UPDATE: Lufthansa has announced that it will postpone changes to its frequent flyer programme until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After devaluing award miles earlier this year, The Lufthansa Group is simplifying its status program and offering its customers an even easier and more transparent collection system for achieving and maintaining Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle levels. Loyalty towards Lufthansa Group airlines will be rewarded to a greater extent than ever before. In the future, the airlines will also be appointing their guests Frequent Traveller and Senator for life in recognition of their long-standing loyalty. All changes to the status programme will apply to flights from 1 January 2021 (now 2022 due to COVID) and onwards.
“We want to value the loyalty of our frequent flyers even more,” says Markus Binkert, CCO Hub Munich & Senior Vice President Marketing. “In the future, we will be offering the most attractive and simplest frequent flyer programme ever. Our loyalty programme also reflects our new, modern understanding of premium travel.”
So let’s take a look at the overview of the main changes starting in 2021 and our thoughts…
Points system replaces status miles
Today’s diversity of variously defined so-called miles will be significantly reduced. In addition to the award miles for their flight, guests will receive points instead of the current status and HON Circle miles. The amount of points that can be earned on a flight will only depend on two criteria: the travel class and whether the flight is continental or intercontinental.
This means you’ll no longer earn status based on the distance flown, and instead means you’ll earn status based on how many points you gain. This doesn’t change how you earn award miles, just how you earn status with any of the Miles & More programme airlines. So essentially the points will be broken down into two metrics:
Points:
These will be earned on participating Miles & More carriers (including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines) as well as all Star Alliance partners. To earn Frequent Traveller status you’ll need 160 points, and for Senator status 480 points.
Qualifying points:
These will be earned solely on participating Miles & More carriers (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, LOT Polish Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Adria Airways, Luxair and Air Dolomiti). To earn Frequent Traveller status you’ll need 80 qualifying points, for Senator status 240 qualifying points, and for the coveted HON Circle status, 1500 qualifying points.
Now, you only The status points earned will vary depending on which cabin you’re flying in and whether you’re on a continental or intercontinental flight:
- Economy: 5 points for continental and 15 points for intercontinental
- Premium economy: 5 points for continental and 20 points for intercontinental
- Business class: 10 points continental and 50 points for intercontinental
- First class: 10 points for continental and 70 points for intercontinental
It’s quite surprising that the most discounted fare in a cabin will earn the same number of points as the most expensive fare. This presents some interesting opportunities. It’s also great news that all qualifying points on Miles & More airlines will now count toward HON Circle status, including economy and premium economy tickets, whereas the current programme only allows business and first-class flights to count.
For some this may prove an annoyance as if you regularly fly, say, on a flexible fare from Frankfurt to Singapore, you’ll earn the same amount of status points as someone flying on a saver fare from Frankfurt to New York. However, for those who don’t regularly fly those extreme long-haul journeys, it will open up a lot of brilliant opportunities to do status runs as you’ll be able to book the cheapest ticket on the cheapest or shortest continental or intercontinental journey to achieve the required qualifying points! The simplified programme also gives members an opportunity to achieve status quicker than they can currently, especially if you usually travel on the cheapest ticket in your chosen cabin.
Frequent flyer status for loyal customers
As before, points can be earned on all Star Alliance airlines, including status miles. However, in order to reach the frequent flyer level as a Frequent Traveller or Senator, a share of flights with Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS or the Miles & More partner air-lines Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Adria Airways, Air Dolomiti, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines or Luxair will be required in future.
This means that half of the required points must be flown with these airlines. As before, frequent flyers qualify to become HON Circle Members exclusively by flying with the above-mentioned airlines. And as mentioned above, unlike in the past, it is also possible to collect points for qualifying as a HON Circle Member with Economy Class and Premium Economy Class flights.
Frequent traveller and senator for life
In the future, long-time frequent flyers will formally be appointed Frequent Traveller and Senator for life and receive lifetime elite status. The basis for this is the sum of all points collected on flights operated by Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS and Miles & More airline partners. The lifetime Senator status also requires the guest to have been a Senator or HON Circle Member for ten calendar years.
In the current programme you’ll earn Status Stars points as you earn and maintain elite status, recognising your long-term loyalty to the programme. On 31 December 2020 these will be converted to into qualifying points at a 2:1 ratio, and you can then earn lifetime status by earning 7,500 qualifying points for Frequent Traveller Lifetime, and 10,000 qualifying points plus at least 10 full calendar years of Senator or HON Circle membership for Senator Lifetime.
The programme is also making sure that anyone who’s already shown an extended loyalty to Miles & More is recognised. Members who have already earned four or five Status Stars will be awarded Senator Lifetime status, while those who had earned three Status Stars will be awarded Frequent Traveller Lifetime status.
Collection period and term
In the future, the status duration will be valid for at least one year up to a maximum of 26 months. The time period to collect the required points for all frequent flyer levels is one calendar year.
The Miles & More bonus programme remains unchanged. Award miles are miles that can be earned in everyday life or on journeys for flights, rental cars, hotel stays and much more and then redeemed for non-cash awards or services.
Final thoughts on the Miles & More changes
Overall I think these changes are actually very positive, particularly for those who tend to purchase the cheapest ticket in the economy cabin (K class) as you’ll receive the same points as someone buying a highest class flexi economy ticket (Y class). It’s also a really brilliant opportunity for status runs if you’re close to that next level! The only problem is the reduction of the qualifying period and status period from the current two years, to just one year (inline with most other airlines). It’s also important to note that you’ll still earn redeemable “award miles” in the exact same way you currently do, and there are no further adjustments to the programme’s award charts.
Further information and a detailed overview of the new points system and a point calculator can be found here.