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

Old Aug 4, 2018, 8:25 am
  #4381  
 
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Originally Posted by frontenac551
Good to head to FCT? Or just stick with FCL? If it matters, it will be a Tuesday morning. I head straight to work on arrival, so will need a shower and some breakfast while at FRA.
Personally, I would go to the FCL first, as I like the apron view with my breakfast (which is the same at the FCT and all FCLs in FRA).

Would then consider, depending on my mood, about one to one as a half hours before boarding, taking a walk over to the FCT to pick up another duck.
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Old Aug 4, 2018, 11:12 am
  #4382  
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Originally Posted by worldclubber


Personally, I would go to the FCL first, as I like the apron view with my breakfast (which is the same at the FCT and all FCLs in FRA).

Would then consider, depending on my mood, about one to one as a half hours before boarding, taking a walk over to the FCT to pick up another duck.
Perfectly doable on a 3 hr transit
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 8:31 pm
  #4383  
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If someone arrived in FRA in First and had an onward flight to a Schengen country (same ticket), but decided not to take that flight, could they use the FCT for a few hours, then head back to T2?

In other words, can you retrieve your passport and exit FCT?
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 9:40 pm
  #4384  
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Why would someone else have your passport? You’ve already passed through immigration on your way to the FCT.
And since people’s plans sometimes change and they therefore no longer wish to travel, someone wishing to exit the FCT through the same way the person came in is probably not unheard of. But you’d probably need to explain it to the PA rather than just attempting to walk out.
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 10:29 pm
  #4385  
 
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Originally Posted by DoTheBartMan
Why would someone else have your passport? You’ve already passed through immigration on your way to the FCT.
And since people’s plans sometimes change and they therefore no longer wish to travel, someone wishing to exit the FCT through the same way the person came in is probably not unheard of. But you’d probably need to explain it to the PA rather than just attempting to walk out.
That is not how the FCT at FRA works. There you leave your passport with the PA and you get it back from the immigration officer at the desk downstairs before getting in your car to the plane.

If I'm not mistaken that is only for non-Schengen flights though so the OP should be able to leave the FCT.

There was a thread years ago about purchasing a fully refundable F ticket, enjoying the FCT for a number of hours and then cancelling the ticket and leaving. Not sure whether that has been done, though I and probably many others have changed plans and cancelled just before boarding for other reasons.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 12:39 am
  #4386  
 
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Originally Posted by margarita girl
If someone arrived in FRA in First and had an onward flight to a Schengen country (same ticket), but decided not to take that flight, could they use the FCT for a few hours, then head back to T2?

In other words, can you retrieve your passport and exit FCT?
this could cause unwanted attention and a recalculation of your ticket...
why not just go to FCL? Less walking, same food/seating and people come and go there all the time...
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 12:47 am
  #4387  
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Originally Posted by daumueller


this could cause unwanted attention and a recalculation of your ticket...
why not just go to FCL? Less walking, same food/seating and people come and go there all the time...
Another duck? And the FCT is so special. Oh well, guess I won't bother.

Thanks for the advice.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 1:03 am
  #4388  
 
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Originally Posted by margarita girl
Another duck? And the FCT is so special. Oh well, guess I won't bother.

Thanks for the advice.
The FCT is not so special after all. Amenities are essentially the same as at the FCLs and many people go there for the guaranteed ride to the connecting flight in a car. Since you will not be taking that flight, there are not many good reasons to go there.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 4:31 am
  #4389  
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Originally Posted by MichielR
That is not how the FCT at FRA works. There you leave your passport with the PA and you get it back from the immigration officer at the desk downstairs before getting in your car to the plane.

If I'm not mistaken that is only for non-Schengen flights though so the OP should be able to leave the FCT.
I am fully aware of the FCT process when leaving on a flight to a non-Schengen country. However, that’s not the scenario I responded to.

Why would the immigration officer have a passenger’s passport if said passenger is leaving on a flight to a Schengen country? That’s the scenario I responded to.

Last edited by DoTheBartMan; Aug 9, 2018 at 5:11 am
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 8:58 am
  #4390  
 
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Originally Posted by worldclubber


The FCT is not so special after all. Amenities are essentially the same as at the FCLs and many people go there for the guaranteed ride to the connecting flight in a car. Since you will not be taking that flight, there are not many good reasons to go there.
The FCT is a much quieter elite experience than the FCL. It is an oasis, albeit without views, from the hustle and bustle of the terminal. But, we can agree to disagree on that point.

However, agreed 100% if you are not going to a connecting flight it seems like a lot of hassle just to visit a lounge. In this scenario, go to the FCL.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 9:14 am
  #4391  
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Originally Posted by Global321
The FCT is a much quieter elite experience than the FCL. It is an oasis, albeit without views, from the hustle and bustle of the terminal.
Yes, I also find having a dedicated PA makes it more relaxing.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 1:40 pm
  #4392  
 
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Originally Posted by Global321
The FCT is a much quieter elite experience than the FCL. It is an oasis, albeit without views, from the hustle and bustle of the terminal. But, we can agree to disagree on that point.
Honestly, I do not find the FCT much quieter than the FCL in B, which is also an oasis with neither the hustle nor the bustle of the terminal. Occasionally the FCL in B is even quieter than the FCT. And the amenities are equally “elite”, if you will. To me as a connecting passengers rarely starting my journey in FRA, the FCL in B is like a FCT with a view. So let’s just agree to disagree on this issue, as the disagreement is not so big and both lounges are excellent.
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Old Aug 10, 2018, 3:20 am
  #4393  
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Originally Posted by worldclubber


Occasionally the FCL in B is even quieter than the FCT. And the amenities are equally “elite”, if you will.
I actually find FCL B to be the quietest of all. However they don’t seem to stock the special Duckies


They used to have their own Spa Duck at FCL B but that’s long gone.
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Old Aug 25, 2018, 10:35 am
  #4394  
 
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Are all of the ground services in FRA the same if the connecting flight is in Y rather than J (for example in the case of an award redemption with no I space on connecting)? If the inbound flight doesn't get a gate position would there still be car transfer even if travelling Y?

Also wrong thread but does that apply in ZRH as well?
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Old Aug 25, 2018, 1:57 pm
  #4395  
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Originally Posted by bcnfish
Are all of the ground services in FRA the same if the connecting flight is in Y rather than J (for example in the case of an award redemption with no I space on connecting)? If the inbound flight doesn't get a gate position would there still be car transfer even if travelling Y?

Also wrong thread but does that apply in ZRH as well?
yep, only arriving/departing flight in F matters.
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