United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy: Which Wins?

United Premium Plus and Lufthansa Premium Economy are two of the most popular premium economy options for North Americans flying to Europe, and they take different approaches to the same premium cabin experience. We’ve flown both from Washington Dulles to Europe. In this guide, we break down the seats, food, amenity kits, and service so you can figure out which wins for your next long-haul flight.

At-a-Glance: United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy

	United Premium Plus	Lufthansa Premium Economy
Aircraft we flew	Boeing 777-200 (also 787 Dreamliner)	Airbus A380 (double-decker)
Routes we flew	Dulles to London, Paris, Amsterdam	Dulles to Munich
Seat pitch	38 inches	38 inches
Seat width	18.7 inches	19.3 inches
Seat recline	6 inches (not lie-flat)	7 to 8 inches / 130 degrees (not lie-flat)
Cabin feel	Cozy, 2-4-2 layout	Larger, 2-4-2, but very separated from economy
Food	Same cart as economy, no menu	Printed menu, flatware, Bavarian options
Amenity kit	Therabody products in a felt pouch	Porsche Design bag with L’Occitane items
Seat selection	Free on standard fares (basic now charges)	Charges in premium economy
Lounge access	Not included	Not included
Our verdict	Wins for seat comfort and amenity kit	Wins for cabin layout, food, and premium expereince

You can read our full write-up on each here: United Premium Plus review and here: Lufthansa Premium Economy A380 review. And if you prefer American Airlines, we’ve got you covered there too: American Airlines Premium Economy Review: Worth It on a Long-Haul?

United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy Seats

The seats seem similar at first. Both seats give you a 38-inch pitch, so the differences come down to width, recline, and cushioning. Each one is a meaningful step up from economy.

United Premium Plus on the 777-200 has a 2-4-2 configuration with an 18.7-inch seat and 6 inches of recline. The adjustable headrest means you can skip a neck pillow, and a footrest folds out from under the seat in front. At 5’2”, I found the footrest made the overnight trip noticeably more comfortable, but taller travelers tend to find it annoying. You can fold it all the way up though. Overall the seat was very comfortable, and I got some good sleep.

Lufthansa on the A380 also has a 2-4-2 configuration with a wider 19.3-inch seat and a deeper recline to 130 degrees, about 7 to 8 inches. It still isn’t lie-flat, but it is enough to sleep in a reasonable position on a night flight. The seat looks lovely and comes with a good pillow, blanket, and headrest. Personally, the seat was much firmer than I like, and by the end of the flight it left me with some back discomfort. That may just be me, so if you have back sensitivity, it is worth reading recent reviews before you book. American and United have felt a softer and overall more comfortable to us on comparable routes.

Pro Tip: Couples on either airline should book the window pairs on the side of the 2-4-2 layout. You get your own space with no seatmate to climb over. On the A380, rows 50 and 51 have no seats across the aisle because of the stairs to the upper deck, so they feel more private.

🏆 Winner: United Premium Plus. Lufthansa is wider and reclines farther, and for many travelers that will give it the edge. I’m picking United, though, because the softer cushioning suited me better on a long-haul international flight. If seat width and recline matters most to you, Lufthansa is the better pick.

United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy Food

This is the clearest split in the whole comparison. United, we love you, but the food is generally not good, even in business class. On our Dulles to Amsterdam flights the Premium Plus meal came off the same cart as economy with chicken, beef, or pasta, no printed menu, and nothing to signal a premium experience beyond being served first. The chicken curry was good enough and the wine options were fine. So it was overall ok, but nothing premium.

Lufthansa served an elevated premium economy menu with a pretzel roll, real flatware, and a Bavarian coleslaw starter, then a choice of grilled Nuremberg-style sausages with cabbage and mashed potatoes or a mushroom ragout with pretzel dumpling. We split one of each. The vegetarian option won for me, and the Bavarian cream with raspberry coulis for dessert was a nice finish. It was not business class, but it was a clear step above Lufthansa economy and United Premium Plus on the same kind of route. Lufthansa also had a better wine selection.

