Frequent Flier Miles!

Miles & More is the frequent flyer program of 12 European airlines. It was launched by Lufthansa (LH) in 1993. The program enables its 13 million members to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles on all of the fully integrated airlines as well as all the Star Alliance members. Furthermore, all customers are able to build status, which gives them access to certain privileges. Miles & More is free of charge and everybody can sign up.

Frequent Flier Miles Partnership History

1993 - Lufthansa introduces Miles & More on January 1, 1993

1997 - Star Alliance is founded by Air Canada, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International

2000 - Austrian Airlines (AUA) joined Miles & More

2003 - LOT Polish Airlines becomes a fully integrated partner

2006 - Swiss International Air Lines is bought by Lufthansa and its frequent flyer program, the Swiss TravelClub, is converted to Miles & More on April 1, 2006

Frequent Flier Miles Fully Integrated Airline Partners

Lufthansa

Air Dolomiti (partner-airline of Lufthansa Regional)

Augsburg Airways (partner-airline of Lufthansa Regional)

Contact Air (partner-airline of Lufthansa Regional)

Eurowings (partner-airline of Lufthansa Regional)

Lufthansa CityLine (partner-airline of Lufthansa Regional)

Austrian Airlines Group (since 2000)

LOT Polish Airlines (since 2003)

Swiss International Air Lines (since 2006)

Air One

Adria Airways

Croatia Airlines

Luxair

Frequent Flier Miles Star Alliance Partner Airlines

Air Canada

Air China (December 2007)

Air New Zealand

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Asiana Airlines

Bmi

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)

Singapore Airlines

South African Airways

Spanair

TAP Portugal

Shanghai Airlines (December 2007)

Thai Airways International

Turkish Airlines (April 2008)

United Airlines

US Airways

Frequent Flier Miles Star Alliance Regional Partners

Blue1

Adria Airways

Croatia Airlines

Frequent Flier Miles Other Partners

Aegean Airlines

Air India

Air Malta

Cimber Air

Cirrus Airlines

Condor Airlines

Egypt Air

Ethiopian Airlines

Jat Airways

Jet Airways

Mexicana

Qatar Airways

TAM

Frequent Flier Miles The Miles

On Miles & More there are 3 different sorts of miles that all have different applications within the program:

Frequent Flier Miles Award Miles

These are the miles that can be collected in the account of a member and later on be used to buy flights, upgrades, merchandise from the Lufthansa WorldShop and other Miles & More partners. For standard Miles & More members they retain validity for 36 months, after which they expire. For Frequent Travellers, Senators and HON Circle Card holders, the miles have no expiration date. However, as soon as a customer does not hold any of these cards anymore, the expiration date of all miles is set to 36 months counting from loss of frequent flyer status. For Miles & More Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard) holders issued in several countries, miles have no expiration date as long as the card is held. After the credit card expires, the original expiry date of the miles is reinstated; although the earliest miles can expire is at the end of the quarter after the credit card contract is ended.

Frequent Flier Miles Status Miles

Status miles can only be earned when flying on the fully integrated partner airlines or on Star Alliance members. There is no other way to earn these miles. In addition, status miles expire at the end of each calendar year. They are used to identify the frequent flyers and members are able to qualify for a higher status on the basis of the status miles that they have collected in one year.

Frequent Flier Miles HON Circle Miles

HON Circle miles can only be earned when flying on the fully integrated partner airlines and Air-Rail trains in Germany (up to a total of 100.000 Miles within 2 calendar years). They are necessary to attain the top-tier status on Miles & More - HON Circle. Until April 1, 2006 it was possible to also collect this type of miles on United Airlines. This option does no longer exist. HON-miles are valid for 2 years. Furthermore, only Senators (with an account balance of more than 300.000 status miles over 2 years) and existing HON Circle members can see these miles on their account statement.

Frequent Flier Miles Earning Miles

Award miles can be earned in various ways. Status miles can only be earned when flying on either the fully integrated partner airlines of Miles & More or the Star Alliance partners. The number of status miles earned is always equivalent to the number of award miles earned on these flights (excluding promotions).

Frequent Flier Miles Flying

The miles that a member receives after having completed depend on a number of factors: the actual mileage flown, the class of service and the booking class. Its high class of service bonuses make Miles & More especially attractive to travellers that fly a lot in First Class and/or Business Class.

Frequent Flier Miles European Flights

German domestic Class of Service Booking Class Fixed Mileage

Economy Class E, L,T, U 125

Economy Class G, H, K, M, Q, S, V, W 500

Economy Class B, Y 750

Business Class C, D, Z 1500

European Cross-Border Flights Class of Service Booking Class Fixed Mileaege

Economy Class E, L,T, U 125

Economy Class G, H, K, M, Q, S, V, W 750

Economy Class B, Y 1250

Business Class C, D, Z 2000

Frequent Flier Miles Intercontinental Flights

Class of Service Booking Class Miles received Minimum Mileage

Economy Class S, W Mileage flown x 50% 500

Economy Class G, H, K, M, Q, V Mileage flown x 100% 500

Economy Class B, Y Mileage flown x 150% 750

Business Class C, D, Z Mileage flown x 200% 1,000

First Class A, F Mileage flown x 300% 1,250

Please note that these mileages do only apply for flights operated by Lufthansa and Lufthansa Regional. To check what the mileage earned on other partner airlines is please check here and click on the airline that you are interested in. Additionally, there is the possibility to earn 10,000 miles on all flights operated by the Lufthansa Private Jet.

Frequent Flier Miles Other Earning Opportunities

Lufthansa always has a number of promotions. Most of them last for 1-2 months only. They include double mileage on new routes, extra miles for using electronic check-in and alike. Some of the promotions are restricted to residents of certain countries and others are restricted to certain customers.

