Recently, we had the opportunity to visit California. We traveled from Munich to Los Angeles on Lufthansa, flying on the massive Airbus A380. On the way back, we flew with United from Los Angeles to London on a Boeing Dreamliner.
Both flights were similar in duration, taking around 12 hours to get to California and about 10 hours to return to Europe.
Lufthansa A380:
Our check-in at the airport was smooth and hassle-free, thanks to the self-service machines. We had our seats on the lower deck, though there are a few economy seats on the upper deck that you might want to snag by checking in online early.
Boarding was quick and efficient despite the large number of passengers. The lines were so long they stretched across half of the terminal. The seating arrangement was 3-4-3, and we were seated by the windows.
Plane:
The Airbus A380 is enormous, with a ceiling more than 2 meters high. I could easily stand up next to the window, and I’m 198 cm tall!
Food:
We were served two hot meals and a Kit Kat snack during the flight. Drinks were offered multiple times.
Entertainment:
The in-seat entertainment system offered a wide variety of films and TV shows. It also had three cameras allowing us to view the exterior of the plane.
United Dreamliner:
Plane:
Due to an issue with our ticket, we couldn’t check in using a machine and had to get assistance from an agent. As the flight was fully booked, we got upgraded to Premium Economy, which mainly offered more legroom than standard Economy. The seating was arranged 2-4-2.
Food:
We were pleasantly surprised to receive two hot meals (dinner and breakfast) during the 10-hour flight. We also got a sandwich and dessert separately, and drinks were served regularly.
Entertainment System:
The touch screen was more responsive, likely because it was more up-to-date than the one on the A380. It also had a more current selection of films and TV shows.
Overall, comparing the two airlines and aircraft is challenging because they are quite different. We enjoyed both flights but preferred the Boeing Dreamliner because it felt a bit more private. The Airbus A380 seemed a bit too large for comfort. In terms of service, we felt United was slightly better than Lufthansa, even though United is rated 3 stars and Lufthansa is rated 5 stars (this is just our personal opinion).