Lufthansa First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport
I love airline lounges and regularly spend four or more hours at a time working from them. This series explores some of my favorites from around the world.
What’s the best airline lounge in the world? Well, it’s a debate. You may prefer the service standards of Asia or the premium coffee machines of Australia or New Zealand. But any debate would certainly include reference to a secret world in Frankfurt, Germany.
Some airlines have lounges… Lufthansa has its own First Class Terminal. When flying First out of Frankfurt, or when arriving in First on a Lufthansa flight before immediately transferring to a Star Alliance connection, you can access this secret world just a short walk from the curbside check-in area.
The experience begins with a quick boarding pass check and a security screening process that couldn’t be easier. Unless you’re arriving in the terminal at the same time as another passenger, chances are there will be no one in front of you.
Entering the lounge — next stop, travel bliss. Image credit: Hagenauer Group.
Once you’re officially in the lounge area, an agent may hang on to your boarding pass until it’s time to leave. There’s a reason for this! Stay tuned. But first, get acclimated.
The bar is extremely extensive, including a wide selection of single malts and other whiskeys.
Order up a snack or a full meal from the menu.
Or visit the extensive buffet, which usually focuses on great starters, vegetables, and desserts.
As a vegetarian I don’t care for wienerschnitzel, but apparently it’s a classic. (By the way, all of this is completely free. There’s never a bill and no tipping is allowed.)
Some airlines have showers… the First Class Terminal has bathtubs. Yes.
While in the bathtub, take the time to pick up the collectible you’ve been dreaming of (or at least, a nice companion for your bathtub at home).
Once in a while, the rubber ducky transforms into a seasonal item for the holidays. Collect them all!
If you need to take a nap, no problem. Request a room with a day bed and take a short snooze.
Before your visit ends, make sure you set up shop in a comfy chair by the big windows. The windows directly overlook the runway, making for great planespotting. An attendant will bring cognac and chocolate mousse (my preferred treat) or whatever you desire.
When it’s finally time to leave, more magic happens. The attendant collects you and you head downstairs… to your private chauffeur. That’s right, you get car service to the gate, and sometimes directly on the jetway.
Fortunately, saying goodbye isn’t terrible. Once you’re on board, you can look forward to the ultimate First Class amenity: not just a lie-flat bed, a seat and a bed.
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How to get in: because it’s so exclusive, the Lufthansa First Class Terminal is harder to get into than many other lounges. With the exception of its “HON Circle” status—which is hard to acquire—you need to actually fly First Class on a three-class Lufthansa or Swiss Air flight to gain admittance. However, it doesn’t need to be a paid flight—an award ticket is totally fine.
You can earn Lufthansa miles from the Premier Miles & More Mastercard. You can also book Lufthansa First Class flights through United and other Star Alliance partners, but availability is much better when booking with Lufthansa miles.
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