Last edit by: nacho
Why does this lounge have its own thread?
Unlike most non–United Club Star Alliance (*A) lounges in the United States, the Lufthansa lounge at IAD is physically accessible to domestic UA passengers. This means:
There are two floors to the lounge: the concourse level, where you enter and check in, which also has the Senator lounge with ample windows; and the lower level, which has the Business lounge and showers. (The showers are very nice; on par with Senator lounge showers in Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub.)
The Senator lounge offers a complimentary buffet throughout the day, including hot dishes, salads, and dry snacks, and has draught beer and a full open bar including champagne, available upon request.
[Need description of FTL offering. Include photos?]
How do I get there?
The lounge is located at the center of the B concourse, from where non-US airlines depart, to the right of the Aerotrain escalators as you enter the concourse from the train.
Hours have changed seasonally, but, as of April 2014, are 8:20 to 21:30 except Mondays, when the lounge closes at 17:30. It also closes daily from 12:00 to 13:30. Some report the lounge opening earlier on occasion and some report it closing earlier on occasion.
From TSA/check-in, the B concourse is one stop away by Aerotrain, but in the opposite direction of the C concourse from where most United flights depart. Allow 20 minutes between the center of the C concourse and the Lufthansa Lounge. The longest part of the trip is the walk between the C concourse proper and its Aerotrain stop. Between concourses B and C, the Aerotrain makes two stops: one at concourse A and one at the main terminal/TSA/baggage claim.
How do I get inside?
With...
In all cases, each guest must also present a same-day *A boarding pass for admission.
Lounge access for travel in a domestic premium cabin is not regulated by *A; as such, UA F domestic passengers (without other credentials) do not have access to the LH Lounge according to *A.com, just as they do not have access to the United Clubs. However, the international requirement for C/F tickets is conspicuously absent from Lufthansa's own lounge access sheet (see below), and domestic UA F passengers have reported admission. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
[If we get (semi-)official confirmation of this policy, we'll add this to the bullets.]
Provided the lounge does not get overcrowded, as is often the case on US-based LH lounges, you may exit and re-enter the lounge as often as you wish. Note that if you are entering on a lounge pass, which are issued by Lufthansa to their own elites for various reasons, re-entry might not be allowed.
(If your access question wasn't addressed by the above, first check the *A access policy and LH's official access policy [generally relying on the least restrictive policy of the two if they appear to conflict], and if they answer a question that this wiki couldn't, update this wiki to help others! And if they don't, ask in the thread!)
So, can I use the lounge upon arrival in IAD?
Only LH/LX SEN/HON (on any *A carrier) and LH/LX F passengers have access to the lounge upon arrival at IAD without regard to onward travel. See the list above for more details. There are reports, however, of passengers not meeting this criteria presenting their arriving boarding pass and still being admitted.
Furthermore, note that, by virtue of not having access to the terminal, no international passenger whose journey ends at IAD has access to the lounge; they will be ferried by mobile lounge to the International Arrivals Building, which deposits passengers landside. [Can pax without checked bags choose to clear CBP in concourse C regardless? Also, do arriving passengers on LH/LX/*A F/C connecting at IAD to Y-class flights have access? According to LH.com, pax arriving in C on LH/LX can use the lounges in Germany and at JFK upon arrival to freshen up. Is the same courtesy extended at IAD?]
How does the Senator lounge compare to the newest Senator lounges in FRA?
Not favorably. The Senator lounge is like the old FRA lounges (cramped, and before a LH flight departure, crowded). Perhaps due to the crowding, LH offers its departing F pax preboarding from the Senator lounge, something which the FRA/MUC FCT/FCL does not offer but is common among LH's outstation lounges. So, enjoying champagne and macadamias at the nose or upper deck while waiting is a nice feature of the IAD Senator lounge.
This sounds too good to be true!
