San Francisco - the city of flowers - a city I've always wanted to visit and definitely I will do this but this first trip to SFO was just a layover on my way to Los Angeles.

I booked this flight because I wanted to fly the new Boeing 777-300ER of United Airlines. By the way: this flight has been one of the last United Boeing 747-400 routes...but now back to business. My journey started on december 27th 2018 at terminal 1 of Frankfurt Airport. United Airlines currently operates eight flights to germans largest airport from six US-cities (Chicago, Denver, Houston, Newark, San Francisco & Washington) and as flight UA59 (my flight) departed in a total rush hour, the check in was packed full. Only three check-in desks for economy classes of at least four UA flights was...well let's call it complicated. 

I went through security without any problems and after that to my gate (Z25) where I had to wait for about an hour to board my wonderful 77W.

Through the windows I had a first glimpse of N2846U. This Boeing 777-300ER is the third newest 777 in United's longhaul fleet and the 15th -300ER. She was delivered on march 28th 2018.

Without any major delays I boarded the aircraft and was welcomed warmly. After I found my seat (33A) I filmed a few bits for my flight review and shortly after boarding was finished, we started our journey to San Francisco.

With grey skies and winds coming from west, we took off smoothly on runway 25C and climbed out to the north.

What I really missed in 2016 was the continuous beverage service which definitely changed. I never drank that much on a flight. For lunch, United served salad and chicken breast with risotto and vegetables, some bread and a pod of ice cream (strawberry & clotted cream). Somewhere behind Greenland they went through the cabin and handed out some bags with sweets and potato chips. I really liked that !

Right before landing they served again some snacks and with that the last drinks. Throughout the flight they always gave whole cans of beverages, not only a cup although the plane was packed full.

The seatback inflight-entertainment  of United Airlines is on of my favorite so far. They have a huge variety of movies, TV-series, music, games and their flight info page is the best I've ever seen. What I really like about the IFE here is that you can look even before you fly which entertainment system is available on your flight and you even get a list of all movies and TV-series you can watch on board (click here to see this feature).

With a new aircraft type there also comes a new touchscreen which was really sensitive. Although it is such a long flight (11:30 h)

I was entertained the entire time. As I flew just a few days after Christmas, they had many holiday-movies (like The Holiday, Die Hard and Home Alone) as long with new movies (Solo, Infinity War, ...)

Our crew was extremly good mooded and friendly throughout the entire flight. I had a nice chat with some of them and I felt that they really liked their job and the airline. As many american citizens have a more or less complicated relationship to Germany it is always nice to hear their background stories about their uncles/grandparents/parents or themselves living in or visiting Germany.

After the flight when I asked if I can visit the cockpit they instantly took me to the front. The only thing what I dislike is that the german speaking stewardess/steward seems always to nervous to speak german and it turns out to be half english/ half german.

(But hey that's exactly the same with LH crews when they have to talk english)

Prior to landing they handed the usual forms for US-entry and with a short but funny announcement we left our cruising altitude and began our descent to SFO. We flew next to Point Reyes and flew westerly of Golden Gate, Alcatraz Island and Downtown SFO and turned on final for 28R behind Palo Alto.

The landing was pretty soft and after a short waiting period we crossed runway 28L and taxied to our gate G97 when next to us a Lufthansa A340-600 was pushed back to begin it's journey back to Munich.