Three currencies. That is the single fact about Miles & More that separates members who use it well from those who accumulate a large balance and then discover it contributes nothing to their status. Miles fund awards. Points and Qualifying Points determine tier progression. HON Circle Points unlock the programme’s highest tier, and they accrue only on Business Class and First Class flights. Understanding all three is therefore the operational foundation of the Lufthansa Group’s loyalty programme. The programme covers eight airlines and over 300 destinations, and operates entirely within Star Alliance, granting its 35-million-plus members access to one of the most geographically comprehensive networks in global aviation.
Quick Answer: What is Miles & More? Miles & More is the free-to-join loyalty programme of Lufthansa and the wider Lufthansa Group, covering Austrian Airlines, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, ITA Airways and more. Members earn three separate point types: Miles (for award redemptions), Points and Qualifying Points (for Frequent Traveller and Senator status), and HON Circle Points (for HON Circle Member status). Status runs from the date achieved to the end of February the year after next. London Heathrow departures use Terminal 2 (LHR T2), where the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Terminal 2A is accessible to status members and Business Class passengers.
Joining Miles & More
Registration at miles-and-more.com is free. New members therefore receive a 15-digit service card number immediately on registration, which earns miles and Points on qualifying flights and partner activities. Membership is digital: Miles & More issues a predominantly digital service card that contains the service card number. Consequently, this number serves as the reference for all earning and redemption activity across flights and ground partners.
Members who hold a Miles & More Credit Card in markets where it is available (currently Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the USA, Spain and Mexico) benefit from two additional advantages. First, mileage protection prevents miles from expiring for as long as the card is held. Second, mileage exchange lets members convert earned miles into Points and Qualifying Points to accelerate status progression. Both benefits are particularly useful for UK members who earn miles via hotel and retail partners.
Flying from London Heathrow: Two German Hubs, One Lounge
London Heathrow Terminal 2
Lufthansa operates exclusively from London Heathrow Terminal 2 (LHR T2). Check-in takes place at Zone D on Level 5, with self-service kiosks and dedicated Senator and HON Circle counters. Direct scheduled services from LHR connect to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC), Lufthansa’s two primary long-haul hubs, multiple times daily. From Frankfurt and Munich, Miles & More members then connect to over 300 destinations across Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
The Lufthansa Business Lounge at LHR T2A
The Lufthansa Business Lounge at Terminal 2A sits after passport control and security, accessible only to passengers departing from Terminal 2. Inside, a premium buffet, a self-serve bar, and a modern seating environment offer a quiet alternative to the main terminal. Only passengers on Lufthansa Group flights (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss Air, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, Lufthansa City Airlines, SWISS) may enter. Opening hours run from 06:00 to 22:00 daily.
Brutal Truth (1): Frequent Traveller members access Business Class lounges even in Economy. As a Frequent Traveller, the lowest elite tier, members travelling in Economy Class on a scheduled flight operated by a Star Alliance airline, ITA Airways, or on a SMART fare with Eurowings qualify for access to Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS Business Lounges, as well as Brussels Airlines lounges. This is one of the strongest Economy Class lounge benefits in the Star Alliance ecosystem, and it activates at the programme’s entry-level status.
For Senator and HON Circle Members, lounge access at Frankfurt and Munich extends to dedicated Senator Lounges and, for HON Circle, First Class Lounges and the exclusive First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. All HON Circle members receive an additional companion plus spouse or partner admission to the First Class Terminal and its associated lounges.
Aircraft and Cabin Products on LHR Routes
Short-haul services between London Heathrow and Frankfurt or Munich operate on Airbus A320 family aircraft in a two-class configuration: Lufthansa Business Class (blocked middle seat with dedicated catering) and Economy Class. These are the most common LHR-operated Lufthansa aircraft for Miles & More members connecting to the main hubs.
Allegris: Lufthansa’s New Long-Haul Experience
From Frankfurt and Munich, long-haul Lufthansa flights now deploy the Allegris cabin on an expanding roster of routes. Allegris is Lufthansa’s completely redesigned long-haul experience, introduced in summer 2024. It has been rolling out through 2025 and 2026 on newly delivered Airbus A350-900 aircraft (based in Munich) and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft (based in Frankfurt). Key features include a 1-2-1 Business Class configuration with direct aisle access from every seat and enclosed Business Class Suites with sliding doors. Each seat also provides a 27-inch 4K entertainment screen and a fully flat bed up to 220 cm in length. First Class on select Allegris A350s features three suites: two Single Suites by the windows and a double Suite Plus designed for two passengers.
