How to access Lufthansa’s Heathrow lounges with Amex Platinum

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• Sapiens says:

  7 Nov7 November 04:35

  Thanks for highlighting. Any intel on how it practically works? I.e. Do they actually swipe the card, or just need to see the card? Do they check the small print to verify it’s a UK-issued Platinum card?

  • Rob says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:10

    I think it works with global Platinum cards as it is in the ‘official’ Amex lounge directory.

    • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

      7 Nov7 November 07:27

      My experience in FRA and MUC is that they look at the card and scan the boarding pass

  • Simon says:

    7 Nov7 November 10:23

    FRA have always just looked at the card without scanning it. The screen that comes up suggests they have the ability to enter the card number but no one ever has.

    I go through FRA a lot and it’s the main reason I keep the card but the lack of scanning is making me wonder if I should ditch it and just take my chances showing them an inactive card.

    • Charlieface says:

      7 Nov7 November 14:40

      Convenient if you have an “ahem” cancelled card with a 5 year expiry…

      • Rob says:

        7 Nov7 November 14:46

        As is Eurostar ….

        • OCN says:

          8 Nov8 November 10:40

          Are all Platinum Cards allowed to enter the Eurostar lounge or just UK issued ones?

        • Rob says:

          8 Nov8 November 10:43

          UK only, Personal only.

          They don’t always check – if busy you can often just wave your card at them as you walk past.

• Cat says:

  7 Nov7 November 05:10

  Does Rhys have any time in his jam-packed international jet-setter schedule to head back to T2 to review the Senator lounge (I believe it was closed at the tie of the last review…)? I’m very curious as to whether it’s a significant improvement on the business lounge!

  • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:28

    It’s not; it’s more about segregating the space for crowd flow. I feel similar about all the Senator lounges. I suppose the alcohol might be a better kind/self-serve but I don’t drink it anyway so I have a tin ear/blind spot for such matters.

  • John says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:37

    No, as far as I’m concerned it’s exactly the same, just a bit quieter (but nowhere as near as the difference between LHR T5Ax2 and T5B).

    • Lady London says:

      7 Nov7 November 11:44

      +
      I remember the Senator section had magazines to read and the Business one didn’t but that was a long time ago. Might have been a slightly better choice of alcohol.

      Frankly it’s a perfectly adequate lounge but nothing inspiring like every LH lounge I’ve been in.

      If I’m in T2 my focus is the UA lounge despite the outrageously longer walk, some like the SQ lounge though it’s not as good as they normally are and I think the AC lounge is even OK – all requiring a long walk whereas LH is practically as soon as you arrive airside.

  • John Carey says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:51

    The food can vary a bit, but don’t get excited as sometimes the business part has something better than the Senator bit!

    • Dubious says:

      7 Nov7 November 12:50

      Agreed. I often get food in the business lounge and carry it back to the Senator lounge which can be quieter, but fuller.
      The fly problem seems to have finally gone though.

  • Comrade says:

    7 Nov7 November 10:40

    No difference.

  • James Harper says:

    7 Nov7 November 12:39

    At present, it is no different to the business lounge and both are very downgraded on pre-covid times including a change of caterer.

  • Rhys says:

    7 Nov7 November 13:36

    Might have a look in on my next Star Alliance trip!

• Naz says:

  7 Nov7 November 06:31

  As someone who lives in Zurich, but comes back to the UK regularly, this has been the most valuable Platinum perk for the past several months. If only LHR was as quick to navigate as ZRH.

  • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:32

    ZRH is great in terms of quick connections but they really do need to sort out 1)the signage, which is too subtle so I have heard many a tale of people missing the subtle E gates signs and ending up going landside accidentally and 2)the connections security area which is 2 conveyor belts and still looks like something they knocked up as a temporary measure. It moves fast enough but there’d only space for one person to fill trays at a time. Also 3)too many doors with handles at ZRH that look like janitor closets but end up being the way you need to go/the entrance to a lounge. That might be a cultural design thing.

    • QwertyKnowsBest says:

      7 Nov7 November 09:35

      Indeed. Once when connecting UK to IST a door in the ‘Maze’ had been incorrectly configured. So ended up bypassing security and passport control completely and straight to outbound gates. A nice benefit but did make me nervous about security.

  • John says:

    7 Nov7 November 07:47

    Why do you think LHR T2 is not quick to navigate? The train station at ZRH is also a bit of a trek from the entrance to security, and there isn’t any exit passport control in the UK so if you have fast track security (at non-busy times) you can be in the Lufty lounge within 15 minutes of arriving. ZRH is pretty much the same

    • Naz says:

      7 Nov7 November 10:04

      This is a very fair point. T2 is great. To be clear, my reference is my journey home – I can be home in around 35mins from touchdown in ZRH. It’s too easy. It’s rather longer in London, understandably.

• Nigel W says:

  7 Nov7 November 08:16

  What is the deal Centurion cards have?

  • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

    7 Nov7 November 09:38

    I think it is: Economy ticket, Go Straight to Senator lounge; Business ticket, Go Straight to First Class lounge. Bear in mind First Class lounges only where available and I’m not sure it includes the First Class Terminal experiences.

    • Nigel W says:

      7 Nov7 November 12:45

      Thank for that!

• QwertyKnowsBest says:

  7 Nov7 November 09:22

  Any advice re best lounge in Frankfurt for a long stopover? T1 Schengen with Amex Plat flying Lufthansa business.

  Thanks

  • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

    7 Nov7 November 09:39

    You may not have as much choice as you think based on long walking times between gate concourses. Generally the Senator lounge will be less crowded/not have a line awaiting entry so you might maximise your time that way.

    • QwertyKnowsBest says:

      7 Nov7 November 10:39

      Thanks Blair

• John says:

  7 Nov7 November 11:02

  I had a computer-says-no experience at a Senator lounge in one of the non Schengen areas at FRA in Feb 2020. I was travelling LH business and wanted to avail of this lounge upgrade offer by showing my Platinum card. Unfortunately the agent was unwilling to over ride whatever reject message appeared when she scanned my boarding pass. I insisted, she eventually relented, but it wasn’t a nice situation. The lounge was amazing though.

• JK says:

  7 Nov7 November 11:10

  Anyone know what the Centurion version of this is?

  Cheers, JK

• James Harper says:

  7 Nov7 November 12:38

  Since reopening post Covid, the Lufthansa lounge at LHR has been massively downgraded in terms of food and drink offering particularly in the early morning. It is no longer catered by Do&Co but by Sodhexo – of HM Prisons fame for their catering standards. It’s really no good heading there looking for any more than a coffee at breakfast time, later in the day it is marginally better.

  With an Amex Platinum card, I’ve been heading to the Plaza Premium when using the A gates because it is simply much better than the LH lounge at present. I did pop in to the LH Sen lounge a couple of weeks ago and it’s still very poor so one to avoid at present.

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