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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 May 14, 2018, 3:02 am
  #4276  
 
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Originally Posted by chris63
On a LH F ticket I would have thought you can go to either UA F or SQ F, since you have a *A F ticket.
I have tried it in LHR and I was told I can only use the SEN lounge. Are you sure it works?
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Old May 14, 2018, 3:02 am
  #4277  
 
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Originally Posted by chris63
On a LH F ticket I would have thought you can go to either UA F or SQ F, since you have a *A F ticket.

I certainly use SQF & UAF at other stations with my F BP on LX & LH
UA F will not let you in as the First Class flight needs to be departing London (I’ve tried before). SQ F I haven’t tried when not flying SQ, but to be honest they just aren’t worth the walk there and back imo. SEN lounge nothing special but it’s fine, better than most outstation SEN lounges.
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Old May 14, 2018, 9:49 am
  #4278  
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Originally Posted by worldclubber
I have tried it in LHR and I was told I can only use the SEN lounge. Are you sure it works?
Just the once ex LHR, UA F, showed them my BP’s & HON card & informed them it’s same as GS 😊
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Old May 14, 2018, 9:54 am
  #4279  
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Originally Posted by vantage03


UA F will not let you in as the First Class flight needs to be departing London
Your right that they want departing F BP but they did let me in with my BP’s & HON card, it’s equivalent to GS & they are billing LH anyway so they seemed happy with that 😊
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Old May 14, 2018, 12:04 pm
  #4280  
 
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Originally Posted by chris63


Your right that they want departing F BP but they did let me in with my BP’s & HON card, it’s equivalent to GS & they are billing LH anyway so they seemed happy with that ��
That is because of the agreement between LH and UA whereby HON may use UA GS lounges (when flying LH C or UA C) at a number of airports and GS get entry into LH F lounges in MUC and FRA when flying UA F. LHR is among the airports where this works (others include NRT, IAD, SFO). Your connecting flight in F didn’t make the difference.
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Old May 14, 2018, 12:33 pm
  #4281  
 
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I’ll try then next time I’m departing from that part of the terminal, which on LH only happens for me very occasionally on the first flight of the day. It is a nice lounge but not worth the walk if departing from A Gates imo.
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Old May 15, 2018, 12:08 am
  #4282  
 
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I'll soon be travelling OSL-FRA-ICN (LH C+F) with about 9 hours in FRA. My plan is to exit and go to the FCT. However, I am wondering if I can first visit one of the FCL before I exit? I would like to sleep for a bit, before picking up a Porsche at AVIS which I then return to the FCT.
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Old May 15, 2018, 12:18 am
  #4283  
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Originally Posted by pineapple_juice
I'll soon be travelling OSL-FRA-ICN (LH C+F) with about 9 hours in FRA. My plan is to exit and go to the FCT. However, I am wondering if I can first visit one of the FCL before I exit? I would like to sleep for a bit, before picking up a Porsche at AVIS which I then return to the FCT.
Yes you can.
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Old May 15, 2018, 12:35 am
  #4284  
 
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Originally Posted by chris63
Just the once ex LHR, UA F, showed them my BP’s & HON card & informed them it’s same as GS 😊
But it would be kind of misleading to suggest that the F flight on LH from FRA did the job. As I said, personal experience as a SEN with an F flight ex FRA shows that the *A first lounges at LHR are off limits.
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Old May 15, 2018, 10:36 am
  #4285  
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Originally Posted by worldclubber


But it would be kind of misleading to suggest that the F flight on LH from FRA did the job. As I said, personal experience as a SEN with an F flight ex FRA shows that the *A first lounges at LHR are off limits.
Yes, I take your point & my other visits to SQ & UA FCL’s at outstations I was departing in F.
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Old May 15, 2018, 10:42 am
  #4286  
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Originally Posted by pineapple_juice
I'll soon be travelling OSL-FRA-ICN (LH C+F) with about 9 hours in FRA. My plan is to exit and go to the FCT. However, I am wondering if I can first visit one of the FCL before I exit? I would like to sleep for a bit, before picking up a Porsche at AVIS which I then return to the FCT.
Certainly, since Norway is in Schengen I would recommend the FCLA which is in A, where you should arrive, if outside position just inform the driver you want to go to FCLA . The PA’s can also arrange/ confirm the Porsche with Avis.
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 3:23 pm
  #4287  
 
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I'm sure the answer is somewhere in this thread so apologies in advance i have failed in my use of the search function...

I am arriving on 455 in F from SFO with an onward connection to GVA. Sounds like i will not be met upon arrival as I am not HON and i'd imagine unlikely to get an apron poisition. Short connection so want to figure out my plan. Is FRA FCL similar to MUC where I should just head straight to the lounge and can have immigration taken care of in the lounge? or do I have to clear immigration first then head to the lounge?

Which lounge should I head to? Priority will be a shower so whichever lounge is less crowded from that perspective. Will i get a car from the FCL to my connection or will i have to hoof it?

Thanks in advance.
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 8:08 pm
  #4288  
 
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Originally Posted by boolean64
I'm sure the answer is somewhere in this thread so apologies in advance i have failed in my use of the search function...

I am arriving on 455 in F from SFO with an onward connection to GVA. Sounds like i will not be met upon arrival as I am not HON and i'd imagine unlikely to get an apron poisition. Short connection so want to figure out my plan. Is FRA FCL similar to MUC where I should just head straight to the lounge and can have immigration taken care of in the lounge? or do I have to clear immigration first then head to the lounge?

Which lounge should I head to? Priority will be a shower so whichever lounge is less crowded from that perspective. Will i get a car from the FCL to my connection or will i have to hoof it?

Thanks in advance.
Don't know about meet upon arrival service. I think you would get it if HON do, as paid F, but I don't think even HON do get.

In FRA FCL Lufthansa wanted to do immigration as well, but local police did not approve. So there are two FCLs, specifically Schengen and Non-Schengen. You will want to go to Schengen one in A. No car from A unless maybe your flight gets a bus gate.
You could go to FCT if you have time and take the car.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 12:45 am
  #4289  
 
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Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
Don't know about meet upon arrival service. I think you would get it if HON do, as paid F, but I don't think even HON do get.

In FRA FCL Lufthansa wanted to do immigration as well, but local police did not approve. So there are two FCLs, specifically Schengen and Non-Schengen. You will want to go to Schengen one in A. No car from A unless maybe your flight gets a bus gate.
You could go to FCT if you have time and take the car.
No arrival services for HON either.

Head to A Lounge as suggested. GVA flights regulary get Bus gates so you might be lucky.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 1:22 am
  #4290  
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Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
Don't know about meet upon arrival service. I think you would get it if HON do, as paid F, but I don't think even HON do get.

In FRA FCL Lufthansa wanted to do immigration as well, but local police did not approve. So there are two FCLs, specifically Schengen and Non-Schengen. You will want to go to Schengen one in A. No car from A unless maybe your flight gets a bus gate.
You could go to FCT if you have time and take the car.
If you land & have 1 hour go straight to FCT, because you will need to clear transit immigration & lines can be long.
Exiting & walking to FCT can be quicker.

Otherwise, as long as you arrive at Z gate, go to FCL A
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