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Old Jul 29, 2013, 5:44 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: supine
Do I have entitlement to access the First Class Terminal (FCT) in FRA?
- Yes, if you are departing from FRA on a flight operated by LH/LX/OS, and at least one of the following is true:
  • The class of service on your departing flight from FRA is F.
  • You have arrived on a confirmed F segment on LH or LX metal, on the same day, even if the ticket of that F segment is different from the ticket of the segment from FRA.
  • You will be departing on a confirmed F segment on LH or LX metal, on the same day from a connecting station, and the ticket of that F segment is the same ticket as the segment from FRA. Separate tickets means you are not entitled to FCT access.
  • You hold HON status.
  • You are invited as a guest by someone who meets the above criteria, and you meet the requirements of a guest as discussed later in this FAQ.


But the LH website contradicts the above:"Access to the First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport is only possible with a confirmed same-day departing First Class flight on Lufthansa or SWISS. HON Circle Members may access the First Class Terminal with a same-day departing flight on Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian Airlines. Access to the First Class Terminal is not permitted for arriving passengers."

- The above has been on the web site for some time, and does not appear to be the actual policy, as many here attest from personal experience.

What are the opening times of the FCT?
- 0530 to 2200 daily

Where is it located?
- About 200 metres to the west of Terminal 1

If arriving in FRA on a LH operated flight in F, will I get a car transfer from the arriving flight?
- Ordinarily, no. However, if you hold HON status, you're arriving / departing from an apron position and your onward flight is operated by LH / LX / OS, LH aims to send a car to meet you from your arriving aircraft. See for more info. NB If you do get the car service on arrival, you will be driven to the main arrivals area and not the FCT, as this does not offer immigration and customs facilities for inbound passengers.

How do I get to the FCT in FRA?
- The First Class Terminal at Frankfurt is located close to Terminal 1. You can reach it by car via the access road to Terminal 1: the entrance to the First Class Terminal is off this road, approximately 200 metres before you get to Terminal 1. When arriving on public transport, the First Class Terminal is only a few minutes’ walk from Terminal 1.

Locations of Lufthansa lounges at Frankfurt Airport

The FCT is a departure terminal/lounge and is not meant for transfer pax. Transfer pax can use the FCLs located in the main terminal building which offer the same amenities as the FCT. There is no transfer or shuttle to the FCT. You can walk to the FCT, though.

If on departure level take the escalator down to arrival, walk out of the terminal and turn left. You will pass the bus shuttles to the airport hotels and taxis. Cross the street - whilst waking under the access road above to departures - you will see taxi divers' coffee shop to the right - and more taxis parked to your left. You will see the First Class Terminal across the street. Cross the street in front of the coffee shop, turn right and the First Class Terminal is on your left. Go through the automatic doors and take the elevator to the main reception area.

Pictorial guide may be found here.

If the FCT is not meant to be a transfer lounge then why do some people use it as such?
- Aside from the experience, there are practical reasons for you to consider using the FCT for a connection:
  • If you have a long layover, the FCT will be less crowded than the FCL B (but more crowded than the even newer FCL A by A13).
  • If your connection requires clearing passport controls, it is faster to do it at the FCT where you will surrender your passport upon admittance and get it back moments before you are driven to your plane. Presumably if immigration has questions they will deal with it while you are lounging in the FCT versus waiting until you depart for your plane. Note that permanent residents of the USA who are heading back to the USA from FRA or a connecting airport should also surrender their green card, but gently but firmly request it be returned quickly. The German immigration people don't need your green card, and LH only needs it to enter into the passenger record, so there is no reason why your personal assistant cannot return it to you soon after.
  • You do not have to waste time walking from the FCL to a gate position that is potentially more distant from the lounge than your arriving gate, or worse yet, is actually a bus to a plane parked at an apron position in the middle of the tarmac. You will leave the FCT after boarding starts and a driver will take you to the plane wherever it is.
  • If your plane is parked at a jetway, you will be whisked to the front of the line of pax boarding in the jetway, saving even more time.
  • If your connection requires going through security, you are guaranteed to have a much faster and gentler screening at the FCT than going through security in the main terminals, and if you are carrying valuables, the FCT checkpoint eliminates all angst about theft or forgetting them.


