Tips Needed!
 

Hi everyone.

I cashed in my miles and am taking an once-in-a-lifetime trip with my wife to Egypt. There will be a little ChicagoDill around soon, so this really may be the last trip for awhile.

I was lucky enough to snag all first class routing from ORD to Cairo. I leave this Sunday and return Mar 5th out of Amman.

Everything is great except my return leg. I leave Amman on Luft 3511 at 3:10 am (YIKES!). Since that is the only flight, I can live with it. But my FRA - ORD flight leaves at 4:10pm... leaving me with a 10 hr layover.

I have read all about the lounge and it looks great, but 10 hrs is crazy.

There are 3 earlier flights:
UAL 945 at 8:15am
LUFT 430 at 10:15 am
UAL 941 at 12:45pm

I unfortunately cannot get an award ticket on any of these flights. The best flights (UAL 945) looks like the best chance as there are only 2 tickets out of 12 sold.

If anyone can offer any advice on how to increase my odds of getting on an earlier flight please let me know! I have been told I cannot change *anything* after I leave Sunday. So I have to change this soon.

Thanks much in advance for any tips, hints!

ChicagoDill

Since you're flying in F on LH, I believe you'll be able to use the First Class Terminal in FRA. From what it sounds like (check the Lufthansa forum), you might be able to easily spend 10 hours in there without batting an eye.

If you're a betting man, you can arrive at the airport and simply enquire about leaving on an earlier flight. I've done it before without incurring additional fees. I have heard otherwise... soooo...

What is 10 hours in the context of a once in a lifetime trip? A heartbeat, an eye-blink?

If you can change your return before you begin travel then you'll be good to go. If not then just enjoy the new LH First Terminal, and maybe ask LH in FRA if you can go out on the earlier LH flight. I doubt UA will entertain your request in FRA. If you have checked bags then you'll have to deal with that, claim, re-check, etc.

Get a room somewhere and sleep.

I've done more than my share of those trips - that layover is tailor-made for getting a good bed and some sound shut-eye.

But Schipol - where I went through - had a hotel right in the airport. Best room I ever rented. And that was back when I was young and supposedly could take it...

I don't know what's at FRA, but you'll be spending your trip seeing the sights in Egypt and I'll bet you'll be downright worn out after getting up for a 3AMish flight.

And you imply your wife quite pregnant - she'll certainly appreciate the break.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Question: What hotels are right near FRA? Is there a hotel accessible from the terminal, like at ORD? Is so, how expensive is it?

Does anyone have any opinions on the best balance between cost and comfort for local hotels?

Thanks again...

chicagodill

I think there was a Sheraton or Weston connected by a bridgeway to the FRA airport. I think it would not be cheap but they may offer a day rate.

The Sheraton is attached to the Frankfurt terminal - very easy walk over and back, as I remember.

SanDiego 1K is correct. The Sheraton is even easier to get to than the Hilton at ORD (Mrs JJ and I stayed at the FRA Sheraton last fall) Why not see if you have any extra miles, convert them to the Sheraton program and use an award for your stay. Enjoy your adventure.

Free Kempinski Hotel stay for first Class Lufthansa
 

From Lufthansa's Website. I'll be using Kempinski in April for a long lay over on the way to South Africa. Hope this helps.:) :)

You'll find hospitality for a whole day at the Hotel Kempinski in Frankfurt and Munich.

Subject to availability you can reserve a room from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For our First Class passengers this service is free subject to advance reservation and presentation of a valid boarding card.

Business Class passengers pay a special rate of € 79.

Use of the hotel pool, sauna, health club and business center is included.



Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)6102 50 57 45

Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich
Tel.: +49 (0)89 97 82 25 50

Here's the webpage:

http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/de/en/i...780691,00.html

I've heard that award travel on LH does not qualify for the free dayroom at the Kempinski. Paid F dis qualify, though.

So when connecting through MUC on award F on LH, I simply called the MUC Kempinski myself and made the res for the dayroom. (I carefully timed this to happen at about 22:00 MUC time so that less management would be available!) Upon check-in at the hotel, I simply showed my LH F boarding pass, res number, and my credit card for possible extras like room service or telephone. No charges were made, though.

BTW, do LH F pax still get this perk now that the new F terminal is open?