Lufthansa First Class Lounges and Terminal Access Policy

ByDominik
a bar with a row of stools and bottles

Lufthansa has some of the world’s best First Class Lounges in Frankfurt and Munich, with an extensive bar, delicious à la carte restaurant and buffet, shower rooms, sleeping rooms, personal assistants, limousine transfer to the aircraft, the list goes on and on. With such high quality, comes a high price: Lufthansa First Class tickets generally start at $6k USD and up, there have been occasional promotions and discounts, though. The best way to experience Lufthansa First Class is by redeeming miles through several Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Programmes.

Reviews:

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt
Lufthansa First Class Lounge (Pier A) Frankfurt
Lufthansa First Class Lounge (Pier B) Frankfurt

 

Having said all of that, Lufthansa maintains a strict access policy for the First Class Lounges and First Class Terminal. Lufthansa needs to ensure the privacy of the passengers and their comfort is maintained at all times.

The general rule to access the lounges and terminal: You must be arriving/departing on a same-day Lufthansa or SWISS First Class flight OR hold Miles & More HON Circle Status. The flight needs to arrive or depart same-day but doesn’t have to be from the airport you are using the lounge at. Other Star Alliance First Class passengers are not eligible to access Lufthansa First Class Lounges or Terminal.

This means that you could fly from Frankfurt to Munich in Business Class and then from Munich to Los Angeles in First Class and you would be able to access the First Class Lounges or Terminal in Frankfurt and the First Class Lounge in Munich. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the access policy for the First Class Terminal vs. the First Class Lounges.

note: I won’t mention the rules for HON Circle Members since it is simple: you must fly either Lufthansa, Austrian, or SWISS (in any class) to access the First Class Terminal.

 

Lufthansa First Class Terminal

Lufthansa First Class Terminal
Lufthansa First Class Terminal

The access policy for the First Class Terminal is a bit different than the First Class Lounges:

You can only access the Lufthansa First Class Terminal if BOTH of the following is true:

  • Your onward flight is operated by either Lufthansa, Austrian, or SWISS (You can only be driven to a Lufthansa, Austrian, or SWISS flight)
  • You arrived or are departing on Lufthansa or SWISS First Class on the same-day (doesn’t have to be to/from Frankfurt)

Let’s take a look at some itineraries that will allow you access into the First Class Terminal:

  • SFO-FRA in First, FRA-MUC
  • MUC-FRA, FRA-SFO in First
  • FRA-MUC, MUC-SFO in First
  • FRA-ZRH, ZRH-ORD in First

The short-haul segments can be in any class and I know it can be a bit confusing, so feel free to ask me in the comments and I would be more than happy to clarify. The rule is that you must be 1) arriving/departing in Lufthansa or SWISS First Class (doesn’t have to be to/from Frankfurt) AND 2) You must be departing from Frankfurt on either Lufthansa, Austrian, or SWISS. If you don’t have an onward flight from Frankfurt the same-day as your First Class flight, you won’t be allowed access into the First Class Terminal since it is for departing passengers only.

 

Lufthansa First Class Lounges

Lufthansa First Class Lounge - Pier A
Lufthansa First Class Lounge – Pier A
Lufthansa First Class Lounge - Pier B
Lufthansa First Class Lounge – Pier B

The access policy for the First Class Lounges is a bit different because from the lounge you can walk to the gate of your onward flight, something you can’t do while in the Terminal.

You have access to the Lufthansa First Class Lounges IF:

  • You arrived or are departing on Lufthansa or SWISS First Class on the same-day (doesn’t have to be to/from Frankfurt)

The key difference between the First Class Lounges and Terminal is that you CAN access the lounges if terminating your journey in Frankfurt, while you can only access the First Class Terminal if you are connecting or originating in Frankfurt. You also CAN access the First Class Lounge if the above applies to you and if you have an onward flight from Frankfurt on any airline.

Here are some sample itineraries that allow you access:

  • SFO-FRA in Lufthansa First
  • SFO-FRA in Lufthansa First, FRA-ATH on any airline
  • SFO-MUC in Lufthansa First, MUC-FRA on any airline
  • ORD-ZRH in SWISS First, ZRH-FRA on any airline

 

The key that determines whether or not you have access is:

  • You arrived or are departing on Lufthansa or SWISS First Class on the same-day (doesn’t have to be to/from Frankfurt)

You must have a same-day First Class boarding pass from any airport in Lufthansa or SWISS to access the First Class Lounges. If you would like to access the First Class Terminal, you ALSO need to have an onward flight in either Lufthansa, Austrian, or SWISS from Frankfurt. If you are terminating in Frankfurt but meet the first condition, you can access the First Class Lounges.

If you are NOT flying Lufthansa or SWISS First Class you don’t have access.

Feel free to post your access questions below and I will help you determine whether you have access or not.

41 Comments

  1. I have an award ticket coming up soon, very excited about it. It looks like this:

    Lufthansa First IAD-MUC (overnight flight)
    4 hour layover at MUC
    Austrian business class MUC-VIE

    So it sounds like I will have full access to the FCL in MUC. Yay!