A significant milestone arrived in April 2026. Lufthansa received certification for 25 of 28 Business Class seats on its Boeing 787-9 Allegris aircraft from 15 April 2026, expanding the product to Frankfurt-based routes including Los Angeles, Cape Town and Hong Kong. The A380 fleet receives new Business Class seats in 2026 as part of a separate retrofit, though these are not the Allegris product.
When searching on lufthansa.com, the label “Allegris: New seat concept” appears next to flights operating the new cabin. Moreover, Senators and HON Circle Members on Flex fares receive complimentary advance seat reservations, with exceptions for certain Allegris cabin classes. A seat fee applies for premium positions (Business Class Suite: EUR 400 to EUR 600; First Class Suite Plus single supplement: EUR 1,900 to EUR 2,900).
The Three-Currency System: Miles, Points and Qualifying Points
Miles & More separates reward earning from status earning more sharply than almost any other major programme in this series. Crucially, the three currencies never merge, members cannot convert them between each other, and each serves an entirely different purpose.
Miles: The Reward Currency
Miles are the reward currency, funding Award Flights from 3,000 miles, upgrades, Worldshop purchases, and partner awards. Standard miles are valid for 36 months from the date of earning and expire at the end of the relevant quarter.
Points and Qualifying Points: The Status Currencies
Points and Qualifying Points drive Frequent Traveller and Senator status. On eligible flights, members earn Points with Lufthansa Group airlines, co-issuing partners (Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Luxair), and all Star Alliance airlines. Qualifying Points, however, accrue only on Lufthansa Group airlines and the three co-issuing partners. Flights on other Star Alliance airlines earn Points but no Qualifying Points. Both currencies reset at the end of each calendar year.
HON Circle Points: The Premium Tier Currency
HON Circle Points are the exclusive currency for the programme’s highest tier, accruing only on Business Class and First Class flights with Lufthansa Group airlines and co-issuing partners. Two criteria determine the amount earned: travel class and whether the flight is continental or intercontinental. No fare class distinction applies. Additionally, a maximum of 1,000 HON Circle Points per calendar year may come from train journeys on Lufthansa Express Rail, Austrian AIRail or SWISS Air Rail.
Brutal Truth (2): Flying Star Alliance airlines cannot earn Qualifying Points or HON Circle Points. A UK member who earns all their Points through, say, United Airlines or Air Canada flights will accumulate Miles and general Points, but zero Qualifying Points and zero HON Circle Points. The Points earned on Star Alliance partner flights are useful for the status calculation only when combined with Qualifying Points earned on Lufthansa Group flights. To qualify for Frequent Traveller or Senator, at least half the required threshold (325 or 1,000 Qualifying Points respectively) must come from Lufthansa Group or co-issuing partners.
How Points Are Earned: The Two-Criteria System
Miles & More introduced a simplified earning model: exactly two criteria determine how many Points, Qualifying Points, and HON Circle Points a flight generates, regardless of the airline within the eligible network.
Criterion 1: Travel class (Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class, or First Class). The second criterion: Continental or intercontinental (a continental flight has both departure and arrival airports on the same continent; an intercontinental flight connects different continents).
Consequently, a Business Class flight from London Heathrow to Frankfurt (continental) earns the same number of HON Circle Points as that same cabin class on any other continental segment with an eligible airline. Route length does not affect the count. The full earning table is available through the Miles & More Points Calculator at miles-and-more.com.
Marriott Bonvoy earns Points toward status. For every qualifying hotel stay of at least one night at a Marriott Bonvoy property, members earn 40 Points (covering Points, Qualifying Points, and HON Circle-eligible Points simultaneously). The cap is 120 Points per calendar year via Marriott Bonvoy. This is the only non-flight mechanism that contributes to status qualification in Miles & More, making it a useful supplement for members travelling frequently to cities with Marriott properties.
SAF and Green Fares accelerate Points earning. Purchasing Green Fares or carbon-offsetting packages that include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) earns up to 80% additional Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points on top of base flight earnings. The additional percentage tracks the proportion of carbon reduction delivered via SAF in the package selected. This is confirmed as still applicable for 2025 flights retroactively credited up to 28 February 2026.
Frequent Flyer Tiers: Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle
Frequent Traveller: 650 Points + 325 Qualifying Points
Frequent Traveller is the entry elite tier, achievable within a single calendar year by combining a modest volume of Lufthansa Group flights with a broader Star Alliance earning pattern. Benefits activate immediately on achieving the threshold.