🏆 Winner: Lufthansa. The printed menu, flatware, and elevated Bavarian meal are the clear winner compared to a tray pulled off the economy cart. On United, eat at the lounge before you board.

Pro Tip: Even though you don’t get lounge access with United Premium Plus or Lufthansa Premium Economy, certain credit cards and Priority Pass can get you lounge access. Our guide to the best lounges at Washington Dulles covers how to get in without business class. 👉 Best Lounges at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) + How to Get In

We got into the Lufthansa Munich lounge with our status and it was very spacious and comfortable

United vs Lufthansa Cabins and Bathrooms

Lufthansa’s real advantage is the aircraft we flew. On the mega A380, premium economy occupies its own section at the front of the main deck from rows 50 through 57, which are curtained off from economy. The lavatories are at the back of that cabin just ahead of the galley, so no economy traffic comes through your area during the flight. The double-decker feels quieter and more spacious than a 777, since business and first class seats are on the top level and premium economy is first on the main level.

United’s bathroom setup is its weakest point, but it varies by aircraft. On the 777-200ER, a few lavatories are located about eight rows back in economy, which keeps the walk short and the cabin quieter than the 767, where the lavatories are all the way at the back. Some United aircraft do have dedicated premium bathrooms, but they’re usually shared with economy. Check SeatMaps or AeroLOPA for your exact aircraft before you book, so you can scope out the configuration and the bathroom situation. I will say, even if premium economy has it’s own bathrooms in the front of the cabin, they may get a bunch of traffic if the crew allows economy passengers up. That’s actually worse on a long-haul international flight than walking eight rows back on economy.

Lufthansa’s A380 premium economy cabin is huge but that doesn’t take away from it feeling more premium than regular economy

🏆 Winner: Lufthansa. A dedicated, curtained cabin with its lavatories at the back beats United’s setup on most configurations. The A380 is quieter, and you are not walking into economy to use the restroom or dealing with traffic through your cabin to the bathrooms.

Amenity Kits: United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy

Both kits are useful. They change frequently, but ours on United came in a felt zipper pouch with Therabody products, and the skincare lineup is close to what we got in Polaris business class, just in a simpler case. The products are high quality and there were plenty in the kit, along with socks, a dental kit, a pen, and an eye mask.

You can’t compete with United’s amenity kits

Lufthansa’s Porsche Design bag had L’Occitane lip balm, a cooling gel cream, compression socks, a bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste, and mints. We did not get eye masks on our departure flight, which was weird because it was the night flight, but we had them on the way home.

🏆 Winner: United Premium Plus. United has the best amenity kits. They’re just higher quality. Lufthansa’s Porsche Design bag was nice, and I love L’Occitane, but it was skimpy compared to United’s kit.

Service: Which Crew Does Premium Economy Better?

The United crew on our Dulles to Amsterdam flight was relaxed, funny, and attentive across the whole flight. We did not receive a pre-departure drink, but we were given water bottles. Meal services were timely and everything went smoothly.

Lufthansa’s service was efficient and professional, with prompt meal service. The crew offered a pre-departure juice and we had bottled water at our seats. Service wasn’t as friendly and funny like our crew on United, but they did give us anniversary chocolates and bubbly on our connection, which was a lovely surprise.

Lufthansa would win on service for the connecting flight! This was so sweet.

🏆 Winner: United Premium Plus, by a hair. Both crews were good. Just judging on the long-haul premium economy flights, United’s service was warmer, Lufthansa’s was more formal. If you like a chatty, easygoing cabin crew (like we do), United had the edge. But Lufthansa, again, offered a more premium experience.

