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Lufthansa's beloved First Class Terminal will reopen soon
Zach Honig
Contributor
Aug. 05, 2021
•
4 min read
Lufthansa's beloved First Class Terminal will reopen soon
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Of all the incredible travel experiences I've been fortunate enough to pull off thanks to the magic of points and miles, the First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has long held a special place in my heart.
I can count my visits on one hand, but my adventures at Lufthansa's oh-so-special premium venue have left me with memories likely to last a lifetime.
As dramatic as that may sound, this is a remarkable place. It's home to an unbeatable airport whiskey collection, a top-notch restaurant and an ever-changing array of collectible rubber ducks. That's not to mention the giant bathtubs, cigar lounge and incredibly robust water selection — and no, I didn't mean to type "wine."
Related: It just became much easier to book Lufthansa first-class awards
When all is said and done and it's time to board your flight, you're driven directly to the plane in a fancy German car. Fantastisch!
Shortly after my last visit, in January of last year, Lufthansa closed the First Class Terminal — and some worried that it might be for good.
Fortunately, the beloved FCT will soon return! As One Mile at a Time reports, it's reopening on Sept. 1, after a roughly year-and-a-half closure.
Thinking about heading there for opening day? The airline grants access to customers traveling in Lufthansa or Swiss first class, along with top-tier HON Circle elites flying in any cabin. You have to enter the building from outside the airport, though — you'll need to be flying from Frankfurt in order to get in.
Fortunately, it's easier than ever to do just that, with Lufthansa now making its first-class cabin available to book with partner miles much further in advance. As of this writing, you can even redeem miles to visit on Sept. 1.
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As TPG's Ryan Patterson explains in his post detailing Lufthansa's newfound generosity, there are a handful of booking options that don't involve redeeming 121,000 United miles for a one-way trip:
ANA Mileage Club
- Mileage required (round-trip only): 165,000 miles.
- Taxes and fees: High, up to $500 for a one-way flight.
- Transfer partners: American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Asiana Club
- Mileage required (one-way): 50,000 miles.
- Taxes and fees: High, $244-$800 one way.
- Transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy.
Avianca LifeMiles
- Mileage required (one-way): 87,000 miles, though a mixed-cabin award with a connection in business class could be even lower.
- Taxes and fees: Low, only $30.60 for a flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt.
- Transfer partners: American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, Citi ThankYou and Marriott Bonvoy.
Lufthansa Miles & More
- Mileage required (one-way): 85,000 miles.
- Taxes and fees: High, possibly over $500 for a one-way flight.
- Transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy.
Singapore KrisFlyer
- Mileage required (one-way): 107,500 miles.
- Taxes and fees: High, up to $500 for a one-way flight.
- Transfer partners: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
United MileagePlus
- Mileage required (one-way): 110,000 miles.
- Taxes and fees: Very low, only $5.60 for a flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt.
- Transfer partners: Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy (the latter with a slightly higher transfer rate than other partners, thanks to the RewardsPlus partnership).
It's a pricey ticket, even with miles, but a far cry from the nearly $10,000 (and up!) you'll pay for a round-trip from the U.S.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.