- Introduction: The Long Way To Florence
- Review: Etihad Business Class A350 (ORD-AUH)
- Review: Etihad Arrivals Lounge Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH)
- Review: Burj Al Arab Dubai (What An Experience!)
- Review: Bulgari Hotel Dubai, UAE
- Caviar All The Way To Bologna: My Emirates First Class Non-Review
- Review: Four Seasons Florence, Italy
- Truffle Hunting In Tuscany With Savini Tartufi
- Review: Masaccio Lounge Florence Airport (FLR)
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport Satellite (MUC)
- Resisting Temptation In Lufthansa First Class
For the return portion of our trip to Florence, we flew Lufthansa first class from Munich to Chicago. Prior to that flight, we had the chance to spend a few hours in the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich.
Munich Airport actually has two First Class Lounges — recently I reviewed the other Lufthansa First Class Lounge, and in this post I wanted to review the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport Satellite. This is the newer and better of the two lounge options at the airport, and I highly recommend making a point of visiting this one.
This lounge is simply spectacular, with amazing views, excellent food and drinks, and nice nap rooms and shower suites. Let me take it a step further — for connecting passengers, I prefer this lounge to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. Let’s get right into the review.
In this post:
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport location & transfer
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Satellite is located in Terminal 2, opposite of gates K11 or L11 (depending on whether you’re on a Schengen or non-Schengen flight). If you arrive at a remote stand, Lufthansa will pick you up directly from your plane. We flew Air Dolomiti from Florence to Munich (I won’t be reviewing the flight, since I reviewed an Air Dolomiti business class flight recently), and arrived at a remote stand.
There were two Porsche SUVs waiting right next to the plane. At first we figured there was another passenger being picked up, though as it turned out, Ford and I were each sent our own car (that’s presumably because we were booked on separate reservations). We were of course happy to share a car, so one of the vehicles left empty.
We were then driven to the terminal, and escorted directly to the Lufthansa First Class Lounge via a side entrance.
Inside the First Class Lounge, our boarding passes were scanned, and passport formalities were also taken care of, as we were leaving the Schengen zone.
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport hours
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Satellite is currently open daily from 5AM until 10PM, covering virtually all departures from the airport.
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport entry requirements
Who gets access to the Lufthansa First Class Lounge?
- Passengers traveling same day in Lufthansa or SWISS first class get access to the lounge; it’s fine if you’re departing in first class or arriving in first class
- Lufthansa HON Circle members get access to the lounge whenever flying a Lufthansa Group flight same day; there’s no need to be in first class, and there are no route restrictions
- Amex Centurion members get access to the lounge whenever flying a Lufthansa Group flight same day
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport seating & layout
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Satellite is roughly 10,000 square feet, with a seating capacity for 80 guests. It’s not a huge lounge, but it’s plenty spacious for the number of people who have access, and we never saw more than a handful of guests at a time.
The main part of this lounge is in an “L” shape, and it’s quite narrow. That’s fantastic, since the entire lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the apron.
When you enter the lounge, there are first a variety of seating configurations, including chairs with ottomans, a small play area for kids, and then a living room setup of sorts, with several comfortable chairs.
Then when you turn the corner you’ll see the rest of the lounge, which features a few more seating arrangements. These areas are intended for those who want to relax, though you can be served a drink anywhere in the lounge.
I find it cute how many of the individual tables have snacks, ranging from nuts to chocolates, so you can help yourself to those.
Along this area are four private workstations, each of which has a sliding glass door. This is a great feature, since you can feel comfortable making a phone or video call without disturbing others. Some of the workstations have PCs, while others just have empty desks. There’s also a printer.
Along the center part of the lounge is a world map on the wall, along with a variety of reading materials and a departures monitor.
At the back of the lounge is the dining area, featuring just over a dozen tables. I’ll talk more about the food and drink selection in a bit. Definitely grab one of the tables by the window if you can, as they afford the best views.
There’s also a bar here, with some high-top seating, though mainly this is just where drinks are served from.
Lastly, the very back of the space has a smoking lounge. The ventilation there is quite good, as you won’t smell the smoke anywhere else in the lounge.
As I mentioned above, one of my favorite things about this lounge is the views, and that really sets it apart from the First Class Terminal Frankfurt, which has no plane views.
While the lounge has the typical sterile (or minimalist, if you prefer) design motif that Lufthansa uses, it’s a lovely lounge space, in my opinion.
