Lufthansa first class: When “F” space actually opens

Overview

When you hear Lufthansa “F” class, you rightly think of the carrier’s luxe first class cabin aboard its Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 and A340 aircraft. Lufthansa offers first class service between five continents on long-haul routes from its hubs in Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC).

But “F” class isn’t the only first class bucket Lufthansa sells. There are three different classes that land you at the front of the plane:

• F — Full-fare First Class
• A — Discounted First Class
• O — First Class awards

The specific time to watch for Lufthansa first class space to open depends on how you’re booking. Paid fares and award fares work differently. Here’s what you need to know.

When does paid Lufthansa F space open?

If you’re simply looking to use cash to buy or upgrade to a Lufthansa first class seat (F and A classes), you can do this as soon as Lufthansa loads flights for sale on its website, 360 days in advance. That said, if for some reason you prefer to book through an online travel agency like Expedia instead of directly with Lufthansa, you’ll be subject to its fare calendar (often a month or so behind).

When does Lufthansa first class award space open?

For Miles & More members

If you’re booking through Lufthansa Miles&More, you can book award flights around the same time that Lufthansa releases paid availability. That’s a far more generous policy than Lufthansa extends to those using partner airline miles to book the same seats.

In fact, Lufthansa appears to have stopped extending first class award inventory to its partners at all.

For partner loyalty programs

You’ve historically been able to book award travel in Lufthansa first class with the likes of Air Canada Aeroplan points, Avianca Lifemiles, United Airlines miles, and more. For years, first class award seats dropped within 15 days of departure. More recently, Lufthansa would only release availability within three days of departure, making it virtually impossible to secure a seat with partner awards.

But in mid-2026, availability has virtually dried up altogether. That means you’ll have to book through Miles & More if you want to reserve a first class seat.

To be clear: Lufthansa hasn’t formally cut off its partners. Although there’s been virtually no inventory for months, it’s possible that you’ll spot some availability. Just don’t get your hopes up until you’ve actually tried to book it. There have been a few reports of “phantom” inventory, meaning the site incorrectly shows a points-eligible seat.

How to monitor Lufthansa First Class space with ExpertFlyer

Whether you’re desperate to book a first class seat that has no current capacity with cash or rewards, ExpertFlyer can help you track those fares. ExpertFlyer doesn’t directly track Lufthansa first class award flights (the “O” fare bucket), but by keeping tabs on the number of available revenue first class seats (“F” and “A”), you may be able to gauge your odds of a first class award popping up in the future.

Head to the “Flight Availability Search” tool and enter your travel information, departing and arriving airports, departure date, and enter Lufthansa in the “Airline(s)” box. Click “Exclude Codeshares” to ensure that you’re only looking at Lufthansa flights. If your dates are flexible, you can select “+/- 3 days” from the drop-down menu to search in one-week increments. Then enter the fare bucket associated with the type of ticket you want.

Below is a search for travel between Chicago (ORD) and Frankfurt (FRA) in “F” class.

The “Available Classes” column on the results page will show you the number of seats available for that specific fare class. If there are no available seats, click the bell icon to the right and set up an alert. If more inventory drops, ExpertFlyer will email you immediately.

Again, it’s worth noting that, while “F” class does not reflect award availability, you can still use it as a quick look to see how vacant the first class cabin is. For example, the above availability column says “F8,” indicating there are at least eight first class seats available. This specific cabin offers just eight first class seats, so the cabin is wide open. There may be no “O” inventory, but the abundance of “F” inventory may mean something will open up down the line.

If the availability column returned, say, F1 (just one available “F” class seat), that can be an indication to temper your expectations for finding an award flight. Again, “F” availability doesn’t guarantee future award inventory.

Bottom line

Lufthansa first class is notoriously expensive to purchase, and difficult to book with airline miles. In other words, securing one of these fancy seats is a true feat.

Lufthansa stamps its paid fares with either “F” and “A” classes, while giving an “O” class to its award inventory. Paid “F” and “A” fares typically open when Lufthansa loads its schedule, 360-ish days in advance. Miles & More awards can also appear then, but it’s still difficult to snatch these seats up before they disappear. To boot, Lufthansa appears to have stopped sharing its first class availability with its partners as of mid-2026, meaning you’ll likely have to use the Lufthansa Miles & More program if you want to reserve first class with miles. ExpertFlyer can help you to track first class inventory with its “Flight Availability Search” tool.