Gate A Lufthansa Business Lounge at DUS is what most people mean by “VIP.”
The DUS VIP Lounge in Terminal A is essentially the Lufthansa Business Lounge used by Star Alliance Gold passengers on Schengen flights, sitting airside in Pier A close to the main A-gates. Regulars describe it as fine for a 45–90 minute wait, but nothing like the old Senator Lounge standard it used to sit beside.
Opening hours track the main Lufthansa and Swiss bank in A, typically early morning to late evening, so you’re covered for the 06:00 departures to FRA/MUC and the late returns around 22:00. Access is via Star Alliance Gold or business class on a Star carrier, and it’s past security in Terminal A, not usable from B or C without reclearing formalities.
Key thing first: there are no showers in this open Business Lounge, confirmed repeatedly on FlyerTalk after the adjacent Senator Lounge with showers closed. If you’re connecting off an overnight long‑haul and hoped to clean up before a 09:00 intra‑Schengen hop, this space won’t help.
Food is standard Lufthansa lounge fare for Germany: cold cuts, cheese, bread rolls, soup at main mealtimes, and snacks like pretzels and packaged cakes through the day. Coffee machines pull decent espresso, beer and basic spirits are self‑serve, and everything is free once you’re in, but nothing here feels special enough to time a 2‑hour early arrival.
Bathrooms sit inside the lounge but more than one FlyerTalk report notes they feel worn compared with the old Senator side, with plain cubicles and older fixtures. If you care a lot about nicer toilets, keep expectations low; this is more functional than premium, and you can find similar condition restrooms in the A‑pier public areas.
Layout is simple: one large room with rows of armchairs, small side tables, a business area with a few workstations, and views over the A stand. Power outlets are scattered; you’ll sometimes need to walk around to find a free Schuko socket near gates like A40 during the morning rush when every seat is taken.
Regulars on Miles & More say they only bother walking over from another A‑gate if they have at least 40 minutes, and many skip it completely when the Senator Lounge is closed because the upgrade over sitting at the gate is modest. Several experienced flyers recommend staying in Terminal C for a C‑gate departure rather than trekking to A just for this lounge, especially since there’s no shower payoff.
Watch out for terminal separation: A, B, and C at DUS are landside‑connected but not all airside‑linked, and FlyerTalk threads repeatedly warn that using an A‑pier lounge for a non‑Schengen B or C flight means reclearing passport control and security both ways. A typical estimate is 20–30 minutes extra each direction if queues build during the 07:00–09:00 and 16:00–19:00 peaks.
If you’re on a Star Alliance Schengen flight out of Terminal A with Star Gold, use the lounge for Wi‑Fi, a coffee, and a snack, but don’t burn time or connections from B or C just for it; build your schedule around your gate first and treat the DUS VIP/Lufthansa Business Lounge as a nice‑to‑have extra, not a destination.
How to get in
- 01 Star Alliance Gold