There are other possibilities of collecting miles when not travelling. You can subscribe to the Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card (depending on market issued as VISA or MasterCard) and collect one mile for every Dollar/Euro spent; you also receive a one-time sign-up bonus. Furthermore, miles can be earned on certain DeutscheBahn trains, when staying in certain hotels, shopping in certain shops (such as the LH Worldshop), renting cars, investing in certain funds, opening an account with certain banks, picking up a catalogue in a Bang & Olufsen store, etc. To see all the offers please refer to the Miles & More website as offers differ per country. However, all these offers do not earn any status miles. If a customer does not have enough miles for his/her award there is also the possibilitiy of acquiring up to 10,000 miles for 240.00.

Frequent Flier Miles Redeeming Miles

Once a member has collected the necessary number of miles it is possible for that member to use the miles to pay for flights, upgrades and products from the Lufthansa Worldshop.

Frequent Flier Miles Redeeming Miles for Flights

Miles in a member's account can be exchanged for award flights on all the fully integrated airline partners and all of the Star Alliance carriers. The number of miles that is deducted from the account depends on the origin and destination of that flight. The number of miles that is required can be checked in this file. Customers do, however, have to take into account that these award flights are subject to availability and are not available on all routes on all dates.

Frequent Flier Miles Redeeming Miles for Upgrades

Miles can be redeemed for upgrades on all fully integrated carriers of Miles & More and on the following Star-Alliance partners: All Nippon Airways (ANA), Asiana Airlines, Condor Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways International, United Airlines. Again the number of miles required depends on the destination of the flight. You can find the exact number on this site. Again, these upgrades are not guaranteed and the availability in the higher classes of service has to be taken into account. Passengers are only allowed to upgrade one class of service. Only certain booking classes qualify for upgrades.

Frequent Flier Miles Status

On Miles & More all customers can build status through collecting status miles. The status miles from 1 year only count towards status. Status is important as there are many privileges and advantages that status holders receive (such as priority check-in etc.).

There are 4 different status level on Miles & More:

Frequent Flier Miles Miles & More Status

This is the normal status that everybody gets after they initially joined the program. This status does not receive any officially documented privileges. A Miles & More member initially starts with a temporary paper-card, which is usually cut out from one of the Lufthansa magazines or printed from the internet. New: Since 01.October 2007 Lufthansa will send their customers the Miles & More plastic card via mail after the customer has accrued 3,000 Miles. Sometimes new members get about 2000 Welcome Miles.

Frequent Flier Miles Frequent Traveller Status

The frequent traveller card is given to all Miles & More customers that received a total of over 35,000 status miles in one calendar year. This status remains valid for 2 years and a member can requalify in any one of those 2 years. Usually, all status cards expire in February of the third year, e.g. status earned in December 2006, status valid until February 2009.

As a frequent traveller a passenger receives a number of privileges:

Access to Business Lounges of fully integrated M&M airlines with valid Star Alliance Boarding Pass for the same day and location before departure

Access to LH Frequent Traveller Lounge with valid Star Alliance Boarding Pass for the same day and location before departure

Business Class Check-In at fully integrated M&M airlines regardless of the flown class of service

25% Executive Bonus on award, status and HON Circle miles on all flights with Lufthansa, Swiss, United Airlines, US Airways,

Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Air One, Air Dolomiti and Air Canada

Miles retain unlimited validity

Increased registered baggage allowance: 40 kg on fully integrated M&M airlines (when weight concept applies)

All Star Alliance Silver Benefits

Exclusive FTL reservation hotline

Frequent Flier Miles Senator Status

When having collected 100.000 Status Miles (130.000 Miles for residents of Germany) within one calendar year, Miles & More members will receive "Senator" Status with a validity of at least 2 years. . The main benefits of Senator status are:

All advantages of Frequent Traveller status, in addition:

Access to all LH Senator Lounges, regardless of airline flown

Two eVouchers on achieving status and two more for every status retention, good to upgrade either two short-haul or one long-haul flight

Booking guarantee: Up to 48 hours before departure in booking class C, or up to 72 hours in booking class Y

Miles & More companion award: When booking an award ticket with Lufthansa or integrated carriers, the ticket for an accompanying second person only costs 50% of the mileage

Availability of an exclusive telephone service hotline

Availability of Mileage advance: The mileage account can be overdrawn by up to 50,000 Miles. This overdraft needs to be "repaid" until the status expires or each mile will be charged 0.024 EUR.

Senator Premium award: By using double the number of award miles Senators are able to book the very last available seat when it is no longer possible to redeem a regular Miles & More award.

All Star Alliance Gold Benefits

Frequent Flier Miles HON Circle Status

When having collected 600.000 HON Circle Miles within two calendar years, Miles & More members receive HON Circle Status with validity of 2 years. The main perks of having HON status are:

All advantages of LH Senator Status, in addition: The HON member's partner receives a complimentary Senator Card.

25% Executive Bonus on award, status and HON Circle miles on all flights with Lufthansa, Swiss, United Airlines, US Airways, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Air One, Air Dolomiti and Air Canada. This was reduced from previously 50% on January 1st, 2008

Six eVouchers on achieving status, and six more for every status retention.

Booking guarantee: Up to 24 hours before departure in booking class C and D, and 72 hours in booking class Y.

Pickup by limousine upon arrival at tarmac position at Frankfurt and Munich

Limousine Service to the airplane when departing from a tarmac position at Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Vienna

Expedited Priority baggage handling: Baggage is labeled with a "HON Priority sticker" to ensure expedited delivery on the luggage belt.

Personal assistant at LH cities

Access to the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt and the First Class/HON Circle lounges in Munich, Vienna, Zurich and Geneva Exclusive HON Circle reservation hotline