Lufthansa agrees! If the rumors are true, as of January 1, 2015, LH's Business Lounges will become its *G lounges, which means non-LH *Gs will be directed downstairs to the Business lounge after that date. There's some discussion of exceptions, most notable being that *G traveling in longhaul business class will still be admitted to the SEN lounge. Lufthansa has been more generous than most *A airlines in admitting *Gs to its designated *A First class lounges—not even UA's own 1Ks get to visit United's first class lounges without a first class ticket—so this change will bring Lufthansa somewhat more in line with the rest of the alliance. Went to the LH IAD lounge in June 2016 with TK G and SK BP flying Y, we were directed into the Senator lounge.
Unlike most non–United Club Star Alliance (*A) lounges in the United States, the Lufthansa lounge at IAD is physically accessible to domestic UA passengers. This means:
- United *G members may access the lounge on domestic itineraries, even though they wouldn't be allowed free access to the United Clubs on such itineraries.
- Passengers who otherwise have United Club access, whether due to a paid membership or a foreign *G card, have the option of a vastly superior lounge in IAD.
There are two floors to the lounge: the concourse level, where you enter and check in, which also has the Senator lounge with ample windows; and the lower level, which has the Business lounge and showers. (The showers are very nice; on par with Senator lounge showers in Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub.)
The Senator lounge offers a complimentary buffet throughout the day, including hot dishes, salads, and dry snacks, and has draught beer and a full open bar including champagne, available upon request.
[Need description of FTL offering. Include photos?]
How do I get there?
The lounge is located at the center of the B concourse, from where non-US airlines depart, to the right of the Aerotrain escalators as you enter the concourse from the train.
Hours have changed seasonally, but, as of April 2014, are 8:20 to 21:30 except Mondays, when the lounge closes at 17:30. It also closes daily from 12:00 to 13:30. Some report the lounge opening earlier on occasion and some report it closing earlier on occasion.
From TSA/check-in, the B concourse is one stop away by Aerotrain, but in the opposite direction of the C concourse from where most United flights depart. Allow 20 minutes between the center of the C concourse and the Lufthansa Lounge. The longest part of the trip is the walk between the C concourse proper and its Aerotrain stop. Between concourses B and C, the Aerotrain makes two stops: one at concourse A and one at the main terminal/TSA/baggage claim.
How do I get inside?
With...
- Any Star Gold (*G) card (including UA Premier Gold and higher) and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. There are reports (April 2014) that the physical card is no longer necessary; a *G designation on the boarding pass reflected in the barcode may be sufficient. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
- A LH/LX HON/SEN card and a same-day departing or arriving *A boarding pass to/from any destination, domestic or international. (Senator lounge, 1 guest [plus spouse if HON] plus children under 18)
- A LH/LX FTL card and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. (Business lounge, no guests)
- A LH Premium Economy boarding pass with ($35 adult/$20 2-12yo child) lounge pass purchased at the ticket counter. [Can it be paid at the entrance?] (Business lounge, no guests)
- A United Club or Maple Leaf Lounge Worldwide membership card and a same-day departing *A boarding pass in any class to any destination, domestic or international. (Business lounge, 1 guest)
- A same-day international departing *A First (Senator lounge, 1 guest) or Business (Business lounge, no guests) boarding pass
- A same-day arriving LH/LX First boarding pass. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
In all cases, each guest must also present a same-day *A boarding pass for admission.
Lounge access for travel in a domestic premium cabin is not regulated by *A; as such, UA F domestic passengers (without other credentials) do not have access to the LH Lounge according to *A.com, just as they do not have access to the United Clubs. However, the international requirement for C/F tickets is conspicuously absent from Lufthansa's own lounge access sheet (see below), and domestic UA F passengers have reported admission. (Senator lounge, 1 guest)
[If we get (semi-)official confirmation of this policy, we'll add this to the bullets.]
Provided the lounge does not get overcrowded, as is often the case on US-based LH lounges, you may exit and re-enter the lounge as often as you wish. Note that if you are entering on a lounge pass, which are issued by Lufthansa to their own elites for various reasons, re-entry might not be allowed.
