Calling St. Louis home means accepting certain things: you’re likely taking off work for baseball opening day, out-of-towners will question your taste in pizza, and getting to Europe will take some creative flight plans.

Unless, of course, you embrace the St. Louis Lufthansa flight that connects us directly to Frankfurt.

The St. Louis Lufthansa Flight: Going Strong Two Years In

St. Louis was once a major international hub, especially during the TWA days. But after American Airlines bought them out, the promise of maintaining STL’s hub status quickly faded. For two decades, our airport lacked a direct route to Europe.

That changed in June 2022, when Lufthansa launched direct flights from St. Louis to Frankfurt, three times weekly. I followed the inaugural flight closely, excited by the prospect of heading to Europe without a lengthy connection.

Fast forward two years, and this route shows no signs of slowing down. Bayer’s local office keeps those seats filled, the Bosnian community uses the flight to visit family, and European travel enthusiasts like myself are thrilled to hop across the Atlantic ASAP.

Booking Business Class on the St. Louis Lufthansa Flight: My Process

I’m not a frequent business class traveler. The idea of champagne toasts and lie-flat seats felt more like a dream — until I learned how to maximize my credit card points.

While I’m not a hyper-points expert, I’ve found a system that works for me. Using my Capital One Venture X card, I accrued enough points to book two one-way business class tickets to Frankfurt.

Now, there are definitely more complex ways to really MAX OUT your points usage but I really want to stress to others that it doesn’t need to be that hard! Get your points, book your flights.

How? I used the Points Yeah travel search engine, found availability through Air Canada, and transferred my Capital One points to book the seats. Simple, right?

We planned to continue to Munich, but I was thrilled just to take STL’s direct flight to Europe!

Pre-Flight Experience in St. Louis

For all the chatter about STL being “run-down,” it’s one of the more pleasant flying experiences these days. Security is manageable — especially with TSA PreCheck — and since there’s only one European flight, there’s no confusion about gates.

We arrived early to check a bag (I know, I know but those bulky winter clothes have to go somewhere), then popped into the Wingtips Lounge. Thanks to our business class tickets, we skipped the slow-moving baggage check line and breezed through priority access.

One surprise: Lufthansa weighed our carry-ons during check-in. Since I rarely consider carry-on weight, I had to remove my laptop to meet the limit. Not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind.

Wingtips Lounge: A Hidden Gem in Terminal 2

With about an hour before boarding, my wife and I proceeded straight to the lone lounge in STL’s Terminal 2: the Wingtips Lounge. Normally this lounge is open to Priority Pass members and walk-ins willing to pay the $50 fee. For days in which the St. Louis Lufthansa flight is operating (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday as of this writing) the lounge is available first and foremost to business class travelers heading for Frankfurt. 

Now, I’ve been to some pretty incredible lounges in my travels and I wouldn’t go so far as to rank Wingtips anywhere near the top. That said, it’s always been a “room of requirement” for me since I frequently go through terminal 2.

And you know what? It’s fine!

The Wingtips Lounge in St Louis has been among the most reliable lounges in terms of access over the past couple of years. You’re not going to find a lavish spread of food or high end drinks. But you will very easily find friendly staff, clean bathrooms, a free beer or glass of wine and occasionally: Pop Tarts.

I genuinely enjoy this quirky little lounge and the people that operate it. There’s nothing truly different about it on Lufthansa days so temper expectations (no logo’d cookies celebrating the continued STL to FRA success unfortunately). But if you want a very low-key spot to relax prior to boarding, and you aren’t paying for access, Wingtips in St. Louis is a solid visit.

Boarding Process: Expect Delays

Let’s get this out of the way: the St. Louis Lufthansa flight will likely be delayed.

No, I’m not psychic. It’s just the way it is. Between an often understaffed ground crew and a long-haul European flight that only operates a few times a week, delays are inevitable if you choose this route.

It’s a fact I was aware of, and one I was willing to accept for the convenience and novelty of the experience. Plus, since the Wingtips Lounge literally looks out over the gate (for now, always E29), I could poke my head out to check on the boarding process.

Yep, time for one more beer.

When boarding did start, it was straightforward. However, since the flight is usually full, boarding can drag toward the end. If you’re not in the first groups, be prepared to wait.

Our ride for the day: the reliable Airbus A330-300

The Aircraft: Airbus A330-300

Typically the Airbus A330-300 is the plane of choice for the St. Louis Lufthansa route, with the occasional appearance of a classic four-engine A340.

We selected middle seats (1D and 1G) in the 2-2-2 business class layout. Pro tip: avoid the bulkhead row. While it offers more foot space, the entertainment screen is farther away, and you’re closer to the galley.

If you’re flying solo, consider an aisle seat in the middle for direct aisle access without awkward interactions. That or the aisle seats in the outer rows, although you might have your mate in the window seat tapping your shoulder from time to time. Window seats require climbing over your neighbor, which can be tricky.

Lufthansa is gradually upgrading their business class cabins, but STL hasn’t seen the new layout yet. For now, the current setup offers lie-flat seats, but limited privacy that is becoming the norm on other business class products.

In-Flight Experience: Where Lufthansa Shines

Delays and quirky seating layouts aside, Lufthansa really shines when it comes to the in-flight experience. The St. Louis Lufthansa flight was no exception, offering excellent service and friendly smiles all around. Let’s break it down.

Seating Comfort & Amenities

While the seats are dated, Lufthansa’s business class seats are incredibly comfortable, and I was very pleased with the experience. You have buttons to micro-adjust the seat’s firmness and position, as well as a few presets that take you from upright (for landing and takeoff) to lounger mode (for watching a movie) and finally to lie-flat mode for those precious mid-flight Zs.

