alanh

I had luck at the UA clubs showing the emailed receipt as my "temporary card". They needed the ID # and the expiration date, but were able to type it in manually. The foreign clubs may be less accommodating.

Superguy

I used a CO President's Club with an email receipt for my RCC membership before I got the card. That and an ID worked just fine.

PaceLaw2012

Do you think this will work with the SN/BD lounges in BRU?

pinniped

I imagine a club member without *G would get directed into the LH Business Lounge, right? A *G gets the Senator Lounge. So if you're both, like I imagine most US Club members who find themselves in FRA would be, show 'em the Star Gold BP and leave the US Club card in your pocket. (Unless the guest rules are more liberal in the biz lounge perhaps...)

Only confirmed F on a three-cabin Lufthansa flight gets you into the FCL/FCT. I learned the hard way that just holding an F itin with the three-cabin segments elsewhere in the itin is not enough.

axpmaluga

I too bought the $259 special last year. Am I foolish to hold out to see if that come around again?

PaceLaw2012

Maybe? The main reason I jumped on this special was that I have alot of segments booked in the next month where club access would be of value to me. I think that frequency of use is the guiding value metric in this instance, rather than buy-in price. Plus. the 5k PQM doesn't hurt; its going to make a run to Gold feasible for me this year.

thomwithanh

Or earn HON Circle Status with Miles & More - gets you the FCT on any trip through Frankfurt, regardless of class of service (but not for a guest).

You need 600,000 miles on LH/LX/Austrian in any 24 month period to get HON. I worked it out, it would take flying JFK-FRA 13 times round trip in F (M&M gives triple miles for F). Makes Chairman's Preferred and 1K look like a joke, hell it even puts Global Services to shame - earn HON and you're more than half way to Million Miler status.

PaceLaw2012

so like 100 people have it? lol. At least its exclusive...

thomwithanh

You have to keep it in perspective though.

European Frequent Flyer Programs are much more difficult to earn in and the focus is much moreso on premium cabin and full fare economy customers. On Miles & More most discount economy fares do not earn any miles, and middle buckets (M, H, etc...) only get 50%. With the push for the high value market their elite thresholds are significantly higher and do not correspond to the tiers of any US Carrier. On Lufthansa, the basic FO tier would be reasonable for most business travelers, but even the middle tier would be difficult unless corporate is paying for J or he or she is flying transatlantic more than once a month.

• Frequent Traveler has similar benefits to our Silver at 30,000 miles but does include lounge access on the LH network (Star Silver)
• Senator the next level up is equivalent to Chairman's at 100,000 miles and has similar benefits to CP (SWU's, guaranteed reservations, etc...) plus access to Senator Lounges and any *A Lounge (Star Gold)
• HON Circle at 600,000 miles (in 24 months) is for ultra high value customers and includes things such as a personal escort to the plane, limousine pick-up on the tarmac at certain German Airports and the First Class Terminal. It's closest equivalent would be United Global Services or American's Concierge Key, but it blows both those programs away. There's probably more 100 HON members but I doubt its much more.

It's a far cry from anything we have in the States - even those traveling primarily for leisure can usually earn enough for an award ticket or upgrade over time and sometimes snag Silver or Gold with nearly all fares (except for unpublished and non-rev fares) earning miles and PQM's.

ellinj

Anyone order online get their miles posted yet?

Superguy

You can try. Foreign *A carriers have been known to be sticklers without cards. It wouldn't hurt to try. I would if I didn't have a card.

PaceLaw2012

I ordered online but ended up calling Club Services after 24 hours. The agent said that online applications weren't processed for at least 7 business days (although I thought the website said 3). She pushed the application through, emailed me a temp membership card, and the 5k miles instantly appeared in my account.

So, i guess the answer to your ? is probably "no".

wfdude

I ordered online on 2/14 and when I didn't receive any email or even a pending charge on my credit card after 24 hours, I called in. The agent said they were all processed manually and asked if I'd like to hold on while she processed mine? I said sure, and the miles posted immediately and she said my membership was active, even though I would not get the card for 4 weeks. Quite speedy, really. Only 6 minutes on the phone total!

longnguk

Seriously, paying 350 USD + for annual accesses to an enclosure (the so called Club lounge) within an enclosure (the airport) really worth it? Assuming that one has a Silver status:
- One would come in into an 'enclosure' around 25 times (minimum number of segments for a Silver) a year. That roughly translate to around 10 USD a visit, just roughly!
- Assuming that the airport one frequents most would have a lounge ,what would one get for 10 USD?
+ A glass of water at the bar, but out of courtesy, one would tip a minimum of 1 USD for a glass of tap water with ice! OK, one would order several glasses of wine or beer, right?
+ A hot beverage such as coffee or tea from a dispenser, no tips here!
+ Depending on the time of the day, some crackers and cheese. No tips required, if the latter are proferred.
+ A cookie or two, or may be an apple or an orange from the tray if they are available. Some airport lounges don't stock them! No more 'Walker' shortbreads starting the beginning of this year!
+ A cup of fire-roasted vegetable soup, or some pickled olives if one happens to be at CLT, PHL during certain time where one would be able to 'steal' the food designated for the 'Envoy' travellers.

My apology if the above scenario is somewhat optimistic, as several people have documented it very well about the condition of several airport lounges in this forum. E.g. the lounge's keepers were trying to be creative by stacking coffee creamers to cover the empty shelves/space, in an artistic way, of course!

Oh, by the way, the lounge could get more crowed than at the gate during boarding times and one'd need to be sympathetic to one's adjacent travellers, who're trying to admonish his/her subordinates!

You would still want it?

FlyNhighAgain

For me? Yes. Even back in my Silver days, it was worth it.

A comfortable seat, away from the herds and myriad cell phone screamers... alone that is almost worth the price of admission.

Then, add in the lack of tourists (with their generally misbehaved/crying children), not sitting next to the person eating the smelly food out of a Styrofoam container, not sitting on the floor near the single power outlet at the gate, not having to pay the one drink minimum to sit in the bar (which is often times overcrowded)...

Add to that a generally clean restroom, access to an agent for any ticketing needs, free wifi, newspapers and magazines, coffee, juice and minor snacks. A free drink, if you so desire is also available in many clubs.

If you have to assess a "cost per entry" to it, you are really missing the point. It's just a nicer experience, than standing in line at the bus stop, that our airports have become. And, if you are willing to pay for that experience, I say: go for it.

I would not cancel my membership, unless it became a financial hardship. And, at $350-ish/year... that's somewhat unlikely.