(If your access question wasn't addressed by the above, first check the *A access policy and LH's official access policy [generally relying on the least restrictive policy of the two if they appear to conflict], and if they answer a question that this wiki couldn't, update this wiki to help others! And if they don't, ask in the thread!)
So, can I use the lounge upon arrival in IAD?
Only LH/LX SEN/HON (on any *A carrier) and LH/LX F passengers have access to the lounge upon arrival at IAD without regard to onward travel. See the list above for more details. There are reports, however, of passengers not meeting this criteria presenting their arriving boarding pass and still being admitted.
Furthermore, note that, by virtue of not having access to the terminal, no international passenger whose journey ends at IAD has access to the lounge; they will be ferried by mobile lounge to the International Arrivals Building, which deposits passengers landside. [Can pax without checked bags choose to clear CBP in concourse C regardless? Also, do arriving passengers on LH/LX/*A F/C connecting at IAD to Y-class flights have access? According to LH.com, pax arriving in C on LH/LX can use the lounges in Germany and at JFK upon arrival to freshen up. Is the same courtesy extended at IAD?]
How does the Senator lounge compare to the newest Senator lounges in FRA?
Not favorably. The Senator lounge is like the old FRA lounges (cramped, and before a LH flight departure, crowded). Perhaps due to the crowding, LH offers its departing F pax preboarding from the Senator lounge, something which the FRA/MUC FCT/FCL does not offer but is common among LH's outstation lounges. So, enjoying champagne and macadamias at the nose or upper deck while waiting is a nice feature of the IAD Senator lounge.
This sounds too good to be true!
Lufthansa agrees! If the rumors are true, as of January 1, 2015, LH's Business Lounges will become its *G lounges, which means non-LH *Gs will be directed downstairs to the Business lounge after that date. There's some discussion of exceptions, most notable being that *G traveling in longhaul business class will still be admitted to the SEN lounge. Lufthansa has been more generous than most *A airlines in admitting *Gs to its designated *A First class lounges—not even UA's own 1Ks get to visit United's first class lounges without a first class ticket—so this change will bring Lufthansa somewhat more in line with the rest of the alliance. Went to the LH IAD lounge in June 2016 with TK G and SK BP flying Y, we were directed into the Senator lounge.
Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [Merged]
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [Merged]
yesterday I had nearly 5 hours to kill at IAD connecting from LHR to YYZ
Getting off from LHR around noon, I went to the first RCC I came across, near the C gates.
Me: Can I get a couple drinks since I am flying international to YYZ
Dragon: No sir, Toronto is domestic. (ok, i knew i wasnt entitled to them anyway, since i was in coach)
Me: Can I standby for an earlier departure then...
Dragon: No sir, not on international flights....
After an encounter with a mouse (I will from now on belive everything I read here ), we decided to make the trek to the brand new LH lounge.
Its a bit of a journey, one has to take the shuttle, and then walk all the way down to B51 from the A gates shuttle stop.
But the lounge is superb, and one truly realizes how much the RCCs suck when you get there.
As a star gold (traveling on a "domestic" coach ticket), I was directed to the Senator part of the lounge by a friendly desk lady.
The lounge itself has lots of hot and cold snacks. Fresh salad, potato salad, cheeses, wraps, hot potatoes, various cakes, and candy. Very close if not better than any FRA Senator lounge. A german beer tap is in the process of being installed. There are 2 computers with free internet, tons of space, a great view of the gate, superb bathrooms.
I left a bit too early, walked back, took the shuttle directly to D, the whole process took maybe 8 minutes. Still had 20 minutes to kill, went to the very crowded D RCC... and had a couple carrot sticks....
The lounge is only open from 2pm until LH leaves, but if you have time to kill at IAD, the long journey to B51 is well worth it!
Getting off from LHR around noon, I went to the first RCC I came across, near the C gates.
Me: Can I get a couple drinks since I am flying international to YYZ
Dragon: No sir, Toronto is domestic. (ok, i knew i wasnt entitled to them anyway, since i was in coach)
Me: Can I standby for an earlier departure then...
Dragon: No sir, not on international flights....
