Lufthansa or other foreign airline

I have used Lufthansa. Great airline.
I have also used Iceland Air, and Air Canada. Depends on if I am flying to California or Ohio.
Direct is best if you can get it, but 1 stop is going to be better than 2 stops.

I flew Luthansa round trip Budapest / Washington DC a few months ago. I've flown them a lot. I fly the cheapest airline with a scheduke that meets my needs. Lufthansa got the job done, but is among the least enjoyable carriers for my taste. Most enjoyable long haul for my taste is Turkish Air. Most enjoyable short haul is RyanAir.

Yes, several times, and I prefer Lufthansa over any American company. I do not have loyalty to any particular airline, even though I use AA or one of its partners, only because I have a mileage card.

This may be controversial, but I would rather fly internationally on almost any foreign airline over an American company. In my experience, as one of 'the great unwashed' packed in the back of the bus (an Airbus ideally!) in basic economy, the service (food, entertainment, amenities) on Asian, Middle Eastern, and European airlines, respectively, is vastly superior to anything offered by American companies. Of the ones I have travelled on, Singapore is the best, followed by Thai and Japan. Emirates is better than Qatar, and British and Lufthansa are better than KLM. Surprisingly, I like Ryanair for intra-European flights.

Connections from my local regional airport, number of stops, timing (departure, arrival, layover, flight) and certainly ticket price are all things I consider. It seems like you have it pretty much figured out. Good luck and safe journey!

I've flown Lufthansa to and from Europe quite a few times and have absolutely no complaints. Which I cannot say for any of the American airlines I've flown on. Not sure why you would think any of the American airlines are somehow better than international airlines. If you look at the latest rating by Skytrax, no American airline cracked the top 10. The best they could manage was Delta at #22. Lufthansa came in at #15. https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-top-100-airlines-2025/

When we need to fly internationally, we go to Google Flights to see our options. Then we weed things by price, number of stops, and duration. The nationality of the airline has little to do with our choice.

I have been partial to Lufthansa from Philadelphia into Europe as they usually use the Airbus 330 with 2-4-2 seating in coach. However, this is into Frankfurt for a connection, and they now are flying this flight to and from somewhere deep in the C and D sections of Terminal 1, adding much time and a stress to making a connection. WIth my heart condition I can get assistance if it is tight, but on my return flight last spring this meant three different assists from the A area where their local flight landed, with three waits for help, as you get shifted between sterile, no-sterile, and Schengen/non-Schengen areas and the transit had to be passed off. Delta is not an option for me in Philadelphia as I am not starting by first flying in to another east coast or midwest city to get out, and be equally delayed on my return. Which leaves me various American flights, or BA through Heathrow.

We have flown all over the world and flow Delta, American and United. Delta has been clearly our favorite of American Airlines.
Since we fly Delta more than an other, we usually fly on partners of Delta, which are Air France, KLM, Korean Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic.

Air France has been our clear favorite, but Korean Airlines is just as good.

It has been years since we flew Lufthansa, but they were considered a good airline.

What I always look for is PRICE and the fewest airports that we have to CHANGE flights.
We are doing a tour of Armenia and Georgia next year and I found Delta's price to be way too much. American/Qatar Airlines had a fantastic price and great connections.

Another example, when we go to Philadelphia to see my son, American has a direct flight from Jacksonville, Florida. Delta requires a change of flight in Atlanta. We went with American, which I specifically don't care for their policy to NOT provide a movie screen for entertainment (you have to bring you own and I don't watch movies on my cell phone).

Lufthansa was very good when we used them, and we'd not hesitate to fly with them again. Not sure if it is still the case, but at one time they were very strict about carry on bag size and weight. They even had a woman walking around the gate area in Atlanta hoisting some bags to check the weight.

With regard to loyalty to one airline, Delta is by far the dominate player in Atlanta. In fact, it's said that if one dies in the southeast. it doesn't matter if one is going to heaven or hell, you'll still have to change in Atlanta. So, by default we use them more than anyone else.

Lufthansa is a reliable airline with decades of experience which gives a lot to care for customer wishes. Intensive years of my business life I was traveling with them (domestic and international), had also a loyalty status.

Unlike many of the posters, I have found my experiences with Lufthansa to be pretty dismal, especially when FRA has been the layover airport. Awful food, unhelpful personnel, broken seat in front of me leaving that person pretty much in my lap for most of the flight. One time, we needed to get to a very remote gate at FRA for our connecting flight. After the long trans-Atlantic journey and long trek through the airport, we discovered very little was available to eat or drink. Too tired for more walking around, we just closed our eyes and endured.
These experiences were quite a few years ago, so maybe things have improved? ?

Is there any reason to limit myself to American or Delta, or would it be fine to let myself fly on a foreign-based airline?

Lufthansa is a major airline from Germany and is safe to fly, but I would be wary of flying small, budget, or charter international airlines or airlines from developing countries.

Thanks for your input. KLM Royal Dutch airline is another airline that has a good flight(s).

