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Key Takeaways:
Qualify yearly via Points, Qualifying Points (LH Group), and HON Circle Points (LH Group Biz/First).
Redeem: LH Group uses dynamic pricing; Star Alliance partners use award chart. Taxes/fees cash.
Miles expire after 36 months; status or some co-branded cards prevent expiry. Mileage Pooling available.
What is Miles & More?
Miles & More is the name of the Lufthansa Airlines loyalty program for frequent flyers. Members earn award miles (to redeem) and status points (to qualify for elite status) across Lufthansa Group carriers, Star Alliance, and many partners. You need Points and Qualifying Points or HON Circle Points, which you can earn on flights with Lufthansa Group airlines or Miles & More airline partners.
When you’re ready to book your first flight, you can easily plan and book your weekend getaways with Wego.
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How does Miles & More work?
Status (Points, Qualifying Points, HON Circle Points)
- Points: earned on flights with Lufthansa Group, co-issuing partners, and Star Alliance airlines.
- Qualifying Points: earned on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partners only.
- HON Circle Points are earned only in Business/First on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partners.
- Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points per flight segment are the same for all members:
- Continental flights: Economy 20, Premium Economy 20, Business 40, First 40.
- Intercontinental flights: Economy 60, Premium Economy 80, Business 200, First 300.
- A flight counts “continental” if both airports are on the same continent (note: North Africa, incl. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, is treated as Europe for this purpose).
You must reach status thresholds within one calendar year (see next section). Retro-credits apply to the year of travel.
Elite tiers & core benefits at a glance
Frequent Traveller (FTL)
- Qualify: 650 Points + 325 Qualifying Points.
- Alliance: Star Alliance Silver.
- Perks highlights: Business Class check-in; lounge access (Business Lounges when flying eligible carriers); priority services; miles don’t expire while status is held.
Senator (SEN)
- Qualify: 2,000 Points + 1,000 Qualifying Points.
- Alliance: Star Alliance Gold.
- Perks highlights: Star Alliance Gold lounge access, priority services, 2 eVouchers at qualification/renewal, Executive Bonus on miles, and mileage non-expiry while status held.
HON Circle Member (HON)
- Qualify: 6,000 HON Circle Points.
- Alliance: Star Alliance Gold.
- Perks highlights: First Class lounges/First Class Terminal (where available); limousine service at select hubs; 4 eVouchers at qualification/renewal; highest priority; mileage non-expiry while status held.
Executive Bonus (more award miles on flights): up to 50% extra miles, depending on the operating airline.
There are more benefits available for each status member. Please visit the official Miles & More page to learn more.
Earn & redeem miles
Earning miles
Flights
Award miles and points earned on a trip via the Lufthansa Group and partners are tied to the ticket price and booking information. The exact miles vary by airline.
- Visit the official page of the Travel Calculator.
- Enter your price (in USD), route, and class into the Travel Calculator.
- See the expected award miles plus Points/Qualifying Points/HON Circle Points reflected on your screen before you book.
Miles & More credit card
For every transaction made with a Miles & More credit card, you earn award miles automatically every time you eat out at a restaurant or shop, among other things.
- United States: Miles & More World Elite Mastercard is issued by Barclays US. Cardholders can earn miles on purchases and enjoy program-linked perks.
- Germany: Deutsche Bank issues Lufthansa Miles & More credit cards (Mastercard).
- Austria: Erste Bank und Sparkasse will issue Austrian Miles & More credit cards from 1 January 2026.
New offers for Miles & More credit card holders are often updated. Check the official page to learn more.
Mileage Pooling
With Mileage Pooling, two adults and up to five children can combine their miles in one mileage pool and earn miles together.
- Go to Mileage Pooling in your account.
- Invite another Miles & More member you’d like to earn miles with.
- Two days after accepting your invitation to Mileage Pooling, your miles will be combined in a shared pool. Neither personal nor shared miles can be redeemed during this time.
- All miles earned from this point onwards will flow directly into the mileage pool.
Please note that:
- The mileage protection that comes with a Miles & More credit card also applies to Mileage Pooling, but only to the miles of the respective cardholder.
- Miles are automatically redeemed according to the earliest possible expiration date. Protected miles are only used if there is an insufficient number of unprotected miles.
Redeeming miles
Award Flights
Book an award flight via the Miles & More platform.
- For Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, etc), miles required are dynamic.
- For Star Alliance and partner airlines, miles follow the Award Flight chart (updated 2025).
Please note that the taxes, fees, and surcharges are payable separately in cash.
Upgrades
Use your miles to upgrade to a higher service class.
- Upgrade with miles or eVouchers on eligible tickets.
- You will get 2 or 4 eVouchers, depending on whether you achieve Senator or HON Circle status. Issued at qualification/renewal, each eVoucher is valid for 24 months.
- The upgrades can be booked via:
- Online: Book your upgrade online by clicking on “Book upgrade now”. Select a flight eligible for an upgrade under “My bookings”, click “Upgrade flight”, and choose whether you wish to redeem miles or eVouchers.
- Book by telephone: request an upgrade by telephone via the Miles & More Service Team. Make sure you have your 6-digit booking code to hand.
Cash & Miles
Cash & Miles allows you to redeem your miles in full or in part for flight bookings via the official Lufthansa website from 3,000 miles, thereby reducing the amount left to pay in cash.
- Cash & Miles is available for all travel classes and all international routes.
- Cash & Miles cannot be used for domestic flights, except for flights within Germany.
- The airfare is calculated based on the total ticket price, including taxes and fees.
- You can also earn new miles on every Cash & Miles flight.
Mileage expiry
Miles are valid for 36 months and expire at the end of the quarter. So, for example, any miles earned on 2 January 2025 would expire on 31 March 2028. Mileage expiry does not apply to Frequent Travellers, Senators or HON Circle Members, as long as they retain their status. Unlimited mileage validity is also available to holders of a Miles & More Credit Card, depending on the country and type of card.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Do miles expire? Yes, after 36 months (end of quarter).
What’s the difference between Points, Qualifying Points, and HON Circle Points? Points accrue widely (LH Group + partners), Qualifying Points on LH Group + co-issuing partners, and HON Circle Points only in Business/First on LH Group + co-issuing partners.
How many Points do I get per flight? Per segment, based on class and continental vs. intercontinental. Example: Intercontinental Business = 200 Points. Use the program’s points table for all classes and routes.
Can I claim missing miles? Yes, retro-credit up to 6 months after travel (even if you weren’t a member at the time).
Which Star Alliance status do I receive? FTL = Star Alliance Silver; SEN & HON = Star Alliance Gold.
Can I use miles to pay taxes/fees on award tickets? No, you cannot.
Which global airline has the best loyalty program? Check out our dedicated article for Best Airline Loyalty Programs in 2025 to learn more.
