Delta vs Lufthansa
The best documented business seats both score 10/10. That measures bed, aisle access and privacy door; it does not make the entire cabins identical.
By Jon Miksis · comparison updated
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What matters for your booking
Business fares
Of 42 shared business routes, Delta was cheaper on 6, Lufthansa on 36, and 0 were the same price.
Economy fares
Of 56 shared economy routes, Delta was cheaper on 12, Lufthansa on 44, and 0 were the same price.
Start with your route and cabin. A fare advantage in economy does not establish a business-class bargain, and a better seat does not establish that a connection or a higher fare is worth it for your trip.
The business seats being compared
These are each airline’s best-scoring documented business aircraft. The fare grid does not identify aircraft, so the seat below is not promised with any fare in the table. Service and food require a separate firsthand review.
Delta
A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite)
- Seat layout
- 1-2-1
- Fully flat bed
- Yes
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- Yes
- Privacy door
- Yes
- Seat score
- 10/10
- Wi-Fi
- Free in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: Delta One product pages, fleet reporting.
Lufthansa
A350-900 (Allegris Business Class Suite)
- Seat layout
- 1-2-1
- Fully flat bed
- Yes
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- Yes
- Privacy door
- Yes
- Seat score
- 10/10
- Wi-Fi
- Paid in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: Lufthansa Allegris pages, Lufthansa Group rollout notes.
Seat scores describe bed, aisle access and privacy door only. Read the scoring method. A tie does not compare comfort, food, service or reliability.
Check the aircraft on Delta
A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite): 10/10 for the seat. The 767-300ER runs the same 1-2-1 lie-flat without a privacy door. Every Delta One aircraft keeps direct aisle access, so the variation is the door rather than the seat. Recorded August 30, 2026.
767-300ER: 8/10 for the seat. Same 1-2-1 lie-flat, no privacy door. Recorded August 30, 2026.
Check the aircraft on Lufthansa
A350-900 (Allegris Business Class Suite): 10/10 for the seat. This door-equipped record describes the Allegris Business Class Suite, not every Allegris seat. Classic seats have direct aisle access but no suite door; seat-selection charges and available configurations vary. Confirm the named seat and operating flight before paying for it. Recorded August 30, 2026.
747-8 / A330-300 (legacy): 5/10 for the seat. This record describes a legacy paired-seat configuration. The aircraft family alone does not establish the cabin or seat on a particular booking; check the flight-specific seat map. Recorded August 30, 2026.
Compare the fares and the routing
Each row compares the same airports, cabin, travel dates and observation date. It can still compare a nonstop against a connection. Journey times, aircraft, baggage allowances and change rules were not recorded with these fares; check those before treating the price difference as a saving.
Showing 12 of 42 matched business routes. Round trip per person in USD, for travel November 8–14, 2026.
| Route and observation date | Delta | Lufthansa | Price difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta (ATL) → Porto (OPO) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,549Connects via JFK | $3,914Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $2,635 less |
Atlanta (ATL) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $12,530Nonstop | $4,307Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $8,223 less |
New York (JFK) → Frankfurt (FRA) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,626Nonstop | $5,458Nonstop | Delta was $832 less |
Los Angeles (LAX) → Rome Fiumicino (FCO) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $7,238Connects via JFK | $4,808Connects via MUC | Lufthansa was $2,430 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,443Connects via ATL | $4,887Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $5,556 less |
San Francisco (SFO) → Lisbon (LIS) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $5,619Connects via JFK | $5,038Connects via MUC | Lufthansa was $581 less |
Atlanta (ATL) → Barcelona (BCN) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $12,657Nonstop | $5,326Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $7,331 less |
Atlanta (ATL) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $12,635Nonstop | $5,327Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $7,308 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Lisbon (LIS) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,569Connects via BOS | $5,385Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $1,184 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Amsterdam (AMS) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $12,501Nonstop | $5,391Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $7,110 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Athens (ATH) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $5,972Connects via JFK | $5,444Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $528 less |
Atlanta (ATL) → Athens (ATH) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $11,852Connects via JFK | $5,444Connects via FRA | Lufthansa was $6,408 less |
Your airport missing? Check the full route tool for the airlines we observed there. Confirm current fares, journey time, baggage and ticket rules before booking.
Before paying for the ticket
- Check the exact operating airline and seat map on every long flight, including the return. An airline name or business-class label alone does not guarantee a flat bed or aisle access.
- Compare total journey time and connection length. A lower fare may buy a much longer trip.
- Reprice with your bags, preferred seats and change rules included. These observations do not establish that the tickets have identical restrictions.
- Check other airlines on the route. Being cheaper than the other airline on this page does not establish the cheapest fare in the market.
Common questions
- Is Delta or Lufthansa better in business class to Europe?
- The best documented business seats both score 10/10. That measures bed, aisle access and privacy door; it does not make the entire cabins identical. Of 42 shared business routes, Delta was cheaper on 6, Lufthansa on 36, and 0 were the same price. Service and food are not scored in this comparison. These are observations for travel November 8–14, 2026, not current quotes.
- Which is cheaper, Delta or Lufthansa?
- Of 42 shared business routes, Delta was cheaper on 6, Lufthansa on 36, and 0 were the same price. Of 56 shared economy routes, Delta was cheaper on 12, Lufthansa on 44, and 0 were the same price. Both counts refer to travel November 8–14, 2026. A cheaper fare may involve a connection; compare the itinerary as well as the price.
- Will I get the business seat shown here?
- These cards describe the named aircraft in our cabin records, not a seat guaranteed on every flight. At least one of these airlines has a recorded aircraft or cabin variation. Check the operating airline, seat map and aircraft for every segment before paying; equipment can change. The fare observations do not record the aircraft.
- Has Jon flown these business cabins?
- Delta business class is on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. Lufthansa business class is on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. That records the airline and cabin, not every aircraft or itinerary. This page compares documented specifications and dated fares.
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