KLM, rated just above Delta on the previously linked rating, is part of the Sky Team alliance, along with Delta and Air France.
Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance and code shares along with United, Air Canada, and many others.

When you fly, it is wise to get a frequent flyer number and points for your flights. All three of the USA main carriers have foreign partners. We have a credit card with Delta and American and get free flights , which saves. $$.

I just read an article that said Germany was the most expensive country in Europe to fly into or out of. High taxes and Lufthansa's near monopoly was the stated reason. Everyone's favorite discount airline is leaving several airports resulting in a loss of 800,000 seats. Watch prices go up.

30 plus years ago LH was one of my favorite carriers. I used them several times a year for about 10 plus years. Gradually their services tailed off though. After a Schiphol mess, they are forever on my list of carriers I will never fly.
What they did to me was (in my opinion) unforgiveable. I was making a connection at Schiphol from France. I Made my way directly through the airport and arrived at the LH gate as quickly as possible. I know the airport quite well soI made it there without delay. Counter and security check-in was taking place. They had a sequential check-in setup. I could see the counter and boarding from where I was queued to go through the passport security check. It was slow, but I had time, or so I thought. I was there at the gate. I was ahead of the check-in time. I thought I had nothing to worry about. When I moved the 30 or so feet to the counter to check in for the flight, they informed me that I was late and that they had given my seat away. I was (putting it mildly) livid. The transfer flight I arrived at Schiphol on was a LH partner. I was at their gate about 1/2 hour in queued while they gave my seat back to the US away. In 40 plus years of travel, that was the only time I ever had that kind of scramble on the way home. They are on my forever xxxx list. I arrived back home a day late. Thank you very much LH.

I prefer a European airline just because of the EU261/UK261 compensation rules v the non existent US rules. I realize that US airlines when flying FROM Europe/UK have to abide by them, but not TO Europe.

Yes, KLM and Delta are part of the same airline alliance. The trip requires two flights. Buying tickets from Delta would be, the first flight on Delta, the second flight on KLM or Air France. Buying a tickets from KLM would be, the first flight on Delta, the second flight on KLM. It would be irrational for me to buy tickets from KLM. At first glance, Lufthansa looks like they have a much cheaper flight. Further investigation reveals that in order to get a changeable ticket (what if one of my parents is dying just before I am supposed to start my trip?) with Lufthansa, you have to pick the second cheapest fare class. Also the second cheapest fare class is required to get one prepaid checked suitcase or bag. Then picking seats in not included. Picking seats too adds to the cost, so that by the time you add the extra costs, the price is nearly the same as the trip from Delta. Delta's trip now looks best in comparison, although I could irrationally take a risk and be cheap and see what happens if I go with Lufthansa and don't pay to pick a seat. Paying to pick seats with Lufthansa is nonsensical or irrational because if I am going to pay to pick seats, I would be better off with Delta if Delta includes picking seats or advance assigned seats. I am not interested in being as cheap as possible. If I was, I wouldn't travel.

Most major European airlines are in an alliance (Star Alliance, One World, Skyteam) with
the major US carriers.

Overall, just about every carrier is in a race to the bottom, so while the advantages OP
notes for Delta right now may exist, you have to be aware that those may change over
time, or even before you book your flight.

Re Lufthansa, Munich is a pretty good airport to connect in, while Frankfurt is definitely
hit and miss. But that is not all the airline's fault.

These days, airlines are starting to introduce seasonal non-stop flights from the US to
destinations previously requiring a connection (Barcelona, Dubrovnik, etc). I doubt
Vilnius is going to get a nonstop from the US anytime soon, but you never know.

Re Lufthansa, Munich is a pretty good airport to connect in, while
Frankfurt is definitely hit and miss. But that is not all the
airline's fault.

I connected in both a few months ago. They both inhaled deeply. But I give Frankfurt a slight edge.

OP: We have traveled IAD/Vilnius numerous times over the past three years. No airline is great but we try to stay with one carrier all the way through. The small carriers from Munich, Frankfurt or Amsterdam are ok; in fact, they are usually clean and efficient albeit barebones.

Some advice: Make sure you have a change of clothing and your valuables in your carry on. Bags are frequently misplaced if flights are delayed. Also, note departure times from Vilnius because most of them are at the crack of dawn.

If you would like more info on our experiences, private message me.

"note departure times from Vilnius because most of them are at the crack of dawn."

Yes, on the return trip from Vilnius to Detroit, on Lufthansa, the flight leaves at 6:25am. I suppose I will have to get driven to the airport in Vilnius at 3am. I will not drive myself to Detroit Metro Airport.

Download the BOLT app. That’s the Vilnius version of Lyft or Uber. They’re dependable — even at 4 am. And inexpensive, too.

I used Bolt in Vilnius a few times. Very efficient, on time, and cheap.

Experience says getting to Europe on first flight is key, at least in my experience. If you get stuck n the US a day is for sure lost usually. No more options. Fewer connections always better.