How many guests am I permitted in the FCT?
- One, assuming a lower cabin class and that they will be travelling on the same flight as you. If they also are confirmed to travel in F, they too will be entitled to a guest, meeting the same criteria
- Anyone with a confirmed segment in F is also entitled to bring in their spouse/partner and/or children, provided they are departing on the same flight, irrespective of the cabin class they are travelling in

I’m arriving on LH/LX/OS C and departing TG/SQ/etc. F, do I get in to the F terminal?
- No, but you will have access LH Senator (Star Alliance Gold) Lounges which are designated as First Class Lounges for Star Alliance carriers.

I'm arriving on TG/SQ/etc. F and departing on LH, Swiss, Austrian C do I get in to the FCT?
- Not unless you hold HON status, otherwise you will have access LH Business Lounges unlesss you hold Star Alliance Gold status and access to LH Senator (Star Alliance Gold) Lounges. Certain airlines (e.g. SQ) have arrangements for arriving F passengers to access LH Senator Lounges regardless of their status.

I’m arriving on any carrier in any cabin class and departing same day on LH/LX F do I get in to the FCT?
- Yes.

I'm arriving on LH / LX F and departing same day on another carrier in any cabin class, will I have access to the FCT?
- Yes, if your onward flight is operated by LH, Swiss or Austrian Airlines Group. Otherwise, you will only have access to the LH First Class Lounges or (if eligible) the lounge of the airline operating your onward flight.

What is the minimum connect time between flights in order to use the FCT?
- 90 mins is recommended, however some have observed that 60 mins is acceptable, while others still have got away with just 20 mins. Bear in mind, if in transit, that you will need to factor in the time between arrival and departure

Do I need to tip the staff in the FCT?
- According to LH policy, FCT staff are not allowed to accept gratuities.

What's the food like in the FCT?
- Well above the standard of anything you might expect from any airline in the air, a cut above lounge food of any other airline and equivalent to a smart restaurant in any major city

VAT Refund
- Yes, but there is a $75 trip fee and CC refund only.

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The FRA F/HON First Class Terminal FCT FAQ

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Old Dec 5, 2012, 8:42 am
  #2266  
 
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Originally Posted by davidrod
I'm flying in LH F, have a 6 hour layover, and then continue on LH F. What lounge(s) do I have access to? Would love to be able to take a shower as I'll be in the middle of a 20 hour trip...
You may use any F lounge, or the FCT. Can you enter Schengen? Otherwise, only the FCL B will be available for you. And yes, of course there are showers, or better said, bath rooms, available to freshen up.
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Old Dec 5, 2012, 9:49 am
  #2267  
 
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Originally Posted by YuropFlyer
You may use any F lounge, or the FCT. Can you enter Schengen? Otherwise, only the FCL B will be available for you. And yes, of course there are showers, or better said, bath rooms, available to freshen up.
Yes, I have a US Passport. I guess my question is whether it is worth it to go all the way to FCT or just stay at FCL B.I do have 6 hours, so time is not an issue. I guess is just a matter of which one has better options. If they are both the same, then it might not be worth it to go all the way over there.
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Old Dec 5, 2012, 9:57 am
  #2268  
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Originally Posted by davidrod
Yes, I have a US Passport. I guess my question is whether it is worth it to go all the way to FCT or just stay at FCL B.I do have 6 hours, so time is not an issue. I guess is just a matter of which one has better options. If they are both the same, then it might not be worth it to go all the way over there.
With 6 hours, I'd try both. You may or may not get a limo from FCL B to your connecting flight. You will definitely get a limo from the FCT. I would most definitely head to the FCT.
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Old Dec 5, 2012, 10:08 am
  #2269  
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Originally Posted by SFO777
You may or may not get a limo from FCL B to your connecting flight.


The rule is clear. If your flight leaves from a B gate you don't get a limo (unless it's a B bus gate). If your flight leaves from C or Z you will get a limo. You don't get a limo if you are leaving for a Schengen destination.

Or as lufthansa.com tells you: "The limousine service to your aircraft is also available to you if you are using our First Class Lounge in Pier B at Frankfurt Airport. This service is available for Lufthansa flights to non-Schengen and non-EU countries which take off from a non-gate position or from Departure Areas A or C."
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Old Dec 10, 2012, 5:13 am
  #2270  
 
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I'm flying FRA-ZRH (LX in C) ZRH-BKK (LX in F) and I realise that I have access to FCT at FRA. My flight FRA-ZRH leaves around 8pm and I wanted to spend most of my afternoon in the FCT.

