I bid to fly business class and won. It had great food and felt luxurious, but I wouldn't pay full price.

Wed, 07/19/2023 - 05:22

A man seated in an aircraft holding a glass of red wine and smiling at the camera. — The author during his journey.
Anttoni James Numminen

I flew from London to Helsinki and snagged a bargain upgrade to business class for £75.
I got priority boarding, a meal, and access to the business lounge (though I didn't end up going).
Here's what it was like and how I made the most of Lufthansa's upgrade offer.

I live in the UK but have family in Finland, so I tend to travel back and forth a few times a year. I most recently visited in June. I was booked to travel, as usual, in economy class from London to Helsinki, with a short layover in Munich.

Once I booked my trip, I received an email from Lufthansa with the usual details. But having seen some posts on social media about people "bidding" for upgrades, I decided to look into it. A quick online search yielded the right section on the German carrier's website.

Several options were available, including purchasing a guaranteed upgrade for about £280, or about $360. Flying in business class on the return journey would have cost £400 to £600.

Like many airlines, Lufthansa gives passengers an opportunity to bid for an upgrade. In this case, the range of bids was £65 to £220.

A screengrab of Lufthansa's website offering a button to secure an upgrade and, lower down, a button to bid for an upgrade. — Anttoni James Numminen

The bidding process helps airlines maximize the use of their aircraft. If the bid isn't accepted, the passenger doesn't have to pay anything.

Lufthansa's website shows sliding scales for offers of various amounts of money, with a needle indicating the — Anttoni James Numminen

I took a chance and bid for an upgrade to business class for the slightly longer leg of my journey, from Munich to Helsinki, for £75. It wasn't quite the lowest amount possible, but it was close.

I got an email from Lufthansa telling me I'd be notified in good time if my bid was accepted. Not expecting that to happen, I more or less forgot about it.

Three days later I woke up to a message saying my bid had been accepted.

Lufthansa's website lists benefits of flying in business class, like priority lanes for boarding and a full meal and beverages. — Anttoni James Numminen

However, as it was only the connecting flight that was upgraded, I started off in economy class from London to Munich, and I didn't have access to the first-class lounge at Heathrow.

In London, boarding was slow, and the aircraft was packed, forcing me to place my hand luggage far from my seat — not ideal with a short layover.

I got a window seat, which was nice for the afternoon views of the English Channel and the English and French coastlines.

The edge of an airliner's wing flying above land and water. — Anttoni James Numminen

Shortly after takeoff, passengers in economy were given a complimentary bottle of water. Other beverages and snacks were for sale.

A small bottle of water on a tray table. — Anttoni James Numminen

I had only a 45-minute layover in Munich, and we arrived late. There was no chance I'd get to enjoy the business-class lounge, which I'd heard was quite good — instead, I rushed to the gate.

An orange sign on a gray wall points people toward Lufthansa's first-class and business-class lounges. — Anttoni James Numminen

I arrived just in time, so I didn't have to wait more than a few minutes. With priority boarding, I was on Lufthansa's Airbus A320-200 in no time.

A Lufthansa jet on the tarmac, at the boarding gate. — Anttoni James Numminen

The business-class cabin had three seats on each side, as in economy — but the middle seats were left empty in each row.

A row of three unoccupied airplane seats. — Anttoni James Numminen

Though I was set to sit in the aisle seat, I got lucky and ended up having the whole row to myself. It was a great change after the first cramped flight.

We left Munich on time. Just after takeoff we were treated to a hot towel, which was a welcome surprise; even some long-haul flights don't offer that in business class.

A man holding a small white hot towel next to an elliptical airplane window. — Anttoni James Numminen

We were given some salty pretzels, and the flight attendants offered us a broad choice of drinks.

A half-full glass of red wine and a blue-plastic pack of pretzels on a tray table. — Anttoni James Numminen

I went with some red wine and a glass of tomato juice, as I find the latter always tastes better in the air.

A three-fourths-full glass of red wine next to a nearly full glass of bright red tomato juice and a blue-plastic snack bag on a tray table. — Anttoni James Numminen

We were handed menus with surprisingly broad options for a 2-1/2-hour flight, including different main courses.

A menu for Lufthansa's business-class passengers says — Anttoni James Numminen

I placed my order with the very friendly flight attendants, who took the time to explain what the different dishes entailed. I had another glass of red wine while I waited.

The food arrived quickly. Though the courses all arrived on one tray, I was pleasantly surprised by the generous portions.

A tray in Lufthansa's business class has a plate of food in the center, a roll and silverware off to the right, a dish covered in foil at the top, and a piece of chocolate cake in the upper-left corner. — Anttoni James Numminen

I'd ordered the traditional German roast of Rhenish sauerbraten, which was piping hot, tender, and juicy.

A tray in Lufthansa's business class has a plate of food in the center, a roll and silverware off to the right, an uncovered dish covered the top, and a piece of chocolate cake in the upper-left corner. — Anttoni James Numminen

I also particularly enjoyed the starter that came with carrot tartare; it tasted fresh and zesty. Dessert was French opera cake, and though it was nicely chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful as I'd expected.

A view of the Lufthansa business-class meal tray from the side, looking toward the airplane window. The roll and silverware are in the foreground, while the chocolate cake is in the background. — Anttoni James Numminen

We were already well on our way, and I hadn't realized how much time had passed. Time flies when you're having fun.

A man seated in the window seat smiles at the camera. He's wearing a tan blazer and an orange button-up shirt. — Anttoni James Numminen

Once the plates and cutlery — which were porcelain and steel — had been cleared, I was offered some fruit and further snacks. I chose an apple, as I was quite full.

A man holds a red-and-yellow apple in front the airplane window. — Anttoni James Numminen

As I had the whole row to myself, I got to enjoy the fantastic "midnight sun" and well-lit midsummer skies at 11:30 p.m.

A sunset photographed from a plane. The horizon is bright orange and yellow, and the sky above it is a darker blue, while the foreground is a deep blue. — Anttoni James Numminen

I felt quite luxurious sipping my cognac and coffee at 30,000 feet, enjoying the scenery in such comfort.

Anttoni James Numminen

Suddenly we were preparing to land in Helsinki. After we'd disembarked, leaving the airport was a breeze.

A sunset as seen from the airplane. Part of the turbine is visible in the left foreground. — Anttoni James Numminen

It was definitely worth bidding for the upgrade.

A large sign in a concrete building says — Anttoni James Numminen

Unlike the cramped economy class, business class was spacious — to say nothing of the ease of boarding and disembarking, the fantastic onboard service, and the complimentary food and drinks.

Next time I'll hope for a slightly longer layover so I can enjoy the benefits of the business-class lounge.

I don't think I would have traveled in business at full price.

But by keeping an eye on potential upgrades — which airlines often let passengers know about and which passengers can find with a bit of research — I learned it was possible to get a bit of luxury for a bargain.

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Transportation, Features, luxury air travel, contributor 2023

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I bid to fly business class and won. It had great food and felt luxurious, but …