Core Frequent Traveller benefits include an Executive Bonus of 50% more miles on flights with Lufthansa Group airlines — specifically Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Discover Airlines and ITA Airways — as well as Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Air Canada, ANA and United Airlines. A 25% bonus applies instead on Eurowings, Luxair and other Miles & More airline partners. Furthermore, Business Class lounge access in Economy on qualifying Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance flights is the headline practical benefit at this tier. Priority boarding, waitlist priority for sold-out flights, and one additional checked bag on scheduled Lufthansa Group flights also apply.
As a result, Star Alliance Silver status activates automatically at Frequent Traveller, granting priority benefits across all Star Alliance member airlines worldwide.
Frequent Traveller Lifetime status activates once a member accumulates a total of 30,000 Qualifying Points across their membership history. Lifetime status does not require annual requalification.
Senator: 2,000 Points + 1,000 Qualifying Points
Senator delivers the programme’s most operationally significant upgrade: dedicated Senator Lounges and access to First Class check-in at Frankfurt and Munich. On qualifying, members receive two eVouchers for upgrade redemptions, valid for 24 months. A Senator Partner Card, awarding a companion Senator benefits for one year, accompanies the physical card pack.
At this tier, members also gain a higher waitlist priority than Frequent Traveller, plus free advance seat reservation on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partner flights (with exceptions for Light fares and certain Allegris cabin classes). The full Executive Bonus rate of 50% additional miles applies equally at Senator level. Additionally, one complimentary companion may access Senator Lounges; the guest must travel on the same flight.
Star Alliance Gold status activates at Senator level, providing access to over 1,000 Star Alliance Gold Lounges worldwide on qualifying same-day departures.
Similarly, Senator Lifetime status activates at 40,000 cumulative Qualifying Points. As with Frequent Traveller Lifetime, it does not require annual renewal.
HON Circle Member: 6,000 HON Circle Points
HON Circle Member is the programme’s highest tier and among the most exclusive in European aviation. Achieving it requires exclusively Business Class and First Class flying on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing airline services. As a result, the benefits operate on a substantially different plane from Senator.
On qualifying, HON Circle Members receive four eVouchers for upgrade redemptions and a complimentary Senator Partner Card for their spouse or partner (valid for as long as HON Circle status is maintained). In addition, they gain access to Lufthansa First Class Lounges, SWISS First Lounges, the Austrian HON Circle Lounge, and the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. The First Class Terminal in Frankfurt operates as a private terminal entirely separate from the main airport. It provides a dedicated check-in, personal assistant service, and chauffeur transfer directly to the aircraft, with a restaurant environment comparable to a city hotel.
A further exclusive benefit is the booking guarantee: HON Circle Members can secure a confirmed seat on a fully booked Lufthansa Group flight up to 24 hours before departure. The guarantee applies in booking class J for Business Class, class G for Premium Economy on eligible airlines, and class P for Premium Economy on LOT Polish Airlines. Above all other frequent flyer tiers, HON Circle Members also hold the highest waitlist priority across the Lufthansa Group.
Like Senator, HON Circle Members hold Star Alliance Gold status, equivalent to Senator level in the alliance.
As a further protection, HON Circle Members hold non-expiring miles for as long as they maintain their status.
Earning Miles
Flights and the Executive Bonus
Miles earn on every qualifying flight with Lufthansa Group airlines, co-issuing Miles & More airline partners, and all Star Alliance airlines. The number of miles per flight depends on route distance and booking class. Status holders receive the Executive Bonus automatically on top of base miles, as detailed in the tier comparison above.
Members must quote their service card number at booking or check-in. Once a member checks in for the first flight of an itinerary, the number cannot be swapped for a different account.
Ground Partners
Miles accrue through car hire with Avis, Budget, Sixt and other partners, hotel stays with Marriott Bonvoy and select others, and online shopping via the Miles & More portal. Dining at participating restaurants, newspaper subscriptions, and magazine subscriptions also qualify. In total, the partner directory lists more than 300 partners worldwide. Simply quote the service card number at booking or payment to capture earning.
Sustainable Flying and Green Fares
Green Fares on Lufthansa Group flights include a SAF component and earn up to 20% additional Miles and Points on top of the base earning rate. Separate carbon-offsetting packages purchased at booking or before departure earn up to 80% more Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points based on the SAF percentage in the selected package. Members may retroactively add a carbon-offsetting contribution for past flights via the Miles & More app or website. For 2025 flights, retroactive contributions remain open until 28 February 2026.
How to Redeem Miles
Award Flights and Mileage Bargains
Members book Award Flights from 3,000 miles at miles-and-more.com, through the Miles & More app, or by phone via the Miles & More Service Centre (PIN required for phone bookings). Award Flight availability spans Lufthansa Group airlines and all Star Alliance partners. Notably, the award booking system uses a published regional award table rather than fully dynamic pricing. As a result, members can plan redemptions in advance with predictable mile costs.