However, if just occurred to me that e.g. here in Australia I can't check-in with bags internationally more than 3h before the flight (really limiting the amount of time you can spend at the QF First lounge in Sydney ...).

Does LH also have this rule or how early can you actually check-in with bags at the FCT in FRA on the day of departure?
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Old Dec 10, 2012, 5:17 am
  #2271  
 
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Originally Posted by Sydfly
I'm flying FRA-ZRH (LX in C) ZRH-BKK (LX in F) and I realise that I have access to FCT at FRA. My flight FRA-ZRH leaves around 8pm and I wanted to spend most of my afternoon in the FCT.

However, if just occurred to me that e.g. here in Australia I can't check-in with bags internationally more than 3h before the flight (really limiting the amount of time you can spend at the QF First lounge in Sydney ...).

Does LH also have this rule or how early can you actually check-in with bags at the FCT in FRA on the day of departure?
No rule at their hubs, same-day checkin (or evening-checkin for next day flights, in some cases, too)

So you can go to the FCT anytime you like.. maybe have breakfast in the FCL B, lunch in the FCL A, then dinner in the FCT
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 11:47 pm
  #2272  
 
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FCT Access with Award Ticket

If my flight ex-FRA is on LH in F, but a Mileageplus award ticket and not paid, do I still get access to the FCT or am I limited to the FCL in the normal terminal?
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 11:54 pm
  #2273  
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Originally Posted by agoldstein
If my flight ex-FRA is on LH in F, but a Mileageplus award ticket and not paid, do I still get access to the FCT or am I limited to the FCL in the normal terminal?
Regardless of how you "paid" for your ticket, your F reservation/boarding pass is all you need to access the FCT.
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 11:59 pm
  #2274  
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Originally Posted by agoldstein
If my flight ex-FRA is on LH in F, but a Mileageplus award ticket and not paid, do I still get access to the FCT or am I limited to the FCL in the normal terminal?
Originally Posted by SFO777
Regardless of how you "paid" for your ticket, your F reservation/boarding pass is all you need to access the FCT.
+1

You'll have no problems accessing the FCT.. Have a great visit...and don't forget to collect a duck
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 8:03 am
  #2275  
 
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I don't have the upgraded ticket yet. I am going DEN-FRA (747) and then FRA-DXB (346). I have a stopover in between to checkout frankfurt. I am currently in C. Assuming the F opens at T-14, I will have enough points to upgrade only one leg or the other to F. Would you say it's more worth it to upgrade the DEN-FRA flight, which will be in the 747 but will not get me FCT access, or to take F in the less impressive aircraft, but with the FCT on departure?
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 8:10 am
  #2276  
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Originally Posted by agoldstein
Would you say it's more worth it to upgrade the DEN-FRA flight, which will be in the 747 but will not get me FCT access, or to take F in the less impressive aircraft, but with the FCT on departure?
Where did you get the idea that DEN-FRA First won't get you FCT access? Any same day arrival or departure LH First boarding pass gets you into the FCT. We arrived from DEN yesterday morning, walked to the FCT (after being driven by limo from the tarmac arrival position), were warmly welcomed and two hours later driven by limo to A13 and escorted up the elevator to the jet bridge of our FRA-CDG Business class flight.
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 8:11 am
  #2277  
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Either flight in F will get you access to the FCT.
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 8:12 am
  #2278  
 
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Originally Posted by SFO777
Where did you get the idea that DEN-FRA First won't get you FCT access?
Any same day arrival or departure LH First boarding pass gets you into the FCL.
We arrived from DEN yesterday morning, walked to the FCT, were warmly welcomed and two hours later driven by limo to A13 and our FRA-CDG Business class flight.
Thanks...I did not know that the FCT could be used as an arrival lounge. Appreciate the info!!!

Last edited by agoldstein; Dec 13, 2012 at 8:33 am
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 8:58 am
  #2279  
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Originally Posted by OliverS
Either flight in F will get you access to the FCT.
.. and therefore MOST DEFINITELY upgrade on the 747!!!!!!! Upper deck F, you CANNOT go wrong with that.
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Old Dec 13, 2012, 9:00 am
  #2280  
 
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Originally Posted by agoldstein
Thanks...I did not know that the FCT could be used as an arrival lounge. Appreciate the info!!!
Officially, you can't use the FCT as an arrival lounge. If you don't have a same day departing BP, they might refuse entry. Better just to use any FCL after a F flight, really.
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