Stuttgart's compact airport rarely gets the glamour treatment in business class discourse, which is precisely why frequent flyers who've cracked the code tend to keep it to themselves. The honest answer, though, is that there's no nonstop option: business class from Chicago to Stuttgart always routes through a connecting hub, since neither United, American, nor Lufthansa operates a direct ORD-STR service. The most reliable path is Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich, where United and American passengers connecting on Star Alliance and Oneworld metal, respectively, can also route through Heathrow or Zurich depending on codeshare availability that week. Lufthansa's own product is the one to chase — their new Allegris business class, with its configurable suite doors and adjustable panels, has been rolling out on select long-haul aircraft, though you'll want to confirm equipment before booking since older 747-8 and A340 business seating still appears on some Frankfurt rotations.
I've flown this corridor enough times to know that Frankfurt is the smarter connection over Munich when your onward flight to Stuttgart is tight, simply because FRA's Terminal 1 has faster inter-terminal transfers for Star Alliance passengers than Munich's more spread-out layout. If you're transiting through Chicago itself, arrive with buffer time in winter — ORD's de-icing delays in January and February can cascade into missed connections in Germany. My insider tip: book the Lufthansa-operated segment rather than a United or American codeshare whenever schedules allow, since seat assignments and upgrade eligibility on Allegris cabins are far more predictable when ticketed directly on Lufthansa's own stock.
Deal-wise, this route rewards patience over impulse. January through March and again in October and November consistently produce the softest business class fares, as Germany's trade fair season (which spikes Stuttgart demand dramatically) dies down and Chicago's leisure traffic thins. Given how much these fares fluctuate with fuel surcharges and seasonal demand from Stuttgart's automotive and industrial trade shows, setting up automated fare alerts is the smartest way to catch a premium seat before it disappears.