How to Choose Between United Premium Plus and Lufthansa Premium Economy

For us, the Lufthansa experience was clearly more premium, but they were so similar that these other factors will weigh more when choosing between them:

Your Route Factors More Than the Product

Lufthansa flies the A380 from Dulles to Munich, and the aircraft is the reason we booked it. We really wanted the experience of flying in the huge double-decker plane, even if we couldn’t afford to sit upstairs. If Munich or Frankfurt is your destination, or the price point is much better, then we would choose Lufthansa, specifically on the A380 over United. But United is best option when it comes to the sheer number of directly flights from Dulles, Newark, Houston, Chicago, and San Francisco to more European cities. A nonstop beats a connection for us every time. If you have more destination flexibility, check out our favorite low-cost options: 👉 Cheap Premium Economy Flights to Europe: 3 Ways to Save Big

Your Loyalty Program and Credits

United and Lufthansa are both Star Alliance, so this factor doesn’t matter as much in this comparison as it would if you were choosing between these carriers and American Airlines or British Airways, which are both Oneworld Alliance. You can credit a Lufthansa flight towards your United MileagePlus points and loyalty. United used to beat Lufthansa on cancellation credit and change flexibility, as its travel credits were easier to use in practice, though the new United basic fare system changed that. 👉 Our United Airlines fare types guide walks you through how each fare works.

We did love these special Oktoberfest amenity kits we once got on Lufthansa

Quick Verdict: Which Would We Book Again?

We’d Book United Premium Plus Again For:

Overnight transatlantic flights for a cozier seat
A better-stocked amenity kit for a long-haul international flight
Routes United flies nonstop that Lufthansa does not, especially beyond Munich and Frankfurt
👉

We’d Think Twice Before Booking United Premium Plus If:

Elevated meals matter to you: this is the most consistent weak point across our United flights
You want a quieter, more separated cabin: the A380 has the clear edge here even though it’s a larger cabin

We’d Book Lufthansa Premium Economy Again For:

Good flight routes to or through Munich or Frankfurt, especially on the A380
The more premium feel, especially for food and beverage service
A quieter cabin that feels truly separate from economy (at least on the A380)

We’d Think Twice Before Booking Lufthansa Premium Economy If:

You have back sensitivity. The seat cushioning was much too firm for me, though that may just be me
United flies your route nonstop and Lufthansa does not

🏆 Lufthansa Premium Economy wins this battle overall, but they are both sold products and the one we book depends on a lot of the factors we’ve mentioned here.

Where United and Lufthansa Rank Against Other Premium Economy Products

If you are weighing premium economy experiences to Europe across the board, our post on 9 premium economy airlines to Europe ranked worst to best puts United and Lufthansa to the test against the rest.
And if you are still deciding whether to pay extra for premium economy at all, our post on economy vs premium economy for international flights lays out when it’s worth it and when it’s not.
Both United and Lufthansa have routes through Germany, and our Munich layover guide and Frankfurt layover guide cover how to spend the time between flights.

Munich is a great spot for a long layover

FAQs: United Premium Plus vs Lufthansa Premium Economy

Is Lufthansa Premium Economy better than United Premium Plus?

On the A380, yes. Lufthansa has a quieter cabin and a elevated menu featuring Bavarian cuisine. But United wins on seat comfort and the amenity kit. The seat cushioning on Lufthansa was too firm for me, so if your back is sensitive, United may be the safer pick, but that’s very individual.

Which has better food, United Premium Plus or Lufthansa Premium Economy?

Lufthansa, clearly. We had a printed menu, real flatware, and were served grilled Nuremberg-style sausages or a mushroom ragout with a pretzel dumpling. United’s meal came off the same cart as economy with no menu.

Do United Premium Plus or Lufthansa Premium Economy include lounge access?

Neither fare includes lounge access. Your options depend on your credit cards and departure airport rather than the airline. At Washington Dulles, a Capital One Venture X card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Priority Pass cover most of the terminals. More lounges are accessible from the Lufthansa B gates than the United C and D gates, though. So, unless you have United Club access, your best bet is stopping at the Capital One Lounge right after security and giving yourself 30 minutes to get to your gate.

Is the Lufthansa A380 worth it in premium economy?

The A380 is the main reason to book Lufthansa premium economy. The cabin is simultaneously quieter and more spacious than a 777, it feels fully separated from economy, and the lavatories are behind it, so you don’t get traffic.