During my recent international connection in Washington, DC I had time between flights to go lounge hopping. This review focuses on the Lufthansa Lounge at Washington Dulles (IAD).
Lufthansa Lounge Washington Dulles Review
Lufthansa actually has two lounges at Washington Dulles, an upstairs Senator Lounge and a downstairs Business Lounge. The Senator Lounge historically offered a wider selection of food choices and was available to first class travelers and Star Alliance Gold members. Meanwhile, as its name implied, the lounge downstairs was for business class passengers. However, during the pandemic Lufthansa has closed off the downstairs area and all passengers are invited to use the Senator Lounge upstairs.
Location + Hours + Access
The lounge is located in beautiful Terminal B at IAD, one of the most beautiful terminals in the country. You’ll find the lounge near the Lufthansa departure gate, near Gate B49. This lounge has direct access to boarding gates, an added bonus.
Currently, the lounge is open from 2:00pm to 5:00pm on days in which there is a Lufthansa Group departure from Dulles (Lufthansa or Austrian).
Access is reserved for Star Alliance Gold travelers in any cabin of service as well as business and first class Star Alliance travelers. This includes United MileagePlus members. That means if you are, say, traveling from Washington to Boston in economy class and are Premier Gold, you can use this lounge.
United Club members also have access, though one-time passes from Chase are not accepted. A lounge pass can be purchased for $45.
Seating
Seating is divided into a dining area and seating area, with about 100 seats. Typically, the dining area is partially blocked off for first class passengers and HON members, although it was not during my recent stay (Lufthansa is not running first class service to the USA during this time).
There is a shortage of power plugs in this lounge, so if you see one, grab it…
Food + Drink
Historically, this lounge had a nice selection of hot and cold items, more than enough for a full meal. During the pandemic, pre-packaged salads, wraps, and sandwiches are available as well as potato chips, crackers, cookies, and granola bars. I had both a salad and sandwich and found them fresh and delicious (far better, for example, than the hot sandwiches currently served onboard United Airlines in first class).
The sandwich featured carved roast beef and cheddar cheese with onions, lettuce, and tomatoes while the salad included spinach with walnuts, pineapple, strawberries, and pineapple.
During the pandemic, alcohol, coffee, and tea were not available, just a limited selection of soda and water bottles.
Restrooms + Showers
Restrooms are located on the upper floor (very German in style). Normally, showers are available downstairs, but no showers are available during the pandemic.
CONCLUSION
The food in this lounge really made it worthwhile to stop by. The lounge itself is comfortable and not crowded during this time with travel restrictions in both directions between Europe and the United States.
When I was there some months ago, there were no sandwiches or salads, so that is an improvement. Though I still don’t see why there is no German beer (and no Haribos). Overall, currently, it makes the UA lounges in C/D more competitive and I would no longer go to A/B just for LH.
However, since you are in A/B, the TK lounge (also available to United club card members and Star Gold) is better, and AF, using Priority Pass, is the best of all. Very near pre-Covid conditions, with food similar to before, just wrapped in cellophane, and Taittinger. Pre-Covid, they never took PP, but they do now, I guess until it gets more crowded.
I miss seeing the Beautiful B747-8i InterContinental outside the windows of this lounge ;-(
They are back now these days, Especially in the 4 pm hours.
Speaking of first class service being suspended, I’m flying from Chicago to Dubai via Frankfurt at the end of April … and Lufthansa’s website claims it’s on a 747. Too good to be true? I could use a rubber ducky!
@JBM
I don’t think there are any LH F ground services being offered in FRA. There certainly were none when I flew LH F last month (no rubber duck and not even roses at the seats on board) and it doesn’t look like lockdowns in Germany will ease by the end of April.
As for the lounge at IAD, the food offering at the TK lounge was much better when I was last there. The pre-packaged offerings at the LH lounge were sad.
Do they make you put on a plastic glove to pick up the pre-packaged food like in the AF lounge?
Wait–2-5:30? That’s ALL?
“the salad included spinach with walnuts, pineapple, strawberries, and pineapple”
Are you trying to tell us there was too much pineapple in the salad? 😉
It’ll be interesting to see how lounge offerings change in the US now that the CDC has published their findings on fomite transmission (risk is exceedingly low), since it’s been a stated fear of such transmission from surfaces that’s driven so much of the hygiene theater around buffets, etc.
Probably not at all, since it’s much cheaper to act like these service cuts are for health and safety.