Lufthansa's beloved First Class Terminal will reopen soon
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.
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.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees