Booking Lufthansa flights with airline miles can unlock a world of travel opportunities, allowing you to experience one of the world’s premier airlines without breaking the bank. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps and strategies for booking Lufthansa flights with miles, from choosing the best frequent flyer program to finding and locking in the most valuable redemptions.
About Lufthansa Miles & More
Miles & More, Lufthansa’s loyalty program, is one of Europe’s largest frequent flyer programs. Established in 1993, the program allows travelers to earn and redeem miles across a vast network of airline partners, including all Star Alliance members. Members can accrue miles through flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and spending on their credit cards.
How to earn Lufthansa miles
There are several ways to earn Lufthansa miles, though none of them are fantastic for those located within the United States — there are no credit-card transfer partners for Lufthansa, and although there is a co-branded Lufthansa credit card, it doesn’t earn as many miles as competitor credit cards. U.S. travelers are often better off crediting Star Alliance flights to United, a domestic airline.
Flying
The first and easiest way to earn Lufthansa miles is by flying. You’ll accrue mileage when you fly Lufthansa or any partner airline — and thanks to its Miles & More program and Star Alliance membership, there are plenty to choose from:
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Astana
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air Dolomiti
- Air India
- Air Malta
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Discover Airlines
- EGYPTAIR
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Eurowings
- EVA Air
- LATAM
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Lufthansa City Airlines
- Luxair
- Olympic Airlines
- SAS
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SWISS International Air Lines
- TAP Portugal
- Thai Airways
- THAI Smile Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- United
- Vistara
Credit cards
Another way to earn miles is via the Miles & More World Elite Mastercard, which is issued by Barclaycard. You’ll earn two miles for every dollar spent on Lufthansa purchases and one mile per dollar spent elsewhere — and you won’t pay foreign transaction fees overseas. A generous welcome offer also awaits new cardholders as long as they meet the minimum spend within the first three months of account opening.
Hotels and rental cars
If you’re really hoping to earn Lufthansa miles, you can also book hotels or rental cars through the airline’s website, though you should be aware that elite status benefits and credits won’t apply if you book this way.
The fare types available on Lufthansa
Lufthansa operates a variety of cabins on its aircraft.
- Economy class: Your standard economy seat, located in the latter half of the cabin.
- Premium economy: Featuring a little more legroom, often akin to domestic first-class seats.
- Business class: Lie-flat seats, though you may have to climb over a seatmate to get to the aisle.
- First class: Luxurious seats with personalized service, only eight to an aircraft.
Depending on where you’re going and the aircraft type, your flight may have all or some of these options. Note that for short-haul trips, Lufthansa’s first class is essentially just economy class with the middle seat blocked out.
How to book Lufthansa flights using rewards points
The process for booking an award ticket on Lufthansa is simple, though you might be surprised to learn that travelers in the U.S. don’t generally book flights on Lufthansa using Lufthansa miles.
Part of the reason for this is that Lufthansa doesn’t have a single credit-card transfer partner (meaning you cannot transfer points from programs like Amex, Chase, or Capital One) — and on top of that, it levies surcharges that make bookings a lot more expensive, no matter what type of award ticket you’re buying.
Instead, you can use points and miles from other partners — including Miles & More and Star Alliance members like Air Canada and United Airlines — to book award tickets on flights operated by Lufthansa.
Booking Lufthansa first class with miles
Scoring a Lufthansa first-class ticket can be difficult and costly, but finding award flights makes it all worth it in the end.
It’s important to note that Lufthansa doesn’t release first-class seats for award flights until very close to departure. In the past, this meant 14 days from takeoff; nowadays, however, it can sometimes be more like three to four days out. That means it’s not even worth searching for a first-class award ticket for Lufthansa until close to the last minute.
And even then, your best bet isn’t going to be via Lufthansa itself. Instead, head over to point.me, where you can search for a Lufthansa first-class flight award easily — just enter your travel dates and destination to see your options among partner airlines.
These seats are in high demand and tend to go fast, so you’ll want to move quickly if you spot a Lufthansa first-class award ticket in the wild. Luckily, you have plenty of ways to redeem miles for award space.
Because Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance, you can use multiple loyalty programs to book, from Lufthansa itself to its Miles & More partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, United Airlines MileagePlus, and Avianca Lifemiles.
However, not all redemption rates are created equally. Booking first-class seats can get very expensive when you’re on the hook for fuel surcharges, so it’s in your best interest to avoid booking directly with Lufthansa and Star Alliance partners Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, all of which pass along these fees.
United Airlines, Avianca, and Air Canada don’t charge these fees, but that doesn’t mean they’re all a good value. Let’s first take a look at United Airlines, which is one of the easiest ways of booking an award flight using award miles:
Even for first class, 140,000 miles one way is phenomenally expensive, especially when your flight is only eight hours long.
Now here’s an example of booking Lufthansa first class with Air Canada Aeroplan points:
You’ll be charged 100,000 Aeroplan points plus $78 CAD in taxes and fees for a one-way Lufthansa first class ticket. Both United Airlines miles and Air Canada Aeroplan points can be earned when you transfer points over from Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Finally, here’s that same flight when booked using Avianca Lifemiles:
As you can see, Avianca Lifemiles is the least expensive way to book Lufthansa first class while also avoiding fuel surcharges.
How to redeem Lufthansa miles to get the best deal
Whether it’s for first-class award seats or economy, travelers based in the U.S. won’t normally be redeeming Lufthansa miles. That’s because Lufthansa miles are relatively difficult to earn, and aside from spending on a credit card or crediting flights to the Lufthansa Miles & More program, most Americans just can’t rack up those kinds of miles.
It’s a shame, too, because Lufthansa does have some great deals for flight awards and award tickets — primarily in the form of the monthly rotating Miles & More Mileage Bargains, which offer significant discounts for flights around the world.
These Mileage Bargain bookings apply to all members of the Lufthansa group, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings. It also includes LOT Polish Airlines.
Here’s an example of a round trip business-class flight for 55,000 miles from either Boston (BOS) or Chicago (ORD) to Zurich (ZRH) on SWISS:
This is the best way to redeem your Lufthansa miles hands down, though you’ll want to be aware (again) that you’ll be charged surcharges on these flights.
The worst ways to redeem Lufthansa miles
You don’t have to redeem miles for flight awards, though that’s certainly the best use of your rewards, no matter the airline. But for Lufthansa in particular, redeeming miles on anything other than flights is a waste, simply because Lufthansa miles are so difficult to earn.
But if you really, really want to, you can also spend them on the following:
- Upgrading from economy class
- Offsetting your CO2 footprint
- Hotel stays or rental cars
- Donating miles
- Online shopping via the Worldshop
Tips for finding Lufthansa award seats
Lufthansa first-class award flights may be difficult to find, but economy- and business-class seats are fairly simple to spot. Try using United’s fare calendar to search for Lufthansa award space — it’ll give you results for a full month at a time. Lufthansa first-class seats are released 14 to 2 days in advance, and you can start looking for other seats 360 days in advance.
point.me is also a great resource — we scour award availability across multiple programs to help you catch those elusive Lufthansa first-class seats. Simply input your destination and departure date, and we’ll deliver the details.
Frequently asked questions about booking Lufthansa with miles
What are Lufthansa’s airline partners?
Between Miles & More and Star Alliance, Lufthansa partners with the following airlines:
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Astana
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air Dolomiti
- Air India
- Air Malta
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Discover Airlines
- EGYPTAIR
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Eurowings
- EVA Air
- LATAM
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Lufthansa City Airlines
- Luxair
- Olympic Airlines
- SAS
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SWISS International Air Lines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- THAI Smile Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- United
- Vistara
Who are Lufthansa’s credit card transfer partners?
Lufthansa has no U.S. transfer partners.
What are Lufthansa’s tier status levels?
Lufthansa has three tier levels:
- Frequent traveller: Earned after 35,000 miles or 30 segments. Grants benefits such as priority check-in, additional checked luggage, and airport lounge access.
- Senator: Earned after 100,000 miles. Provides perks such as first-class check-in counter access, Star Alliance Gold status, and two upgrade vouchers per year.
- HON Circle member: Earned after 600,000 miles over the course of two years. Offers benefits such as first-class lounge access, limousine transfer service, and six upgrade vouchers.
How do I earn miles with Lufthansa?
Earning miles with Lufthansa can be done by flying, booking hotels or rental cars, and using credit cards to travel and make other purchases.
How do I redeem miles with Lufthansa?
You can redeem the miles you’ve earned with Lufthansa directly via Lufthansa’s website. If you’re looking to book a flight on Lufthansa using other miles, you can typically book reward flights on Lufthansa on the website of any of its airline partners.
How many Lufthansa miles do I need for a free flight?
The amount of miles you’ll need for a free flight varies based on distance, flight route, applicable promotions, and fare class. point.me can help you navigate the intricacies of Lufthansa’s Miles & More loyalty program and strategically plan your redemptions, maximizing the value of your hard-earned points and unlocking a world of luxurious and affordable travel opportunities.
Can I book Lufthansa flights with United miles?
Yes, you can redeem United miles for Lufthansa flights by booking with miles on the United website.
Can I use SkyMiles on Lufthansa?
No, you cannot use SkyMiles on Lufthansa.
Can I use Amex points on Lufthansa?
The only way to use Amex points for Lufthansa is by transferring to a Star Alliance partner or using the Amex Travel portal to book a flight operated by Lufthansa.
Can I transfer Chase points to Lufthansa?
No, you cannot transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Lufthansa.
Do Lufthansa miles expire?
Yes, Lufthansa miles expire 36 months after they’re earned.
Can I transfer or gift my Lufthansa miles to someone else?
Yes, you can transfer or gift your Lufthansa miles to someone else online.
Can I book a flight for someone else with my Lufthansa miles?
Yes, you can use your Lufthansa miles to book a flight for anyone you’d like.
Can I book a Lufthansa flight using a combination of miles and cash?
Yes, you can redeem for a Cash and Miles ticket.
Getting started on point.me
Rather than sifting through 10 different websites and 20 different airline programs to figure out award travel, point.me can do the work for you. All you need is your dates, your airports, and who’s traveling and where, and our real-time search and booking engine handles the rest. Try it for free today.
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