Personal Card

Lufthansa Miles and More Credit Card

Written by: Lenny Pappano

Unless you frequently fly Lufthansa or highly value its premium cabin options, this card rarely benefits everyday travelers. Other cards provide better bonuses, and the companion ticket often proves too cumbersome to justify.

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Lufthansa Miles and More Credit Card Review

Key Takeaways

Unless you regularly fly Lufthansa or highly value first-class travel on the airline, the Lufthansa Miles and More card is probably not worth it for the everyday traveler. There are other cards with higher sign-up bonuses and better benefits. In addition, using its main perk — the companion ticket — can be frustrating, so we generally suggest avoiding this card unless you fit the narrow criteria mentioned.

Why This Card Could Be Right For You

If you frequently fly Lufthansa, often travel within Europe, or enjoy Lufthansa first-class flights, the Lufthansa Miles & More World Elite card could be a good fit. The sign-up bonus is 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 (and pay the $89 annual fee) within the first 90 days. (We’ve seen the sign-up bonus go as high as 80,000 miles in the past.)

Early access to first-class awards: Other programs only release Lufthansa first-class seats within two weeks of departure, but Miles & More lets you book sooner. This can give you an advantage when trying to secure a sought-after first-class seat.
Lounge vouchers: Each year, you receive two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge vouchers, which can make your trip more comfortable.

You also get a companion ticket, but there are important caveats. You must purchase your own fare in cash (no points or miles allowed), and you still have to pay taxes, fees, and surcharges on the companion fare. These can range from hundreds of dollars to over $1,000 if you’re flying from the U.S. to Europe. Booking this ticket requires calling Lufthansa directly; you can’t do it online. Many travelers report that the total cost for the cash ticket and the companion ticket often ends up being higher than what they can find on Lufthansa’s website.

Finally, remember that you can redeem your miles for flights or upgrades on all Star Alliance airlines and other Lufthansa partners. This flexibility can help you get good value from your Miles & More points, provided that you fly Lufthansa (or its partners) regularly and are prepared to deal with some of the program’s quirks.

When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply

There are a few scenarios in which this card may not be suitable for you:

Many travelers complain about the companion ticket’s value. High taxes and fees still apply, it must be booked by phone with a Lufthansa representative, and it must be combined with a cash fare—all of which diminishes the ticket’s overall benefit.
Several other credit cards offer better sign-up bonuses and benefits, and they partner with Lufthansa and its Star Alliance member airlines.

What to Know About Lufthansa Miles and More

There are no credit card transfer partners for Miles and More, making it a program we rarely recommend

While Miles and More miles are difficult to earn, they can be redeemed on Lufthansa or any of its 40 partner airlines
Fuel surcharges on Lufthansa are amongst the highest of airline loyalty programs
If you have Miles and More miles, they are best used on United or Air Canada flights within North America or flights within Europe
You cannot even search award availability unless you have at least 7000 miles in your account

How The Lufthansa Miles and More Credit Card Fits In The Lufthansa Miles and More Ecosystem

This is the only Lufthansa co-branded credit card on the market, and its Miles and More program is not a transfer partner of any major credit card issuer. Therefore, the Lufthansa Miles and More World Elite Mastercard is the only direct way to earn Miles and More points.

Of course, you can transfer points from several programs (Chase, American Express, Capital One, Bilt, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy) to other Star Alliance partners and then book Lufthansa flights. However, if you want to earn Miles and More points directly, this credit card is your only option.

Card Information

Bonus Points	Minimum Spend	Point Value	Annual Value	Annual Fee	1st Year Value
50,000	$3,000	1.1 ¢	$0	$89	$494

Best Value	Differentiating Perks	Rules
Lufthansa flights	2 lounge vouchers & anniversary companion ticket	No 5/24 , Barclay 0/6

AWARD SYSTEM

BANK

Reconsideration Phone 800.151.0900

CURRENT OFFER

50,000 points for
$3,000 spend.

Spend Categories

Airfare - »

2X points
2.2¢ Per Dollar Spent

All Other - »

1X points
1.1¢ Per Dollar Spent

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Card Benefits

Lounge Access »
Two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers after each account anniversary

Companion Pass »

No Foreign Transaction Fees »

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Point Transfer Options

Transfer To Spouse/Partner No

Transfer To Friends No

Travel Partner Transfers

Outside Point System Lufthansa Miles and More

Transfers In From

IHG Rewards

5:1 37% value retained

View All Point Transfer Options »

Lufthansa Miles and More Application Rules

No 5/24

Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule

Barclay 0/6

You're more likely to be declined on a Barclay application if you currently have a Barclay card that has not been used in the past 6 months

Breaking Points

August 16, 2024

Mini Points - September 2024

- AAdvantage American Airlines Citi Mastercard - Limited time offer, earn 75,000 miles after spending $3500 in 4 months, $0 annual fee for first year then $99/year.

- World of Hyatt Business Chase Visa - Limited time offer, earn 60,000 points after spending $5000 in 3 months, $199/annual fee.

- Ink Business Unlimited Business Chase Visa - $900 cash back after spending $6000 in 3 months, $0/annual fee.

- Miles & More Barclays Lufthansa Mastercard - 80,000 miles after spending $3000 in 3 months, $89/annual fee.

- Wyndham Earner Visa - Earn 45,000 points after spending $2000 in 6 months, $0/annual fee.

August 21, 2023

Mini Points - September 2023

- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase Card has a sign up offer with 3 Free Nights after spending $3000 in 3 months - $95/annual fee.

- Barclays Miles & More Lufthansa card has 100,000 miles sign up bonus right now after spending $3000 in 3 months + lounge vouchers - $89/annual fee.

- Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card has a 125,000 points sign up bonus if you spend $8000 in 6 months - $125/annual fee.

- World of Hyatt Business Chase Card offering a 75,000 bonus points sign up offer after spending $17,000 in the first 6 months - $199/annual fee.

December 22, 2022

Barclays Miles & More Lufthansa Limited Time Offer

Get the Lufthansa Barclays card right now for a limited time offer of 80,000 miles afters spending $3000 in 90 days, other benefits include companion ticket after each anniversary and lounge access, the annual fee is not waived and is $89.

October 4, 2022

Mini Points - October 2022

- Limited Time offer with Barclays Lufthansa Miles & More World Elite Mastercard, 80,000 miles after spending $3000 in 3 months with an $89 annual fee.

- Limited Time offer with Barclays Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard, 90,000 miles after spending $10,000 in the first year ($2000 in the first 3 months / $8000 rest of the year) with a $99 annual fee.

- Limited Time offer with Barclays JetBlue Business Card, 80,000 miles after spending $2000 in 3 months with a $99 annual fee.