The Lufthansa First Class Terminal is Lufthansa’s flagship First Class Lounge experience. Not only is it a first class lounge, it’s a separate departure terminal that is situated just adjacent to the regular airport terminal.

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This post is one chapter in our Around the World in Star Alliance First Class via China, Thailand and Spain. This trip was booked using Air Canada Aeroplan miles. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt, Germany

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal is Lufthansa’s flagship First Class Lounge experience. Not only is it a first class lounge, it’s a separate departure terminal that is situated just adjacent to the regular airport terminal.

Getting to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal:

The next morning we arose early for our Lufthansa First experience. It was about 4:40 AM when we sprung out of bed for our last First Class experience. 

We rolled down the hill from the Novotel Mainz towards the train station. It was pretty easy for once, as the sidewalks made for good rolling, which is not always the case in Europe. The journey took about seven minutes. 

We had a great sunrise on our walk. I have to offer props to Ms World Traveller 73 for getting up this early too. 

Interpreting the train schedule, we made it aboard the 6:02 AM train back to Frankfurt Flughafen Regional HBF, sharing the train with several uniformed flight attendants who were off to work this morning. 

We arrived into the basement train station at the Frankfurt Airport and took the escalators up into the main terminal. I couldn’t help but take a photo of the FRA flight information board. I’m a fan of this board, since it is one of the few remaining flight information boards in the airports that I pass through that is actually on the old split flap system. It always reminded me of travel with my mom through South East Asia in the eighties. Seeing those numbers and letters flip around always made me excited – still does in some ways even to this day. 

I was leading the charge with our bags in tow, but I had neglected to inform the other half that the First Class Terminal was a five minute short walk from the main terminal. With directions obtained earlier from the internet,, we made it over to the entrance of the First Class Terminal.

We were so early, that the sun had hardly risen for the morning.

We walked in on the ground floor and rode the elevator up to reception. An army of staff manning three separate check-in desks met us at the elevator.

Accessing the Lufthansa First Class Terminal:

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal is one of the more complex First Class Lounges to access.

Per the official rules, a departing Lufthansa (or Swiss) First Class same day ticket is required. If you are flying another Star Alliance Carrier such as Singapore Airlines or Thai Airways, you are kindly directed to the regular in terminal Lufthansa First Class or Senator / Business Class Lounges. Similar to British Airways’ Concorde Room, we have also read reports of entry of presenting an arriving same day Lufthansa First Class ticket with a connecting flight onto Lufthansa Business, although we have not tested this ourselves.

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Access to the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt is only possible with a confirmed First Class flight on the same day with Lufthansa or SWISS. HON Circle Members have access to the First Class Terminal for Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian Airlines flights departing on the same day. Passengers flying into Frankfurt have no access to the First Class Terminal.

With your First Class boarding pass for a flight operated by Lufthansa or SWISS on the same day, you have access to the First Class facilities (First Class Terminal and First Class Lounges). Passengers who, in addition to their First Class flight, are taking a connecting or feeder flight, have access to the First Class facilities, as long as the entire First Class journey is a through booking.

For access to the First Class Terminal and to the First Class Lounges, travelling companions must show a valid boarding pass for the same flight as that of the person inviting them. Life partners/spouses and children under 18 must show a valid boarding pass for a flight on the same day as that of the person inviting them.

Travelling companions, life partners or spouses and children must leave the lounge together with the person inviting them.

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We were immediately introduced to our Lufthansa Personal Assistant and with a very quick check of our reservation in the computer, we were directed into the private screening area. No one else was present other than the usual laptop inspector, the monitor watching the X rays and the designated male and female personal screeners. Unlike Thai Airways, I noticed that our Personal Assistant also was security screened as well as she escorted us through (Thai ground staff walked around a white screen, apparently unchecked to the secure side). I did notice that she was given a cellular phone with the number “#10” on it by the front-end staff. We left our checked bags behind and the last time I saw them, they were being placed on a hotel style trolley with a bellhop looking type person taking care of them. 

Inside the Lufthansa First Class Terminal:

After the screening, we were led towards two frosted glass doors. As our assistant led us toward them, the glass doors slid open, into a world of exclusivity. The lounge is decorated in the traditional subtle colors consisting of earth tones with soft browns and greys.