I do have one point of feedback, though. I wish the lounge had some light and relaxing background music, because the lounge is typically so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Germans are generally known for being pretty respectful when it comes to making noise in public, so the lounge almost feels like a library in terms of the noise level.
Ironically there was one exception during this visit. There was a German dude making a phone call with speakerphone on. In Miami I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at that, as that’s just how people act. But in Germany? You don’t often see that!
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport food & drinks
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge has an impressive food and drink selection, including both a buffet and a la carte dining. We were there at lunchtime, so had a lovely meal in the lounge.
Often lounge buffets have food that doesn’t look terribly appealing, but that’s not the case here. Instead, the selection was top notch, with a variety of cold cuts, delicious salads, a couple of hot dishes, fresh fruit, dessert, cheese, and more.
On top of that, there’s a menu. During our visit, there was a special asparagus menu, as that’s a German specialty, and was in season.
That’s in addition to the standard menu (sorry, it occurred to me after the fact that photographing the menu in German probably isn’t useful for most readers).
Below you can find the drink list for the lounge, which is also pretty good.
As soon as we sat down at a table, we were brought a bread box.
I skipped that bread, but instead decided to start my meal with a pretzel from the buffet, because I can’t pass through Germany or visit a Lufthansa lounge without having one of these. Mmmmmmmmmmm…
For our mains, I had the massaman curry with tofu, potatoes, peanuts, and jasmine rice.
Ford had the Wiener schnitzel with potato salad, lingonberry, and lemon.
Both of our dishes were tasty. At the conclusion of the meal I had a cappuccino, which I enjoyed as well (and it was made by a barista).
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport bathrooms & showers
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich has excellent bathroom and shower facilities. These are located right near the center of the lounge, next to the world map on the wall.
The men’s bathroom has a bunch of individual, private stalls, that each have a toilet and urinal.
These bathrooms are just consistently spotless, and the bathroom and shower attendants seem to refresh them after almost every use. For example, you’ll always find the toilet paper roll in a perfect triangle.
In addition to that, the lounge has excellent shower suites. Most of the shower suites have a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower, with plenty of amenities.
One of the shower suites even has a bathtub, so if you’d like to use it, be sure to specifically request it.
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport nap rooms
Another standout feature of the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich is that it has two proper nap rooms. These are located near the showers, and are available on a first come, first served basis. Each of these rooms has a twin bed with a real mattress and duvet, along with a luggage storage rack. if you have a long layover, this is an ideal place to get some shuteye.
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport service
Lastly, I have to call out how friendly the staff in this lounge are. There’s a general reputation that Lufthansa is a much friendlier airline out of Munich than Frankfurt (both inflight and on the ground), and this lounge certainly supports that theory.
Honestly, everyone in this lounge was just so friendly and on top of things, and seemed like they genuinely enjoyed what they do.
Let me give one small example. As you can see above, I take a lot of pictures in lounges. I went up to the attendant by the bathrooms and asked if I could just take a picture of one of the nap rooms. Usually if I ask something like that, I get weird looks, or they unenthusiastically say yes.
In this case, the woman enthusiastically obliged. Not only that, but she told me to wait a minute, so she could perfectly “fluff” the duvet so that it looked perfect. She then also proactively said I should also see the shower suite with the bathtub, because a lot of people like that.
It’s so nice to see people who are proud to show off their product, so kudos to her (and the entire staff in this lounge).
Bottom line
The Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Satellite is fantastic. It’s much better than the other Lufthansa First Class Lounge at the airport, and for connecting passengers, I prefer it to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt.
The lounge has amazing views, isn’t crowded, has great food and drinks, and has additional amenities like private workstations, a civilized smoking area, nap rooms, and shower suites with bathtubs. If you visit this lounge, you’re in for a treat.
If you’ve visited the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Satellite, what was your experience like?
They obviously took note of your suggestions as this morning there is light background music.
Hi Ben
I'm just catching up with this older post of yours. Great review - thank you!
So, if I'm going ZRH-MUC-IAD in LH F (J on the first sector, obvs) , will the satellite F lounge be an option for me? It's not clear when you have to use the main terminal lounge vs the satellite ?
I should have 2.5 hours, so perhaps I'll have time to go to both, if that's permitted?
Thanks!
