Review: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD

With Washington D.C. being a large gateway to the U.S. Capital and one of United Airlines’ largest hubs, you can imagine that many international carriers fly routes to IAD. In addition to United’s signature Polaris Lounge and United Clubs for Star Alliance passengers, there are other great lounge options available including the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD.

After checking out and reviewing the Lufthansa Senator Lounge IAD, I wanted to peek into the Business class lounge to see how it compared to the Senator Lounge and the Turkish Airlines lounge, which is just down the terminal. Note that the Turkish Lounge has many similarities in terms of access.

This article is part of my Trip Report: Starting Summer in East Africa including:

• My Comically Bad Luck Flying to Africa
• No Compensation for an Involuntary Business Class Downgrade?!?
• Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge IAD
• Review: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD
• Review: Lufthansa B747-8 Economy IAD-FRA 
• My First Flight on the Queen: My Thoughts
• Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge FRA
• Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge FRA 
• Review: Lufthansa A330 Business Class FRA-NBO
• Review: DoubleTree by Hilton Nairobi Hurlingham
• Review: Air Kenya into the Safari
• JW Marriott Masai Mara Review: Luxury in the Savannah, a Truly Unforgettable Safari
• Is the JW Marriott Masai Mara Worth $3k a Night?
• Review: Aspire Lounge Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO)
• Review: Kenya Airways NBO-ZNZ E190
• Exploring Tanzania: My Thoughts on Zanzibar
• When Flights Don’t Go as Planned: Delayed in Zanzibar
• Review: Air Tanzania ZNZ-ARK
• Mt. Kilimanjaro Day Hike: My Thoughts
• Exploring Moshi, Tanzania: What Everyone Gets Wrong
• Review: Twiga Lounge by Aspire Lounge Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Weirdest Flight Delay I Have Ever Had… 
• Review: Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa Executive Regency Suite
• Exploring Addis Ababa: My Thoughts
• Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine Business Class Lounge Addis Ababa
• Review: Ethiopian Cloud Nine B787-8 Business Class ADD-IAD
• My 18 Hour Odd Business Class Experience: A Stop in Lome, Togo?

Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD Location

The Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD is located in Terminal B at IAD near Gate B49. This is located right next to many Lufthansa Group departures on both Lufthansa and Austrian, which is convenient. The true benefit is that you can board the flight directly from the lounge without having to reenter the terminal and walk over to the gate. 

In addition to Lufthansa Group departures, this is a great option for other Star Alliance member flights (aside from United) including TAP Air Portugal and ANA.

The business class lounge is located just downstairs after entering the lounge, compared to the Senator Lounge, which is located on the main concourse level. 

The Lounge

Just down the stairs (or elevator ride) are tarmac-level views of the planes, including the amazing view of an Austrian 767. Upon entering the lounge, front, and center is the dining area with plenty of seats, mostly around tables. These are great for a snack before your flight.

Turning around, there is a bar located under the stairs that offers more premium beverages, if that is what your heart desires. To the right stands some individual booths, ideal for getting some work done before your flight, although they were mostly occupied by guests eating due to some overcrowding. 

In the back of the lounge is a buffet situated against the wall, which includes some self-serve drink options in the corner. Behind the restaurant area stands a small seating area with individual plush seats. This area is further back from the windows, so it is less bright. 

The bathrooms and shower rooms are located in the back left corner of the lounge. To take a shower, you do need to go back upstairs to get a pass before walking back down and handing the pass to an attendant. The rooms are well stocked and quite large despite being slightly dated compared to some newer options.

Although the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD is not the largest lounge, it certainly has everything you could need and plenty of seating options, whether you are looking to kick back or have a snack before your flight. 

Food and Beverage

After first checking out the Senator lounge upstairs, I was curious to know how the food options would compare. Simply put, they are the same. There are similar meats, cheeses, and snacks available, as well as warm options. In particular, they had short ribs with vegetables and mashed potatoes,  in addition to soup. 

Of course, I cannot forget Lufthansa’s famous pretzels, which are on display and available. The drink options appeared to be the same, although I am not sure if there is a difference in premium alcoholic products, as I did not investigate this further. 

Overall, a great selection, which despite not being overly robust, would still be plenty enough for a meal before boarding a flight across the Atlantic, and more than enough for a great snack.

Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD Access

The Business Class Lounge is accessible to passengers traveling on Star Alliance business or first class flights (although I would recommend first class passengers visit the upstairs, reserved area in the Senator Lounge).

Travelers with Star Alliance Gold status can access the Senator Lounge upstairs, which is a slight touch above the business class lounge. 

Priority Pass members have access to the Business Class lounge, however, this is limited during peak evening departure windows. You can also purchase access to the lounge with Lounge Buddy or at the front desk if you require a comfortable place to wait before your flight. 

The Last Point

If you need a comfortable place to wait for your flight, especially if you are flying out of Terminal A/B at IAD, this is a great place to have a snack and relax. This is an especially great option for a lounge if you are flying on Lufthansa business class, as you can board your flight directly from the lounge. 

With many priority pass lounges in the terminal, cardholders have a wide selection, but if you are in the mood for some German pretzels, this would be the place to stop. 

I would recommend visiting this lounge on your next Star Alliance departure to Germany, as there is nothing more convenient, and with a solid food selection, it is a great spot to wait before your flight.