We were given a quick orientation explanation of the lounge and explained that they would hang onto our passports until we were ready to leave. We found our way over to some tables by the restaurant. We were offered a coffee and were also brought a Voss Norwegian water bottle and an amuse bouche consisting of cubed fruit. I zipped off for a quick look around while coffees were being prepared and ended up with some of the secret amenity rubber duckies as we perused the breakfast menu, settling into the surroundings.

I couldn’t resist taking a photograph of this funny comment in the guest book. 

Magazines of every possible kind and variety, separated in to men and women’s sections. . 

The lounge space couldn’t be any more relaxing and exclusive.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Food and Beverage:

While we were relaxing on arrival, we took a look at the drinks menu. The Lufthansa First Class Terminal has almost every drink available on offer.

After a much needed morning coffee, we headed over to the restaurant and enjoyed a breakfast. The Lufthansa First Class Terminal is configured with a separate A La Carte dining area with proper tables and wait staff.

The catering here was simply over the top. There was every possible combination of breakfast foods on offer, including an Asian breakfast which was offered. In addition, a chef was available for made to order items.

Despite the available buffet, I ordered some fried eggs and helped myself to a Western breakfast. The DO & CO Catering did not disappoint. Ms WorldTraveller73 proclaimed that her omelet was: “The best omelet I’ve had all trip”.

There was a candy display in the middle of the lounge that would make any child cry for mercy. 

After breakfast, we settled in to the relax chairs and enjoyed a few more glasses of Bollinger Champagne. “I’ll bring it over for you” said the bar man who was serving us with a spry smile. There was an exceptional variety of champagnes on offer.  In addition, there were some good, but not outrageously over the top selections of wines. 

Our time in the Lufthansa First Class Terminal was a truly inviting experience. With curiosity of what was around every corner, there was interest in seeing what was next. Not withstanding the fabulous city experiences we had, the travel experience in First Class was truly the highlight of the trip. In all, the Lufthansa First Class terminal offered a much more refined experience than the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge in Bangkok. It was understated elegance instead of over the top service. There was staff available and at your needs, but not in your face. It was so quiet at the start of our visit, you could almost hear a pin drop. There were significantly less people that the Thai lounge. And significantly lower volume than the Thai lounge. Super quiet and empty were my initial impressions for a Monday morning visit before 9 AM. 

Several hours too soon, our Personal Assistant came to get us, with a smile: 

“I’ll be waiting by the elevator” she said, as our time in the lounge drew to a close. 

We gathered up our things and she led us into the elevator, while she took the nearby stairs down. On our walk over, the bar man who had been serving us wished us a pleasant journey. 

We arrived downstairs and were in the motor pool with 4 beautiful cars and one somewhat beautiful Mercedes van. I had noticed that the van door was open and also the trunk. I saw 3 other people standing there and I recalled that from checking the LH website earlier, that our flight did have 5 seats booked. We were directed over to the Polizei immigration counter with our boarding cards and with a resounding thunk of a Shengen passport departure stamp, our time in the lounge had come to an end. 

Our Personal Assistant introduced us to our driver who was to drive us to the aircraft. Led us out the revolving doors and took us around to “the first car” just past the van (phew – a close call!!). We boarded a beautiful silver S350 Mercedes Bluetec with a matte black interior for our ride to the aircraft. 

We had a very quick three min ride over to Gate A16 where we parked along side our ride to Seattle today. For those that have not had the opportunity to get underneath planes, the ride offers a great experience to see things from the ground level. 

Once parked, we were led to a secure elevator and using a magnetic pass card, led up to the second floor where boarding was underway. We crossed the economy boarding stream of passengers that was underway, led by our driver and over to the first and business class bridge. Our driver ended his escort for us with a large smile and asked us to enjoy our flight.

What a fantastic way to arrive to a flight. . .

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Bottom Line:

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport is arguably the most exclusive First Class Lounge in the world. Passengers get to enjoy a private, self contained building with its own security screening checkpoint, its own border controls, access to a Lufthansa Personal Assistant, an a la carte dining facility, an open bar with exclusive high end wines and 4 kinds of champagne and typically a private luxury car transfer to their aircraft. There are few airlines in the world that offer this kind of luxury. If you ever are lucky enough to fly Lufthansa First Class, make sure you make the Lufthansa First Class Terminal part of your trip.

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