Chuck
Hi
I’m traveling from Dublin (non Schengen) to Bangkok via Munich with Lufthansa in F.
The ticket is booked through Lufthansa but there’s a very short 50 minute transfer. As the Dublin Munich leg is Lufthansa regional it will almost definitely be a remote stand. Do you think it’s possible? Bearing in mind I’m arriving from non Schengen? Thanks
Visited the lounge back in 2019 and especially enjoyed the beautiful outdoor terrace with a view. Since you didn't mention that one, I guess it was closed when you visited?
Just thinking. What would be the cheapest way of accessing this lounge. Eg the cheapest flight with first class departing from this terminal.
You were in Germany during Spargelzeit and you eschewed the asparagus options? Sacrilege!! ;)
Just used the exact lounge last month. The waiter at the dining area was so friendly and attentive and that was highlight of the visit. They also have a luggage storage room behind the counter if needed. I thought it was solid but not outstanding for a “First Class” experience (unlike the Qatar First lounge which felt more luxurious). I also didn’t get the car transfer from plane unluckily and I thought they discontinued it....
Just used the exact lounge last month. The waiter at the dining area was so friendly and attentive and that was highlight of the visit. They also have a luggage storage room behind the counter if needed. I thought it was solid but not outstanding for a “First Class” experience (unlike the Qatar First lounge which felt more luxurious). I also didn’t get the car transfer from plane unluckily and I thought they discontinued it. Wonder what’s the threshold of having the Porsche plane-side transfer?
Did I miss something? It looks like an ordinary business style lounge with menu for food to order and looks like nothing special, but seems you raved about it and was so impressed. I always have to laugh at your comment about a coffee made by a barista. It is not like they are roasting the beans or making hand-purred coffee. Most of the time they are using a machine similar to self service one....
Did I miss something? It looks like an ordinary business style lounge with menu for food to order and looks like nothing special, but seems you raved about it and was so impressed. I always have to laugh at your comment about a coffee made by a barista. It is not like they are roasting the beans or making hand-purred coffee. Most of the time they are using a machine similar to self service one. The only thing is you get a bit of service. If they made some sort of fresh coffee and poured the hot milk with it then this would be different. Seems to me like the reviews are becoming increasingly biased.
any thing LH is fabulous in these reviews...
This was a pleasant surprise on last month’s A340-600 flight from IAD To MUC (then on to FRA for next day return on B747-8i)
Went through Immigration. The lounge was empty
Much nicer with the views than the other Lounge. Definitely on par with FCT and better views
This was a pleasant surprise on last month’s A340-600 flight from IAD To MUC (then on to FRA for next day return on B747-8i)
Went through Immigration. The lounge was empty
Much better lounge experience for you than I had for my MUC BOS A346 flight in March. The satellite lounge had not reopened yet. While I had a top notch flight experience, with one exception, the entire MUC ground experience from check-in to security to the lounge to secondary security ranged from nothing special to terrible. Not at all what I expected. The one exception was the sit down lunch at the lounge in terms of the quality of the meal.
It this the lounge with the outside terrace?
Yes
@Ben thanks for another insightful review.
It would be great to see the Scotch menu next time in addition to the wine menu, especially to compare it with the FCT options!
Why do Germans always overcook their scrambled eggs? I was in Frankfurt’s business class lounge, and like my hotel, they have the consistency of rubber. Other than beer and bread, I think German food is rather poor.
@ Bill -- Hah, totally fair. And in that sense I'm a total German, I don't like scrambled eggs runny. Ford makes fun of me for it.
Food safety regulations (killing salmonella)
I don't know about scrambled eggs. I do know that for boiled eggs at a FRA airport Hotel I was asked how many minutes. I had no idea so I was told to try 8 minutes. Of course, on another visit to the same lounge I asked for 8 minutes and I was told they know what to do, kind of FRA rude.
Wondering why on two separate reservations? Did you pay for one and booked the other with miles?
@ Nomad_dc -- Award availability opened up at separate times, so I snagged one seat first, and then a second one.
I know we are reading the trip report after the fact, but it’s not always possible that two F seats would open up. What was your back up plan if a second F didn’t release? Another route? Both take J? One in each?
@ Pete -- I'm usually pretty good at predicting award availability, so I felt pretty confident here. There was also SWISS business class available, so I could have taken that otherwise.
