Lounge Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge – Washington Dulles (IAD)

by Adam Stuart | September 18, 2024 | 0 Comments

…A utilitarian space with nice food, showers and friendly staff

When: April 24, 2024

Rating: 7/10 – Very fine

Access: Star Alliance Gold

This is a strange lounge. It checks so many boxes for a lounge operated by an international carrier such as hot and cold buffet items, no charge bar, shower suites and a friendly staff. However, the space is so utilitarian looking, you really would not want to spend a lot of time here, unlike the Lufthansa lounge in Boston (review here). The tarmac views are wonderful and first class passengers can board directly from the lounge.

The entry is on Concourse B at IAD. In reality, Concourse A and Concourse B is really just one long terminal concourse divided in two sections. These concourses house most all foreign carriers and US carriers other than United and Air Canada.

Upon entry, the first class on Lufthansa and Swiss as well as Star Gold are directed to the upstairs Senator Lounge. Other eligible passengers are sent downstairs to the business lounge. The showers are downstairs and Senator Lounge travelers get a ticket to go downstairs and shower. The showers are rather nice – a large room – and shaving kits were provided,

Back upstairs to the Senator Lounge – the main room features some high top tables, a small tended bar, and a buffet. I enjoyed a veggie sandwich, a shrimp wrap, some soft pretzels, and grilled vegetables. I managed to avoid the butterscotch sponge cake. Behind the bar is the main lounge room – it’s well maintained but very dated.

Outlets are everywhere and staff was always cleaning and replenishing. All my staff encounters were pleasant. The chairs in the main lounge were comfortable.  There is a roped off area – where first class passengers get a la carte dining – but no one was there on my visit. This is a good lounge for business travelers…but nothing to get too excited about.

I rate this lounge 7/10. Best features: Large showers, the food, the staff. Flaws: The décor.