Mileage Bargains are Award Flight Specials offering up to 50% off the standard mile price on selected routes and dates. These appear periodically; they are time-limited and not consistently pre-announced. Therefore, checking the Mileage Bargains section at miles-and-more.com and in the Miles & More app regularly is the most reliable capture strategy.
HON Circle guaranteed Award Flight access: HON Circle Members and up to three travel companions may book Award Flights up to 14 days before departure with guaranteed availability in Economy, Premium Economy, or Business Class on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partner airlines, provided seats are available for purchase in that class on the flight.
Upgrade Awards and eVouchers
Upgrade Awards convert an existing cash ticket to a higher cabin using miles. The miles required depend on the departure and destination region and the booking class of the original ticket; cheaper booking classes require more miles than flexible fares. Members request upgrades through “Current Bookings” in the Miles & More account, by clicking “Upgrade flight” on an existing booking.
eVouchers (upgrade vouchers issued on Senator and HON Circle qualification or renewal) work differently from miles-based upgrades: one eVoucher covers a one-class upgrade on an international flight within an award region. Long-haul upgrades typically require one to three eVouchers depending on destination and booking class. eVouchers are valid for 24 months and redeem online, via the Service Centre, or at the airport. Members may also convert unused eVouchers into Points, or carry Points forward to the following year.
Cash & Miles
The Cash & Miles option funds award flights or Worldshop purchases using a combination of miles and a cash contribution. Members may redeem from as few as the miles they hold, with the remainder paid in cash, bringing high-value awards within reach even when the full miles total is not yet accumulated.
Miles Expiry: What Every UK Member Must Know
Standard rule: Miles are valid for 36 months from the date of earning. After that, unused miles expire at the end of the relevant calendar quarter. For example, a flight taken on 12 December 2022 generates miles that expire on 31 December 2025, not on the flight date anniversary, but at the end of the quarter in which the 36-month period falls.
Brutal Truth (3): Miles expire in batches, not all at once. Every earning transaction carries its own 36-month clock. A member with miles earned across multiple flights and ground partner activities faces multiple staggered expiry dates, not a single balance-wide deadline. The Miles & More account statement and app both show miles expiring at the end of the current quarter and the following quarter, and the Miles & More newsletter provides a summary approximately two months before each quarter-end expiry.
Two protections against expiry:
- Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle Members: miles do not expire for as long as elite status is maintained.
- Miles & More Credit Card holders with mileage protection as a card benefit: miles do not expire for as long as the card is held.
Mileage exchange (converting miles into Points and Qualifying Points) is available to Miles & More Credit Card holders in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the USA, Spain and Mexico. Members may exchange up to 20,000 miles and receive in return up to 125 Points and 125 Qualifying Points. As a result, this mechanism assists status qualification for members who have accumulated miles through ground partners and card spending but need additional Qualifying Points to reach Frequent Traveller.
Star Alliance Access and Extra Benefits
Extra Benefits
Miles & More awards automatic Extra Benefits to status customers who earn Qualifying Points or HON Circle Points above their base threshold within a calendar year. These include additional eVouchers and other perks credited to the account automatically. Members who accumulate more than 10,000 Qualifying Points toward Lifetime status also receive exclusive invitations to Status Events, premium experiences bookable with miles.
The Miles & More App
The Miles & More app is the primary account management tool for all members. Core functions include:
- Miles and Points balance: live account summary with expiry dates by quarter
- Expiry tracking: the app displays miles expiring at the end of the current and following quarters
- Award Flight search and booking: full award search across Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance partners
- Upgrade request: submit upgrade requests against existing bookings
- Status tracker: live Points and Qualifying Points progress toward the next tier within the current calendar year
- Carbon offsetting: retroactive carbon contribution for past flights, earning additional Points
- Mileage Bargains: access to discounted award seats with up to 50% off standard pricing
- Points Calculator: estimate earning on a planned flight before booking
Members may also use the app to book Companion Award Flights (HON Circle Members) and to view eVoucher balances and validity periods.
Border and Travel: EES at Frankfurt and Munich
LHR to FRA or MUC, Schengen Entry
Both Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport are Schengen Area entry points. UK passport holders connecting through either hub into the Schengen Area encounter the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which reached full operational activation on 10 April 2026. EES requires biometric registration (facial scan and fingerprints) for all non-EU nationals on first Schengen entry. For Miles & More members routing LHR through FRA or MUC onto a long-haul connection, EES processing takes place at the Schengen border entry on arrival, not at London Heathrow departure.