  2. FCO-FRA-JFK on LH F arriving in FRA at 9PM with an overnight connection. do I get access to the FCL upon arriving FRA at 9PM?

    1. You only get access the day of your First Class flight. So if you fly FCO-FRA on Friday and FRA-JFK in F on Saturday, you wouldn’t get access on Friday, just Saturday.

      1. I would think that “same day” means T-24. It only makes sense. Imagine LH would operate a flight every day at 1AM, then all pax on that flight won’t have access to the FCL?

          1. I tried it and I was denied but I think it was just a clueless rep who was on her way to close up the lounge for the night and wanted to get rid of me. I think it only makes sense what I wrote above. As long I have a BP departing LH F in the next 24 hours I should have access.

          2. She was right in denying you access since the rules state “same-day” and if they did have a 1AM flight I’m sure that flight would be the only exception for allowing access.

  3. Can I buy access to First Class lounge as Business Class Lufthansa customer? if no, can you pls suggest where can I stay for 10 hours with newborn in transit zone, where baby and I can sleep… Ty

  4. So If I’m flying EWR-FRA in F on Sunday evening, land in FRA on Monday noon and then departing FRA-ZRH (economy) at 7pm Monday on LX, I would get access, correct? (IOW it goes by same-day departure OR arrival – my F flight terminated on same day, but departed day before).

  5. Great review! If I have a first class ticket, can I bring a traveling guest who is not in first class?

    1. The wording has been like that for quite some time now. As long as you have an inbound F flight with a connecting flight, you can access the FCT.

  7. Flying Lufthansa

    LAX-FRA (First)
    FRA-ATH (Business)

    I believe i’m entitled to enter FCT or FCL. Is it difficult to transit from arriving flight to the FCT? Is it better to just find a FCL or should I get myself to the FCT? I have a US passport.

    1. Yes, you are! If you have 2+ hours, visit the FCT. Otherwise, stick to the FCL. The FCT is a 5 minute walk once you exit baggage claim.

    1. Same day = same calendar day. If you arrive in FRA in LH F on January 1 and you’re connecting on January 2, you can’t access the FCT/FCL on January 2. You could access the FCL only on January 1 after arrival.

  9. I have a regional flight to Frankfurt in business class and then a first class flight after that. Have i access to the FCT? And how is it then with the driving service from/to the plane?

  10. Arrving FRA on LH F, connecting same day to LH J IntraEurope flight. If I exit the main terminal to go to LH FCT will I be driven to the connecting LH J flight, or will I have to walk back to the main terminal and go security again? Thank you.

    1. If you’re only flying intraeurope and neither of your flights are booked in a true First Class (compared to business class) then you won’t be eligible to go to the FCT. If you do have a valid first class ticket then you’ll be fine and will be driven.

      1. The LH F flight is Johannesburg to Frankfurt then connecting LH J to Amsterdam. So I would be driven to the J flight?

  11. I’m flying into Frankfurt via Luftansa First Class, but then flying out (same day) to the USA via United Global First.

    Would I have access to just the FCL or the FCT as well?

  12. If I am connecting on a Lufthansa Cityline flight to Basel (FRA-BSL, can I use the FCT? My flight into FRA is in F.

  13. I arrive into FRA with LF F but my flight out is with LOT (lufthansa group) could I access the FCT?

    1. LOT is not in the Lufthansa Group. You will not be able to go to the FCT. They can only drive you to an LH/OS/LX flight.

  14. If I am taking IAD-MUC in First, followed by MUC-FRA in Business (because F is not offered), can I still access the FCL in FRA?

  15. If I arrive at 11:20 AM in first class from Los Angeles and then have a departing flight at 10:15 PM in business class, will I have access to the lounge upon arrival and right before departure if I wonder into the city for the day? Both flights are with Lufthansa.

    Also, do they have lockers available to store my backpack while I’m in the city?

  16. Hi, I’ve got a similar question to Karim’s.

    I’m arriving Lufthansa first class from Singapore at 6:20am, and departing for Istanbul the same day at 9:40pm.

    Am I allowed to stay in the FTL for 15+ hours? I know it’s all the same day, but is there any time limit?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Donald,

      No time limit.

      I checked into the lounge and had breakfast and then I left the airport and took the Lufthansa bus to Heidelberg for a few hours and visited the castle and town. This was a great day excursion.

      I was able to leave my backpack in the lounge and returned in the early evening for dinner and a nap.

      Check out my Instagram at worldtravelguy

      Have a great trip.

  17. I am flying from Houston to Copenhagen via Lufthansa.

    Houston to Frankfurt is First Class.
    Frankfurt to Copenhagen is Business Class.

    Both flights are operated via Lufthansa.

    Has there been a recent change in policy or will I still have access to the First Class Terminal?

  18. I’m flying from GRU to FRA in First Class
    And FRA to IST in economy (with LH).
    But the flights aren’t in the same ticket, FRA-IST is a separate reservation
    Do I get access to the FCT?

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