Also on BoardingArea
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Delta Air Lines Suspends Pilots For ‘Disrespectful’ Social Media Posts Over Charlie Kirk Assassination
The fallout from the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is having reverberations across the United States, not only in the political sphere but also in the everyday work and home lives of many Americans. Delta Air Lines has not escaped the fallout, with pilots and other employees openly discussing the...
View from the Wing
More Than $650: Delta Thinks Flyers Will Pay Up For Its Amex—And Is Rebuilding SkyMiles Cards To Make It Happen
At the start of the summer, we learned that there’s a project to develop an even more premium Delta American Express card than the current $650 annual fee Reserve product. This was teased last November at their Investor Day, and shared by a Delta tipster in June. We know that the...
Frequent Miler
Award alerts to the rescue, Hilton flushing value, tracking card coupons and more [Week in Review]
Back in March, I wrote a post about a handful of award bookings I had recently (as of late February or early March 2025) made with Alaska miles. One of the trips mentioned in that post was business class for four passengers from Tahiti to the west coast of the...
One Mile at a Time
Delta Suspends Employees Over Charlie Kirk Murder Comments: What A Mess
Some Delta Air Lines employees are learning the hard way that what they write online can have consequences in real life, as reported by JonNYC. Then again, this just gets at a much bigger issue with our society, about division, how we communicate, etc. Delta punishes employees for violating social media...
Eye of the Flyer
FINAL DAYS: Earn 100,000 Bonus Points Towards the Southwest Companion Pass!
If you’ve wanted to kick the tires on “the airline of love” — and bring someone along for the ride — this could be your golden opportunity. But timing is the key here. (All information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid...
View from the Wing
British Airways Tried To Ban Coffee And Water For Flight Attendants—The Policy Collapsed In Days
Mere days after British Airways banned flight crews from drinking coffee or soda in front of customers – and told them that even water had to be consumed ‘discretely’ – they’ve been forced to roll back this policy. It’s now permissible to drink coffee in public again – but still cannot...
TravelUpdate
Get in quick for Icelandair €299 return Dublin to Iceland business class sale fares
Icelandair operate daily from Dublin to Keflavik and right now there are great sales fares available. The only catch with these is that you need to book by 15 September 2025 and travel between 1 November 2025 and 15 March 2026. I have quite the soft spot for Iceland, as it...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Furious Unions Force British Airways to Scrap Bizarre Coffee and Uniform Rules for Pilots and Crew
British Airways has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown over new uniform and appearance guidelines that banned pilots and cabin crew from drinking coffee in public and required them to only consume water “discreetly.” Just days after publishing the controversial new guidelines, British Airways has backed down on its tough stance...
One Mile at a Time
Delta’s Worst Performing Region This Summer Was… Europe?!?
Over the years, we’ve seen airlines massively expand their summer schedules to Europe, given the increasing trend of Americans taking at least one summer trip across the Atlantic. Along those lines, Delta executives have made some interesting comments this week, which reflect a new reality that US airlines are dealing...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Jayne Hrdlicka pockets almost AU$50 million as ex-CEO
And, we through Alan Joyce was well paid. Turns out you can earn even better with a smaller airline. Virgin Australia’s former CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, has pocketed almost $50 million for her time at the airline. Depending on how you count it, she has earnt closer to $55 million, according...
Wild About Travel
Champagne Up Front: Thai Drops First, Who Keeps It Alive?
From Railway to Runway Some quick history. The class system in air travel, evolved from the British railways of the 1830s and originally aligned closely with the British Class System. Understanding this evolution from railways to air travel is helpful in understanding the airline class system. First class, the epitome of comfort...
Points With a Crew
Use 1 Amex Membership Reward and get up to 40% off at Amazon (targeted)
We’ve written about this deal before but it appears to be back! It appears to be targeted but if so, it seems widely targeted. Get 40% off when you use American Express Membership Rewards points The offer seems to vary depending on your Amazon account – other offers we’ve seen include: 30% off...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
I Was Charged a Fee For Being Charged a Fee to Upgrade to Elite Status.
I was charged a fee for being charged a fee to upgrade to elite status — and the annoying part is that I had no expectation or reason to believe that I would be charged a fee for being charged a fee to upgrade to elite status. I Was Charged a...
Frequent Miler
$900 bonus with a new Chase checking and savings account
Chase’s best-ever bonus for opening a new checking and savings account has been extended. Until 1/21/26, you can earn $900 when you open a new Chase Total Checking Account and a new Chase Savings account. In order to get the bonus, you have to set up a direct deposit to...
View from the Wing
Citi Strata Elite: I Was Approved Instantly. $2,400 First Year Value, Readers Confirm Success
Citi Strata EliteSM Card (See rates and fees.) Blog readers have shared great approval experiences with the Citi Strata EliteSM Card. Honestly that’s long been my experience with Citibank. If you’re eligible for a card – you meet income and credit requirements, you haven’t earned the initial...
Altitude Yes
Amtrak vs Plane Between New York City and Boston, Which is Faster?
Traveling between New York and Boston brings a lot of travel options, which is a rare luxury in the United States. Passengers can choose to drive, take the bus, take Amtrak, or fly. I travel between the two cities many times throughout the year, and I primarily take Amtrak or an...
Frequent Miler
Our favorite travel gear | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep323 | 9-12-25
In today’s podcast episode, we’re sharing our favorite travel gear (like Nick’s Japanese nail clippers), and we’ll explain why a UK power adapter is especially useful, and why we carry backpacks in our backpacks. Our favorite travel gear Watch the full episode below, or listen on your favorite podcast platform. You can...
The Bulkhead Seat
Marriott Adds New Executive Lounge Search Feature
Hotel lounges have long been a favorite perk for frequent travelers (myself included). They offer a quiet retreat with complimentary breakfasts, drinks, and even happy hour spreads. However, in recent years, hotel lounges in the US have become less common. This has made it difficult to know which properties still...
Frequent Miler
Current Amex Offers
This post is designed to show current Amex Offers. If you have any Amex cards, even authorized user cards, then you’re eligible to sign up for offers when you log into your Amex account. If you’re planning to shop or book travel, check this page to see if an Amex...
View from the Wing
Everyone Obsesses Over Business Class—Delta President Admits Coach Matters Most, And American Airlines Doesn’t Get It
The coach experience matters as much as business class for an airline – even (and especially) an airline that wants to maximize its premium revenue. American Airlines is investing in its premium product now, but has a long way to go. Their new Boeing 787-9P suites are gorgeous, even if...
The Bulkhead Seat
United’s CEO Predicts Collapse of Spirit Airlines and Declares the Discount Airline Model “Dead”
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby delivered a bold prediction this week when he stated that Spirit Airlines is headed for bankruptcy and declaring that the ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) model that once revolutionized the airline industry is no longer viable in today’s market. Spirit Airlines, once the poster child of the ULCC...
One Mile at a Time
Wow: Delta Axes New York To Brussels Route After 34 Years
Do the people of Belgium not appreciate the refined, bespoke, aged elegance of Delta’s Boeing 767-300ERs, or what’s going on here? Thanks to JonNYC, AirlineGeeks, and Matt, for flagging this… Delta will no longer fly from New York to Brussels Historically, Delta has operated year-round service to Brussels (BRU) out of New...
The Bulkhead Seat
American Adds Vero Beach to Its Route Map in Florida
American Airlines runs a massive hub at Miami International Airport (MIA). In addition to Miami, American currently serves 11 other airports in Florida. It will soon add another destination when flights to/from Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) begins in February 2026. American Airlines to enter Vero Beach, Florida (VRB) in February...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: Olight Qstation2 Smart Battery Hub and Charger (over $1.8M backed; ends Saturday)
9/12 – Reposting as the last day to back this Kickstarter is Saturday, September 13th I often see interesting travel related products that I think you guys might be interested in.  We’ve talked recently we talked about Gravel Toiletry Bags and blankets, the Evolutionary travel backpack, the RetraStrap luggage strap and...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

Our Bloggers