Lufthansa Just Won Skytrax's Award for the World's Best First Class Dining. Here's What Changed.

Lufthansa has won the Skytrax award for World's Best First Class Onboard Dining at the 2026 World Airline Awards in London. The ranking comes from Skytrax's annual passenger survey, which this year drew responses from 24.8 million travelers in more than 100 countries and covered over 300 airlines. It's the kind of award that airlines love to put on a press release, but in this case it reflects a real overhaul that most First Class passengers will have noticed over the past six months.

What actually changed#

The big shift came in March 2026, when Lufthansa rolled out a new fine-dining format on First Class flights departing Germany. The menu was developed with Christoph Kunz, a two-Michelin-starred chef, in partnership with gategourmet. The practical difference is choice: passengers can now build their own multi-course meal from a wider selection rather than picking one of two set menus.

Three things anchor the new concept. The first is a signature caviar service, which Lufthansa has had for years but has now made a centerpiece. The second is a proper gourmet breakfast, which matters more than it sounds on an eastbound transatlantic flight where breakfast is the only meal many passengers are awake for. The third is champagne: Lufthansa is now pouring Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame as its permanent prestige cuvée in First Class, the first time the airline has committed to a single top-tier champagne rather than rotating.

The wine list is curated monthly by a team that includes four Masters of Wine, which is an unusual amount of sommelier firepower for an airline program.

Skytrax also called out the First Class cabin crews, whose plating and service were cited as a major factor in the ranking. Anyone who has flown Lufthansa First knows the crew-to-passenger ratio in that eight-seat cabin is the real luxury; the food just gives them something to show off with.

How it fits with the rest of the premium push#

Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, framed the award as evidence that passengers are noticing the broader changes at the airline: new aircraft, the Allegris cabins, modernized lounges, and the Future Onboard Experience program that's meant to lift service in every class, not just the front.

That's the right context. Lufthansa First Class has spent the past few years in an awkward spot. The hard product on the older A340s and 747-8s was dated, Allegris First was slow to arrive, and the airline's reputation rested heavily on the ground experience in Frankfurt and Munich. Upgrading the food was the fastest lever to pull while the new seats trickled in.

Why the ground experience still matters#

For most Lufthansa First passengers, the trip starts long before the caviar. The Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt remains one of the few true first-class-only buildings in the world, with private security, a cigar lounge, and a chauffeur to the aircraft. The First Class Lounge in Concourse A and the one in Concourse B offer a similar à la carte dining experience, with six and four showers respectively. In Munich, the First Class Lounge in Terminal 2 and its satellite counterpart are among the highest-rated lounges on this site, both scoring 4.9 overall.

The point is that Lufthansa's First Class product has always been a ground-plus-air package. Until this year, the ground half was carrying the air half. The Skytrax dining award suggests that gap has closed.

What's next#

Lufthansa hasn't said whether the new dining concept will expand to First Class flights departing from outside Germany, where catering is sourced locally. That's the obvious next step, and the one that will matter most to passengers flying home from New York, Chicago, or Tokyo. Watch for an announcement once Allegris First is on more of the long-haul fleet.

My take#

I like that the discussion is moving toward the actual meal, not just the seat. An award would make me look more closely, but the service on my route would still be the test.

Related reading#

• Amex Platinum Just Lost Its Lufthansa Lounge Deal. Check Your Next Layover.
• The world's best first class lounges, ranked: 2026
• Lobster in the Lounge, Sandwiches at the Gate: Airport Dining Has a Class System

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