At Frankfurt Airport specifically: the dedicated First Class Terminal handles HON Circle Member processing independently from the main terminal. HON Circle Members and their companions should confirm with Lufthansa whether EES processing for transit connections occurs at the First Class Terminal or at the standard immigration hall. Terminal-specific procedures may vary.
For any Schengen entry via these hubs, build a minimum 45 to 60 minutes beyond the published minimum connection time for first-time EES biometric registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Joining and Programme Basics
How do I join Miles & More? Registration is free at miles-and-more.com or through the Miles & More app. Membership activates immediately with a 15-digit service card number. Quote this number at flight booking or check-in on any qualifying Lufthansa Group, co-issuing partner, or Star Alliance airline to start earning.
Does Miles & More belong to a frequent flyer alliance? Miles & More is a member programme of Star Alliance through Lufthansa. All three tiers (Frequent Traveller, Senator, HON Circle) carry Star Alliance Silver or Gold status automatically. Members therefore gain priority services and lounge access across all Star Alliance airlines without separate enrolment.
How long are Miles & More miles valid? Standard miles are valid for 36 months from the date of earning and expire at the end of the relevant calendar quarter. Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle Members keep their miles active for as long as they maintain their status. Miles & More Credit Card holders with mileage protection enjoy the same benefit for as long as the card stays active.
Tiers and Status
What is the qualification period for frequent flyer status? Each tier qualification runs across one calendar year (1 January to 31 December). However, status achieved at any point during the year is valid from the date achieved until the end of February the year after next. A member achieving Frequent Traveller status in May 2026 holds that status until end of February 2028.
Can I earn status through hotel stays alone? No. Marriott Bonvoy stays earn up to 120 Points (including Qualifying Points) per calendar year toward status, a supplement, not a substitute for flying. To reach Frequent Traveller, at least 325 Qualifying Points must come from eligible flights with Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partner airlines.
What is Lifetime status? Frequent Traveller Lifetime status activates when a member accumulates a total of 30,000 Qualifying Points across their full membership history. Senator Lifetime requires 40,000 cumulative Qualifying Points. Lifetime status does not require annual requalification. Members already holding Senior or HON Circle status do not receive the lower Lifetime status benefits in addition during their active status period.
Earning and Spending Miles
Do Star Alliance flights earn Qualifying Points? No. Flights on Star Alliance airlines outside the Lufthansa Group and co-issuing partners (Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Luxair) earn Miles and general Points only. Qualifying Points accrue exclusively on Lufthansa Group airlines and the three co-issuing partners.
What are Mileage Bargains? Mileage Bargains offer limited-time award seats at up to 50% off the standard miles price on selected routes and dates. They appear in the Mileage Bargains section of miles-and-more.com and in the Miles & More app. No fixed publication schedule applies; checking regularly is the most consistent strategy for capturing them.
What is Cash & Miles? Cash & Miles allows members to fund an Award Flight or Worldshop purchase using a combination of miles and a cash payment. The minimum miles contribution is whatever the member currently holds, with the cash covering the remainder. As a result, members reach high-value awards before accumulating a full redemption balance.
Your Next Step
Before any Lufthansa Group booking, use the Points Calculator at miles-and-more.com to confirm exactly how many Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points your specific route and travel class will generate. Track your calendar-year status progress in the Miles & More app. The status tracker updates in real time after each qualifying flight. It also shows exactly how many additional flights are needed to reach the next tier before 31 December.
For award bookings, check the Mileage Bargains section at miles-and-more.com and in the app before committing to a standard award redemption. Up to 50% off standard pricing appears regularly on Lufthansa Group and selected partner routes, and the saving on a Business Class Allegris redemption can be substantial.
Log in to your Miles & More account quarterly to review expiry dates in your balance statement. The newsletter subscription provides a two-month advance summary of miles expiring at each quarter end. This gives adequate runway to book an award, extend expiring miles, or trigger a qualifying earning activity before the deadline.
Miles & More membership is free to join. Programme benefits, tier thresholds, earning rates, partner terms, and Allegris seat configurations and routes are subject to change. Allegris certification status for Boeing 787-9 aircraft reflects the position as of April 2026. Always verify current terms, lounge access conditions, and award availability at miles-and-more.com or in the Miles & More app before making booking or status decisions.
Editorial & Accuracy Standards
- Expert Review:
Ammara Azmat,
Senior Travel Mobility Analyst (12+ years experience) - Status: Verified for accuracy against official 2026 service data and real-time traveller reports.
- Our Process: This content follows our Fact-Checking Policy.
