy cabin to Munich?
- Key US gateways are New York JFK, Newark EWR, Chicago O'Hare ORD, San Diego SAN, and Miami MIA, all served regularly by the Allegris-configured A350-900.
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Lufthansa Charges Extra for Most Lufthansa Allegris Business Class Seats
Lufthansa is in the process of rolling out its much anticipated new Allegris business class cabins, and so far, they're installed on select Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s, consistently available on some long haul routes . Lufthansa has heavily marketed how its new Allegris business class product is all about choice, and that the airline offers at least five different business class seating options. The catch is that a majority of these seats are actually buy-up options, so they'll cost you extra if you just book a standard business class ticket. In this post, I'd like to take a look at how Lufthansa Allegris business class seating actually works in terms of the fees. How much will you pay to assign the various types of Allegris business class seats, and what happens if you don't pay for a seat in advance? Is waiting until check-in to get a seat assignment going to get you the worst seat, or is that the hack to get the best seat? Let's start with covering the basics of Lufthansa's different kinds of Allegris seats, and then we'll talk about how much assigning them will cost you. Types of Lufthansa Allegris business class seats I've now had the chance to fly Lufthansa's Allegris business class on both the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 . It's a massive improvement over the old product, and there's also a huge difference in terms of the quality between the various seats in this configuration. Lufthansa Allegris business class cabin Lufthansa publishes the below maps of the two plane types that have Allegris, which shows you the different kinds of seating options. Lufthansa Allegris seat map Airbus A350-900 Lufthansa Allegris seat map Boeing 787-9 Let me use the Airbus A350-900 as an example, which has 38 business class seats. Here are the five types of seats, including which cost extra, who can assign them for free, etc.: The classic seats (12 of 38 seats), which are the standard seats closest to the aisle, can be assigned in advance by all passengers at no extra cost The privacy seats (10 of 38 seats), which are the "true" window seats that offer extra privacy, are free for Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The extra space seats (four of 38 seats), which are the middle "throne" seats that offer a lot of space, are free for Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The extra long bed seats (four of 38 seats), which are select middle seats with extra long beds behind the extra space seats, are free for Miles & More HON Circle members and their companions, and can be booked at an extra cost by others The business suites (eight of 38 seats), which are the super spacious seats with doors in the first row of each cabin, are available at an extra cost for all passengers Lufthansa Allegris business class privacy seat How much Lufthansa charges for Allegris seat assignments How much does Lufthansa charge to assign seats in Allegris business class? It depends on the length of the flight and the exact seats. Lufthansa actually no longer publishes the amounts (best I can tell), so I guess the pricing is technically dynamic. That being said, at launch the airline did publish these prices, and I think the pricing is largely still similar, so let me share those numbers (while noting that they may be a little different now). The prices shown are in three different currencies. For shorter long haul flights, including to and from Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees For medium long haul flights, including to and from Angola, Eastern Canada, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and the Eastern United States, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees For longer long haul flights, including to and from Argentina, Brazil, Western Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and the Western United States, you can find the seat fee chart below. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees To summarize: The extra space seats range in cost from €130 to €230 The extra long bed seats range in cost from €100 to €170 The privacy seats seats range in cost from €100 to €170 The business suites range in cost from €400 to €600 Lufthansa Allegris business class classic seat What happens if you don't assign a seat in advance? What happens if you are flying in Lufthansa Allegris business class, and don't assign a seat in advance? That could either be because there are no classic seats left to assign, or simply because you want to gamble, and see what you end up with. For example, I recently played around with this a bit on a flight from Austin (AUS) to Frankfurt (FRA). Before online check-in, below is what the seat map looked like (I assume the pricing was showing in CAD since I had redeemed Air Canada Aeroplan points). Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees As you can see, there was a classic seat left to assign, but it was a center seat in the last row. Meanwhile there were were a few business suites, a couple of privacy seats, and an extra long bed seat, so I figured there was no downside in waiting. Worst case scenario, I'd end up in the only seat I could assign at no cost anyway. Once online check-in opened, I noticed that the privacy seats were available to select at no additional cost. Meanwhile the business suites and extra long bed seats continued to show the same pricing. Lufthansa Allegris business class seat map Lufthansa Allegris business class seat fees So the system seems to be that privacy seats become assignable at no cost when online check-in opens. I understand the concept of wanting to still charge for business suites, but for extra long bed seats? I find that to be weird, as it's a really niche product. Now, who ended up getting the business suites? I know in theory Lufthansa tries to upgrade its top elite members to those seats, but more often than not, things don't seem to play out that way. I was monitoring the seat map, and those seats seemed to go to the last people who checked in, when there were no remaining seats. I of course can't say with certainty, but the people didn't strike me as Lufthansa frequent flyers. So of course it depends on the situation on a particular flight, but it seems that the best way to get a business suite at no cost is to be among the last to check-in. Of course that could also mean you get the worst seats in the cabin, so it goes both ways. Lufthansa Allegris business class extra space seat My take on Lufthansa's Allegris pricing approach As you can see above, the average business class passenger can assign fewer than one-third of Lufthansa's Allegris business class seats at no extra cost. Miles & More elite members can assign more seats at no extra cost, but the front row business class suites are only available for purchase, and aren't given to anyone for free, unless it's for operational reasons. With that in mind, a few thoughts: It's disappointing to think that even having the privilege of looking out the window comes at an extra cost in Allegris business class Those who don't want to pay extra for assigning seats in Allegris business class are going to often find themselves not being able to assign a seat in advance, and/or may also have issues assigning seats next to a travel companion (which is a problem in Allegris business class in general, given that the only seats together are the center business suites) I guess we can't be too judgmental of the concept of charging for business class seat assignments, given that this is something that British Airways has done for years, and which Air France-KLM have adapted as well Lufthansa's first row suites in Allegris business class are excellent, among the better "business class plus" products out there;
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