Direct to Germany

Are talking about flying from Boston to Munich with a plane change in Amsterdam, or flying to Amsterdam for a few days, then flying to Munich?

Lufthansa is Germany's airline. It is part of the Star Allience - with United. Have you had issues with Lufthansa in the past? Or is your uncertainty around not recognizing the brand? A little more information here would be great.

Maybe look at taking the ICE (High Speed Train) from Amsterdam to Munich (I know it is called something else in the Netherlands). It might take longer than the flight, but I would rather be moving then waiting for all the hooplalala in the airport.

Lufthansa which I am not sure about

Why are you not sure about Lufthansa?

Train is a very long connection. Check https://int.bahn.de/en

Sorry I should have been more clear. Lufthansa seems to be more of a budget airline, nickel and diming for everything. Seat selection, Wi-Fi, etc. Also the reviews I have read have not been great.
I was thinking of staying in Amsterdam for a day or two before traveling to Munich. The train to Munich is too long.
Back to the drawing board I guess.

MarkK,
As a frequent traveler I would be interested in your experience with Lufthansa.

I have flown on Lufthansa several times and I would never describe it as a budget airline. In fact, I would choose it in most circumstances. A choice of a direct flight is worth more than nickels and dimes.

We normally fly into FRA. But we recently flew into Amsterdam, partly because we had a longing to return to the Netherlands, and partly because the flights and the fares there were much more desirable at the time.

We spent 3 days in some Ijssel River towns outside A'dam, then made our way into Germany by train, making stops on the Rhine and Neckar Rivers before moving on toward Austria, essentially bypassing Munich.

If you want to stop over in Amsterdam, it's very easy to reach Germany quickly by train. There are DIRECT high-speed ICE trains that travel to Cologne in just 3.5 hours. Cologne is a fine stopover - Germany's most-visited landmark, the Cologne Cathedral is there, among other things.

Cologne > Munich is also a direct train ride - 4.25 hours.

Personally, I'd much prefer a visit to the Rheinland. But if you are sold on Munich, flying into AMS for that purpose just isn't that big a deal - even if you are in a big rush to reach Munich. You can get on a train at AMS airport for Cologne right after your plan lands - and spend Night #1 there. Then board a train to Munich in the morning. You will be there before noon on Day 2.

Just about everybody now charges for seat selection and wi-fi on transatlantic flights. Please let me know if anyone does not.

To your original question. Trains from Amsterdam Centraal take 15 minutes and trains are every 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure to factor in the time to get from your hotel to Amsterdam Centraal. Standard recommendation is to arrive 2 hours before an intra-European flight. Munich to central Munich is 40 to 45 minutes on the S-Bahn and they go every 10 minutes on average by two different routes.

I use Lufthansa all the time. It is my preferred airline. It is not a budget airline at all! Ryan Air is a budget airline.

United and Lufthansa are the two airlines that have direct flights.

As for charging for Wi-Fi and seat assignments this is the norm. I think most international airlines have these charges. Lufthansa is no better or worse than European airlines.

Jmo, how do you become a FTL of an airline you are not sure about?

I guess the bad reviews are coming from former AirBerlin customers who miss the little red chocolate heart from Rausch Schokolade at unboarding.

I can't agree with your hesitation about flying Lufthansa. As a Star Alliance member, along with Air Canada, United, and many other airlines, we've found ourselves flying Luffhansa as a code share many times. It's certainly NOT a budget airline, and we've found the experiences with them no different than on other legacy airlines in North America and Europe.

If you want to visit Amsterdam, then fly to Amsterdam. If your primary goal is Munich, them fly direct to Munich.

I was hoping for a direct flight to Munich but I could only find Lufthansa which I am not sure about

If you can get on a nonstop from Boston to Munich on Lufthansa, go for it. Don't waste precious vacation time flying via AMS.

I just flew Lufthansa LAX to Budapest through MUC and had a great experience. As others have said, Lufthansa is not a budget airline. Lufthansa/Star Alliance basically "owns" Terminal 2 and its satellite there - it's a very efficient, modern operation.

MarkK
Jmo, how do you become a FTL of an airline you are not sure about?
I’m not sure what FTL means. What I was asking was your experiences with Lufthansa, whether or not they were positive. I know you are a frequent contributor to this site and I value your opinion.
Thanks

Thanks to everyone who responded. Looks like I have nothing to worry about with Lufthansa. This site never ceases to amaze me how quickly everyone is ready to assist other travelers. Thanks again.

Another positive review for Lufthansa. It is not at all a budget airline! I would rank it ahead of United for sure, certainly on par with any major European or American airline, and maybe even better than many. I prefer it to KLM (though I prefer AMS to FRA). It is Germany's flagship carrier and the largest in Europe. As others have said, charging for seat assignments, etc. is industry standard. I have found them to be exceptionally clean and to have good service. The seats are as comfortable as any good airline.

That said, I would have no compunctions about most translatlantic budget carriers, especially ones based in Europe. I or family have flown Condor, Air Berlin, Norwegian, and probably others over the years, and we have always found them good. When we flew Condor, we had a lot of luggage plus pets, so we paid for economy plus. This meant that for an extra $90, we had all the amenities and the 2 pieces of luggage each. It ended up being one of our best flights. Remember, to be allowed to do long hauls from Europe, they still have to meet European minimum standards.

And to me, direct is worth a lot; every transfer adds hours to travel (hours not spent enjoying your trip or resting), money spent on airport food, etc. I would consider even a less than great airline if I save time AND money!

I long ago decided I preferred Lufthansa for flying to Germany.

SkyTrax gives Lufthansa a 4-star rating, same as KLM. United, Delta, and American all have 3-star ratings.

In 2013 my partner and I flew from ORD to FRA on Lufthansa and back from Munich to Dulles on United. We had to use those flights and airlines to use my United miles. Next trip to Germany she insisted on flying Lufthansa, said she would not fly United internationally again. Nuff said?

Just to add we flew NJ to Munich Dec 2024 on Lufthansa RT. Our 6th trip to Munich and once to Frankfurt using Lufthansa. We’ve previously flown on Air France, Swissair, SAS. Wouldn’t fly any other airline than Lufthansa. Seems every airline is charging for seat selection now. Plus, nothing, nothing, beats direct flights! We’re very fortunate, as we’ve always picked the 4:20pm flight from Munich back to NJ. Love not getting up early or having to stay near the airport for our flight home.