There’s even a handy little reading lamp over your shoulder, which I used quite a bit with my old-fashioned paperback book.

I really appreciated the presets and found myself switching between them for the various “courses” of the flight. Sitting down and getting settled? Seat all the way up. Cruising along with the welcome glass of champagne? You better believe I’m leaning back and kicking my feet up. Ready for sleep? Let that seat go all the way flat.

There were more options (I especially liked the firmness settings), but having the presets was a convenient way to enjoy the ride without too much fiddling.

In-Flight Entertainment

The entertainment system was the standard touchscreen you’d expect in most business class cabins these days, but a bit larger. There was a remote integrated into the seat, so you didn’t have to lean forward to make selections, which came in handy.

My wife and I kicked off the entertainment with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” a new release we’d been meaning to watch for a while. After that, I passed the time reading “The Art Thief” while browsing through the music options.

As the flight went on and I started to feel drowsy, I turned to my favorite in-flight activity: the flight map. It’s one of my go-to ways to pass time because I love picturing where I am in the world and checking out the various map views.

I’m not one of those passengers who can “raw dog” a flight without entertainment (kudos to those who can), but you can often find me map-gazing or enjoying the “tail-cam” if available (an Airbus classic).

Wi-Fi Connectivity

Yes, Wi-Fi was available. That’s about all I can say for it. I had made a firm commitment to get my blog posts written before the flight, so I could just relax and enjoy the experience.

If you need to work, it’s there. But personally, I recommend soaking in the flight

Dining: A Surprising Highlight

The dining experience on the St. Louis Lufthansa flight was definitely a highlight, as I imagine it is on most long-haul Lufthansa flights. Everything we had was interesting yet approachable and, most importantly, incredibly fresh—something you don’t usually expect on long-haul flights!

And dare I say, I enjoyed Lufthansa’s dining experience even more than the Air France business class meals?!

Let’s get to the good stuff. Ahead of the flight, we had the option to select from a few different dishes, but since the flight wasn’t completely full, we were able to make our choice on the fly (pun intended).

Lufthansa is currently serving Champagne Collery Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut in their long-haul business class, and it’s an excellent pour. Word to fellow champagne enthusiasts: be nice to your flight attendants, and they’ll keep the bubbles coming.

For the first course, I opted for the vegetarian option: an artichoke salad with mixed greens and vinaigrette dressing, accompanied by cooked root vegetables and cherry tomatoes. The root vegetables, in particular, were a hit, as they were fresh and in-season for our winter travels.

For the main course, I decided to no amend my carnivorous habits and chose a beef steak with a side of broccolini and mashed potatoes. It was a perfect main course that left me feeling warm and satisfied—much like the bread that was brought around throughout the meal.

For breakfast the next day, the service consisted of overnight oats with fresh fruit. I have to emphasize just how fresh this breakfast was—it might’ve been the crispest airline breakfast I’ve ever had. The oats were especially appreciated since we were soon facing the gauntlet that is Frankfurt Airport. I needed that slow-burning energy and fiber to help combat the inevitable traveler’s discomfort.

Service & Crew Interaction: Top-Notch

From the warm “Guten Tag” as we boarded to the parting box of chocolates, every interaction with the flight crew was superb. Lufthansa really excels in training their business class staff, and it shows in the pride they take in their work.

Even on the St. Louis Lufthansa flight, you’ll find yourself thrilled to spend time with the flight crew. To start, our champagne glasses were rarely empty throughout the meal service. When I asked for another whole-wheat roll, I received a warm one. We pride ourselves on being easygoing travelers, so I didn’t make any special requests, but honestly, I never needed to.

One memorable highlight was the flight attendant working my wife’s side of the aisle. She insisted that we take extra chocolates as a farewell gift and even engaged in a friendly conversation with us about our upcoming trip.

Since we were heading to the Munich Christkindlmarkt, she shared some excellent recommendations on what to eat and drink. Her tips? Go for the organic Gluhwein and make sure to try a “rahm schmankerl,” the doughier, richer version of Flamkuchen.

Arrival in Frankfurt: A Smooth Transition

All good things must come to an end, and alas, we had to bid “auf wiedersehen” to our flight crew upon arrival in Frankfurt.

We were late departing, and the pilot couldn’t make up the time in the jet stream. Thankfully, we had built in plenty of layover time, knowing that delays were a strong possibility. If you’re flying on the St. Louis Lufthansa flight, I highly recommend scheduling a longer layover, just in case.

Once we deplaned in Frankfurt, we found ourselves in a large terminal and had to take a bus to immigration. If you’re seated towards the back of the plane, you might end up waiting a bit in line. However, business class passengers will still need to move as quickly as their jet-lagged legs will allow—especially if you want to enjoy some lounge time.

Customs was a breeze, and we were soon on our way to our Schengen zone flight to Munich. We passed the time in the lovely Lufthansa lounge near gate A26 and took advantage of their shower facility. Heads up: Frankfurt is massive, so if you’re short on time, you’ll want to visit the lounge closest to your connecting flight.

Final Thoughts: The St. Louis Lufthansa Flight Experience

The direct St. Louis Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt is a game-changer for local travelers. While delays are common and the business class layout isn’t the most modern, the convenience and service make it worthwhile.

For future travelers, I recommend:

• Book early to secure business class seats with points. 6 months to a year in advance is possible.
• Avoid the bulkhead row for a better in-flight experience if you don’t need the extra leg room.
• Plan for delays and schedule your potential connecting flight in Frankfurt with plenty of layover time.

Lufthansa’s commitment to this route is a win for St. Louis. Here’s hoping it continues to grow — and maybe even bring the new business class cabins our way soon!