After an encounter with a mouse (I will from now on belive everything I read here ), we decided to make the trek to the brand new LH lounge.
Its a bit of a journey, one has to take the shuttle, and then walk all the way down to B51 from the A gates shuttle stop.
But the lounge is superb, and one truly realizes how much the RCCs suck when you get there.
As a star gold (traveling on a "domestic" coach ticket), I was directed to the Senator part of the lounge by a friendly desk lady.
The lounge itself has lots of hot and cold snacks. Fresh salad, potato salad, cheeses, wraps, hot potatoes, various cakes, and candy. Very close if not better than any FRA Senator lounge. A german beer tap is in the process of being installed. There are 2 computers with free internet, tons of space, a great view of the gate, superb bathrooms.
I left a bit too early, walked back, took the shuttle directly to D, the whole process took maybe 8 minutes. Still had 20 minutes to kill, went to the very crowded D RCC... and had a couple carrot sticks....
The lounge is only open from 2pm until LH leaves, but if you have time to kill at IAD, the long journey to B51 is well worth it!
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: IAH
Posts: 242
When did this lounge open? I would've loved to visit it instead of the RCC on my way to LHR last Sunday!
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: RIC
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 3,387
yesterday I had nearly 5 hours to kill at IAD connecting from LHR to YYZ
Getting off from LHR around noon, I went to the first RCC I came across, near the C gates.
Me: Can I get a couple drinks since I am flying international to YYZ
Dragon: No sir, Toronto is domestic. (ok, i knew i wasnt entitled to them anyway, since i was in coach)
Me: Can I standby for an earlier departure then...
Dragon: No sir, not on international flights....
Getting off from LHR around noon, I went to the first RCC I came across, near the C gates.
Me: Can I get a couple drinks since I am flying international to YYZ
Dragon: No sir, Toronto is domestic. (ok, i knew i wasnt entitled to them anyway, since i was in coach)
Me: Can I standby for an earlier departure then...
Dragon: No sir, not on international flights....
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
umm..the fact that they designate the flight to YYZ domestic in once sentence and international in the next whichever is more convenient in what seems like an attempt to get rid of you..... The whole drink chit system makes one feel like a beggar sometimes
I think the lounge opened very very recently, perhaps just this past weekend, it still has that new furniture smell in some places
I think the lounge opened very very recently, perhaps just this past weekend, it still has that new furniture smell in some places
#5
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Near National Harbor, Maryland
Programs: AA, BA, B6, DL, UA 1K, VA, VX
Posts: 294
#7
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: UA1P MM, Delta, AA, IC Royal Ambassador, Starwood Gold
Posts: 333
Can A *Gold arriving on a UA TATL flight connecting to a UA domestic flight use the LH lounge? I am betting not, because the departure leg is not international. How about the RCC lounges?
Dave
Dave
#8
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: UA 1K 1MM / AA PP, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 949
Similar to how UA *golds can access senator lounges in MUC/FRA when connecting to domestic LH flights.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Actually, the dragon was wrong, you are certainly eligible to standby for flights to YYZ. I've lost count of how many times I've done this ORD-YYZ. Perhaps they didn't want to deal with checked baggage if you had it. If it were me, I would have gone to Mr. Chicken (even they can handle this) or another agent to get onto standby.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA GS, Avis CHM, Marriott & SPG & PC Plat., Hyatt & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,547
If you're flying to a "real" international destination it does NOT matter if you're in coach/business/first. As a *Gold you're always eligible to get drink chits, regardless booking class.
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,140
LAX
#12
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Plat
Posts: 229
Showers?
Are there showers at the new LH lounge? Or does the main international airport for the capital of the free world remain one of the few global hubs without shower facilities?
#13
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
Thanks for the OP's posting of this. I love LH lounges. i'll definitely check this out at IAD. ^
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 23,999
Yes, they could use either the RCC or the SEN lounge.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: Formerly: UA 1K, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver, FT Addicts Anonymous; Currently: Grounded
Posts: 829