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:
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:
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.
- 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.
The FRA F/HON First Class Terminal FCT FAQ
#3496
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,669
There's a new procedure at the FCT that has gone into effect the last few days where when you check in there's another person there who is not from LH but from some security company checking that you are the person on the reservation (this is before the x-ray check, at the welcome counter). As the LH agent checks your information he stands behind her making sure everything is "ok". There's some little placard next to the counter announcing this change. Seems like much to do about nothing but there we are...
#3497
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,925
I don't know why but I can't imagine it's something LH implemented on their own. They were still in training mode about it and trying to get the hang of it. I didn't ask why they are doing it but if I had to speculate I'd say that it's a result of the attacks in Brussels.
#3498
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,791
Reaction to the attacks in Brussels sound likely, as the new procedures were not yet in place during my last visit to the FCT the day after the Brussels incident.
#3499
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
We have a 12-hour layover (~9am to 9pm) in FRA as part of DFW-(first)-FRA-(business)-CDG, and we are planning on visiting the FCL upon arrival, freshening up, heading to the city for a few hours, and then returning to the FCT to hang out there for a few hours before departure. Everything I've read tells me this will work out perfectly, but I just wanted to check that there wasn't anything I was missing.
Thanks!
Thanks!
#3500
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,669
We have a 12-hour layover (~9am to 9pm) in FRA as part of DFW-(first)-FRA-(business)-CDG, and we are planning on visiting the FCL upon arrival, freshening up, heading to the city for a few hours, and then returning to the FCT to hang out there for a few hours before departure. Everything I've read tells me this will work out perfectly, but I just wanted to check that there wasn't anything I was missing.
Thanks!
Thanks!
#3501
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563
We have a 12-hour layover (~9am to 9pm) in FRA as part of DFW-(first)-FRA-(business)-CDG, and we are planning on visiting the FCL upon arrival, freshening up, heading to the city for a few hours, and then returning to the FCT to hang out there for a few hours before departure. Everything I've read tells me this will work out perfectly, but I just wanted to check that there wasn't anything I was missing.
Thanks!
Thanks!
https://www.between9and5.com/
Decent rates on day use rooms at various hotels. I had one booked in FRA before our plans changed and our time at the airport was shortened by several hours.
#3502
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO-LAX
Programs: UA 1K; Etihad Gold; Marriott Gold; HH Gold; SPG Gold;
Posts: 33
And if you're looking for a place to crash for some time in those 12 hours, check out this site:
https://www.between9and5.com/
Decent rates on day use rooms at various hotels. I had one booked in FRA before our plans changed and our time at the airport was shortened by several hours.
https://www.between9and5.com/
Decent rates on day use rooms at various hotels. I had one booked in FRA before our plans changed and our time at the airport was shortened by several hours.
#3503
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: FLL
Programs: US CP, AA Plat, DL Silver, EY Gold, Kimpton IC, SPG Plat
Posts: 409
Sorry for beating this old drum but I'm getting confusing info from LH Twitter.
I asked if I'd have FCT access on my itinerary:
5/3 DFW-FRA (LH F)
5/4 FRA-TXL (LH J) 2-hour meeting in Berlin
5/4 TXL-FRA-MAN (LH J) Five hour layover in FRA
The LH site (in some places not others) and LH Twitter both stated that you have to be on a sameday departing flight to access FCT. I know I've accessed in the pass on an arriving flight connecting to LH in FRA. Is this a policy change or miscommunication?
Thanks
I asked if I'd have FCT access on my itinerary:
5/3 DFW-FRA (LH F)
5/4 FRA-TXL (LH J) 2-hour meeting in Berlin
5/4 TXL-FRA-MAN (LH J) Five hour layover in FRA
The LH site (in some places not others) and LH Twitter both stated that you have to be on a sameday departing flight to access FCT. I know I've accessed in the pass on an arriving flight connecting to LH in FRA. Is this a policy change or miscommunication?
Thanks
#3504
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,624
Sorry for beating this old drum but I'm getting confusing info from LH Twitter.
I asked if I'd have FCT access on my itinerary:
5/3 DFW-FRA (LH F)
5/4 FRA-TXL (LH J) 2-hour meeting in Berlin
5/4 TXL-FRA-MAN (LH J) Five hour layover in FRA
The LH site (in some places not others) and LH Twitter both stated that you have to be on a sameday departing flight to access FCT. I know I've accessed in the pass on an arriving flight connecting to LH in FRA. Is this a policy change or miscommunication?
Thanks
I asked if I'd have FCT access on my itinerary:
5/3 DFW-FRA (LH F)
5/4 FRA-TXL (LH J) 2-hour meeting in Berlin
5/4 TXL-FRA-MAN (LH J) Five hour layover in FRA
The LH site (in some places not others) and LH Twitter both stated that you have to be on a sameday departing flight to access FCT. I know I've accessed in the pass on an arriving flight connecting to LH in FRA. Is this a policy change or miscommunication?
Thanks
That 2nd pass thru on your way to MAN is very creative, but it is the same day so I don't see any issues.
#3505
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: FLL
Programs: US CP, AA Plat, DL Silver, EY Gold, Kimpton IC, SPG Plat
Posts: 409
Thanks for the quick reply!
It was the best way to get to Berlin to see an old friend and make it to MAN on *A.
I hope you're right about the access. Does anyone know if the LH site changed *1 on the lounge access page or has it always been confusing?
The main line states 'First Class boarding pass for an arriving/departing LH/LX flight on the same day' but the asterisk only mentions departing flight for FCT:
It was the best way to get to Berlin to see an old friend and make it to MAN on *A.
I hope you're right about the access. Does anyone know if the LH site changed *1 on the lounge access page or has it always been confusing?
The main line states 'First Class boarding pass for an arriving/departing LH/LX flight on the same day' but the asterisk only mentions departing flight for FCT:
(1) 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.
Last edited by tangel; Apr 20, 2016 at 1:42 pm
#3506
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,546
Jamie
#3507
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,925
Precisely my question. I'm arriving from EWR in F @ 0730, likely having slept little. What's your suggest (given that hour) on the best FCL to head to for a 4 hr snooze? After that, plan is to get some work done, enjoy some views (which FCL do you suggest?) and then head to FCT to imbibe before my 1700 FRAMUCPEK flight in F (well, FRAMUC is J, but you get the point).
Jamie
Jamie
#3508
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,546
Setting aside the merits of staying at the airport/lounges for almost 10 hours, I find the B FCL slightly nicer than the A one but usually arriving from EWR you'll be able to get to the A one quicker and it's also quicker from there to the FCT. But then again time isn't an issue...
#3509
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,840
FCT access on a connection?
All,
I'm transiting FRA and departing on FRA-ORD in F. Do I have FCT access? How do I use the FCT in transit?
Thanks.
I'm transiting FRA and departing on FRA-ORD in F. Do I have FCT access? How do I use the FCT in transit?
Thanks.
#3510
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,925
Search for directions in the threads here. NewbieRunner has pictures linked in the footer to his messages.