Do you know what are the requirements for car service? When my wife and I transited through MUC we visited the same lounge and inquired about car transfer and was informed it wasn’t available and I didn’t understand the reason she provided. Is it because we were on award tickets?
@ Rob -- You generally need to be leaving from a remote stand to get the car service. So you'll often get one for short haul flights (since they're often at remote positions), but not for long haul flights.
Just got back to Charlotte from Bologna via Munich. Unfortunately, business class is the best available to/from Charlotte. The Business Class lounge in Munich is very dated, dirty and crowded. A far cry from the First Class lounge. But it was still a nice oasis from the crowded Munich terminal.
With the a la carte dining, is tipping expected? I guess same goes with utilizing showers/ nap room?
You do not tip in Germany. You only tip by rounding up to the next full Euro in a Restaurant. But you do not tip in a First Class Lounge. This could be perceived as a bit bizzare if you do that.
@ Kbulo -- As noted by Max, it's definitely not expected. And even as someone who usually tips in more situations than I should, it's not something I've ever done in a Lufthansa lounge.
Flew Munich-SFO this April on business. Given the choice of flying out of either Frankfurt or Munich I always choose Munich. Fewer travelers and far easier to negotiate, with a superior staff.
Visited before the pandemic. I remember the food selection having less options, so it seems to have improved. Quality was fantastic though, and I did note the friendly staff. I was driven to my next connecting flight in a Panamera Turbo (not sure why an airport would need a Turbo...). I would absolutely use Lufthansa to connect in MUC over any other airline because of the lounge and cars situation. Absolutely seamless.
Ben - did...
Visited before the pandemic. I remember the food selection having less options, so it seems to have improved. Quality was fantastic though, and I did note the friendly staff. I was driven to my next connecting flight in a Panamera Turbo (not sure why an airport would need a Turbo...). I would absolutely use Lufthansa to connect in MUC over any other airline because of the lounge and cars situation. Absolutely seamless.
Ben - did you get any special edition rubber duckies at the lounge? IIRC, they had a lounge-only edition when I visited, but you have to ask.
@ Super -- I did get a small gold one, but it's the same one I got at the other Lufthansa First Class Lounge a few weeks earlier. Otherwise I believe they just had the blue one, which I have a few of already.
Bummer. Last month they had the special Spring Duck very colorful. Plus a Porsche duck. Last week at FCT before SAO flight. Both Porsche and black with gold beak standard duck
Do you get a duck here or only at FCT?
They do have ducks here too! Got a couple when I visited in April.
Did you get the Spring Duck. Very colorful
@ Pete -- Indeed, as noted by François, you'll find ducks at all Lufthansa FCLs in Germany.
I was there last month and the lounge dragons were really nice. Had maybe another 10 minutes before my flight started boarding and they asked whether I wanted to hang out for a little more on the terrace. I said sure and they even offered to send someone out there to take my drink order. Can't say the same about the staff working in the dining area though, service felt a little stiff and cold.
@ Ed -- Wait, there's a terrace?!
It's kind of hidden, but a decent enough terrace. After the entrance desk, instead of turning right into the lounge, head straight.
Ah. A reason to go back ;-)
Yeah it's not huge like the Swiss lounge at Zurich but still decent. Right next to the entrance desk
I wish less places were playing music, I actually prefer a quiet library, it automatically leads to people toning down their voices when talking; this constant acoustic pollution, be it music in a restaurant, or traffic noise, or someone on speaker phone in public...
In Germany maybe that's true. I'd argue most other places people just don't care and make noise at whatever volume they were going to with or without background music. It's also nice to not feel like you're violating everyone within earshot if you have to cough, or sniff, or accidentally drop something, etc. etc.
Is there a way to reserve car service after arriving flight if entering through Amex centurion possession?
@JW - I do not have a centurion card so others may know better, but I believe the car service is provided by Lufthansa exclusively for First Class passengers, so my guess is that would preclude you from using it if not flying Lufthansa or not flying First. They know your itinerary because of the F booking and automatically provide it. But, then again, it never hurts to ask them when you're there :)
Great review.
Maybe I missed it, but did they drive you to your connecting flight?
@ Jason -- Unfortunately not, that's the downside with this experience. Fortunately the gate wasn't too far away, but boarding was still quite chaotic.
I sense another top 10 list coming... Top 10 Airports where you pray your gate is as far away as possible lol.