Upgrading with miles: Lufthansa business class via Miles & More
Upgrading with miles is many travellers' way into business class: you buy an economy or premium economy ticket and swap miles for a better seat. We show how many miles you need, which tickets are eligible and when the upgrade really pays off.
How a mileage upgrade works
With Lufthansa and many Miles & More partners you can upgrade from economy or premium economy to business class. Eligible fare classes and mileage costs are set in the official Miles & More upgrade chart. Very cheap Light and some special fares are often excluded — check before buying the ticket.
How many miles does an upgrade cost?
Depending on route and original fare class, travel blogs cite roughly 20,000 to 85,000 miles per direction for a business class upgrade. Round trips double the amount. Higher fare classes cost more in cash but less in miles. The current chart on miles-and-more.com is always authoritative.
Availability and waitlist
An upgrade is only possible if award seats are free in the higher cabin. With Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines you can — where offered — add yourself to the upgrade waitlist in your Miles & More account. There is no guarantee, so be prepared to fly in the class you booked.
Is a mileage upgrade worth it?
On short-haul in Europe you usually only get a blocked middle seat and better service — often not worth many miles, and cash upgrades are frequently better. On long-haul you get a lie-flat business seat, typically the highest value per mile. Compare the cash premium of a business ticket against the miles you'd spend.
Sources & terms
The MilesMarket editorial team covers mile values, award bookings and safe trading. We check prices and program rules against the programs' terms and our market data before publishing. Programs change, so details can go out of date; the program's current terms always prevail.
Editorial team & methodologyResponsible: Milesmarket Ltd · Legal notice
FAQ
- Can I upgrade with purchased miles?
- Yes, award miles in your account can be used for upgrades regardless of origin, provided the ticket is eligible.