The largest German airline, Lufthansa, is repositioning itself. And that includes not only new destinations in the flight schedule, but also a modified frequent flyer program. Frequent Traveler or Senator status for life beckons from 2024.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1-Lufthansa: These are the new destinations from Frankfurt and Munich
2-New Status Program: Frequent Flyer status for life
3-How do I get lifetime frequent flyer status?
4-Frequent flyer status with a shorter term in the future
Lufthansa is getting ready to fly to new destinations in Europe from the hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in the 2023 calendar year. A total of around 205 destinations are in the flight schedule of the largest German airline for the coming year. This is a little special because there are almost as many as before the corona pandemic. Lufthansa itself has calculated that from Frankfurt and Munich, with 5,200 weekly frequencies , up to 87 percent of the pre-crisis level will be reached.
LUFTHANSA: THESE ARE THE NEW DESTINATIONS FROM FRANKFURT AND MUNICH
From April 23 next year Lufthansa will be flying four times a week from Frankfurt to Belfast in Northern Ireland . There are also twice daily flights south of London to Gatwick Airport. On the Spanish Atlantic coast, Asturias Airport in the northern province of Asturias is new to the Lufthansa flight schedule three times a week. For the first time, it is also going to Skopje in North Macedonia – twice a day. And those who would like to travel to Biarritz in southern France will also have the opportunity to do so on Saturdays from April 29, 2023 onwards.
Starting at the end of April next year, there will also be a new departure from Munich to Asturias every Saturday. Lufthansa is also taking off from Bavaria to Bordeaux three times a week. And with Rzeszów, a destination in the south-east of Poland is experiencing a comeback in the flight schedule every day from April 23rd. From May 2nd, long-haul routes will again be available from Munich three times a week to Osaka in Japan. From June 2, the airline will also be taking off for Mexico City three times a week. Both destinations are served by Lufthansa with the new, modern Airbus A350.
NEW STATUS PROGRAM: FREQUENT FLYER STATUS FOR LIFE
Lufthansa has also announced that it will be relaunching its status programme. Although only from January 2024, early communication should ensure that frequent flyers can prepare for the upcoming changes. Special feature: In the future, frequent flyers will be appointed frequent travelers or even senators for life. The basis for this is the sum of all points collected on flights by various airlines in the Lufthansa Group and affiliated Miles & More airline partners.
Speaking of points: they will replace the previously known status miles in the future. The number of points credited per flight will only depend on two criteria: the class of travel and whether the flight is continental or intercontinental. Important here: in order to receive Lufthansa frequent flyer status, it will be necessary in future to operate a certain proportion of the flights operated with an airline in the Lufthansa Group.
HOW DO I GET LIFETIME FREQUENT FLYER STATUS?
In order to achieve Frequent Traveler status, for example, 325 qualifying points will be required in addition to 650 points within a calendar year from 2024. As of today, qualifying points are only available from airlines in the Lufthansa Group such as Lufthansa, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines or Swiss. Also with Miles & More airline partners Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Luxair.
On the other hand, those who fly with other Star Alliance airlines such as United, Singapore Airlines or Air China only collect “simple” points. But they are not enough, for example, to secure frequent flyer status for life. Because 30,000 qualifying points are required for lifetime frequent traveler status, and 40,000 qualifying points for lifetime senator status.
There are 20 qualifying points for a flight in economy class on European routes of the affiliated Lufthansa airlines, in business and first class there are 40 points per flight. Intercontinental travel earns 60 qualifying points in Economy Class, 80 in Premium Economy Class, 200 in Business Class and 300 in First Class.
FREQUENT FLYER STATUS WITH A SHORTER TERM IN THE FUTURE
In the future, you will no longer get frequent flyer status for two years, but only for at least one year. The period to collect the required points is one calendar year for each frequent flyer status.
