You've been conditioned by the crappy RCC and US club access policies. As a *G member, you should be able to use any non-RCC, non-US, *G lounge when traveling a *A carrier, regardless of whether it's international or domestic.

There just happens to be one in IAD which you can reach airside without reclearing security. :D

The LH Lounge over in IAD terminal B is a *G lounge (unlike the shared NH/AF one), and your *G card and BP for a same-day flight should get you in without a problem. And unlike the access-restrictive RCCs, offers hot food and free alcohol... ^

You can catch the shuttle over to B or over to the main terminal and then the moving walkway to B, all without reclearing security.


See above... all it takes to visit the LH Lounge in IAD (and a few other *G lounges around the US which are accessible airside w/o having to reclear security at a different terminal) is a *G card and *A BP, including domestic UA flights.

Yeah I know.. but that's ok.. I just dont wana sit at the airport that long :( I've been looking, and looks like IAD-ORD is pretty cheap and I can use it.. but it's less than 3 hours (no meal service).. I also tried exploring IAD-BOS-ORD-IAD (but then again BOS-ORD is 2:50h! Darn it, it's 10mins short). IAD-DEN is way too much.. I can't think of any other city pair.

-j

Lufthansa lounge can be accessed with UA Star Gold card and domestic ticket:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...erence-23.html

I did find it quite crowded in the late afternoon before the FRA (?) departure.

If you don't mind losing the residual value, you can call .bomb support and have them apply an e-cert which is worth more than the base fare... you just won't get any "change" from it.

BOS-ORD/ORD-BOS have meal service.

I believe the members who frequent the Washington D.C. Forum can be of help with suggested activities. If you need help with possible mileage runs, the Mileage Run Discussion Forum is your best best.

Good Luck!

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United Mileage Plus Forum

OP, you have the DNA of a true mileage runner and my respect for that. But I think you are crazy to try a nested MR on Dec. 30 out of IAD. Between weather and normal holiday operational fubars there is a good chance this will blow up in your face. Not worth the risk. Go to the Lufthansa club and/or museum and relax.

LOL @ "dna of a true mileage runner" - I actually have not done a "true" mileage run.. (will probably do next year tho!) but if choosing a 4-segment flight over a nonstop flight when available, then I guess I have the DNA of a true mileage runner ;) hehe

Yes, I've been looking for possible flights and the best one was IAD-ORD but with both airports usually under bad weather I think I'll just stay in DC area. The museum is a very good idea.. and I also called Lufthansa and they told me that I would not need an international BP to access their lounge - just the G*A card and a BP. If the weather is favorable, and if I got enough sleep on the way over, when I land in IAD, I will go to the museum. If not, I'll hang out at RCC in IAD until around 1PM and will checkout the LH lounge at terminal B which is ok because my connecting flight leaves out of A.

Thank you so much for all the inputs fellow pro-flyers!

-j

You can also see if any of the DC-area FTers are up for a meeting:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...ur-thread.html

So I had 11 hours of layover in IAD today... flight from LAX got in at 6:15A, I went to the RCC around 7:30 and took a nap until 11A, then I went to the smithsonian air and space museum and enjoyed every minute of it! I came back to IAD at 3:45 and had some snacks at the Lufthansa lounge (where I am typing this right now. LOL) my flight is on time departing at 5:30PM and I think all in all, I had a great day in IAD.. Thanks to flyertalkers who suggested great ideas.. I had fun! and I will do it again but maybe next time, I'll take in a guest with me to the lounge. Yes, I can confirm Lufthansa lounge only needs a *A gold card and today's boarding pass of ANY star alliance partner flight - in my case, it's United.

Have a happy new year everyone,
-j