The number of Points for First Class flights is being increased in the new year. From 1.1.2026, regardless of when you book, you’ll earn 400 instead of 300 Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points when you fly Lufthansa First Class or SWISS First, while First Class flights operated by Star Alliance airline partners will earn you 400 Points.
LufthansaLufthansa’s Miles & More programme — one of the most established and influential loyalty ecosystems in global aviation — has announced a major enhancement for its top-tier travellers. Starting 1 January 2026, members flying in Lufthansa or SWISS First Class will earn 400 Points per segment, up from the current 300. The change applies not only to Lufthansa Group carriers but also to partner airlines within the Star Alliance network operating First Class cabins, reinforcing a unified approach to rewarding premium travel across the alliance.
A Clear Signal to Premium Travellers
This development reflects a growing recognition among full-service carriers that the premium cabin remains central to their brand differentiation and revenue performance. Despite the resurgence of Business Class products — which in many cases now rival First Class in comfort and privacy — Lufthansa’s decision signals a renewed emphasis on ultra-premium experiences and the customers who choose them.
By increasing the reward value to 400 Points per flight segment, Miles & More is not only enhancing the perceived value of First Class but also accelerating members’ progression toward elite status levels such as Frequent Traveller, Senator, and HON Circle. In practice, this means loyal customers can achieve and maintain top-tier recognition faster — an important differentiator at a time when many global airlines are tightening qualification thresholds or shifting to spend-based systems.
Strengthening the Competitive Edge in Airline Loyalty
In the broader loyalty landscape, Lufthansa’s move can be viewed as both a defensive and offensive strategy. Premium travellers have more choice than ever before, with major competitors — such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air France-KLM — heavily investing in product upgrades and loyalty integrations that blend luxury with technology-driven personalisation.
By rewarding high-value passengers more generously, Miles & More is reinforcing programme stickiness among those who generate disproportionate yield for the airline group. According to GLO’s recent Global Loyalty Trends 2025+ study, top-tier customers account for over 30% of total revenue in most airline programmes, making retention at this level a business imperative rather than a marketing gesture.
The Broader Context: Rethinking the Value of Loyalty Points
This adjustment also illustrates the evolution of loyalty economics. As airline programmes continue transitioning toward revenue-based earning for base miles and distance-based calculations for tier qualification, traditional distinctions between cabin classes are being re-evaluated.
Lufthansa’s updated First Class structure — offering 33% more Points per segment — places clear emphasis on rewarding quality of spend rather than just quantity of travel. For frequent flyers who mix Business and First Class travel, the difference could mean an additional tier level or early qualification renewal, particularly for those targeting HON Circle recognition.
Aligning with the Future of Travel Loyalty
The move aligns with a broader trend observed across leading loyalty ecosystems in 2025–2026: the shift from transactional recognition to experience-based loyalty. Airlines are increasingly personalising rewards to reflect a member’s strategic value — whether that value derives from revenue contribution, co-brand card spend, or cabin mix.
For Miles & More, maintaining relevance among its high-yield customer base also supports its co-brand portfolio and partner engagement strategy. Enhanced reward mechanics in premium cabins ultimately boost credit-card spend and engagement with Lufthansa Group’s ecosystem, including SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, and Discover Airlines, as well as non-air partners within the Miles & More World.
The GLO Perspective: Loyalty as a Strategic Lever
From GLO’s analytical standpoint, Lufthansa’s decision underscores a wider recalibration within the loyalty industry — where status and recognition are increasingly being tied to customer lifetime value. While low-cost carriers continue to democratise loyalty with digital simplicity and everyday rewards, legacy airlines like Lufthansa are reaffirming the importance of exclusivity and aspiration as the emotional pillars of loyalty.
By bolstering First Class rewards, Miles & More is not merely responding to competitive pressures; it is redefining the loyalty hierarchy in a way that celebrates the highest form of travel experience. The enhanced points structure will likely be mirrored — or at least closely monitored — by other global carriers reviewing their own tier-qualification systems.
A Premium Experience that Extends Beyond the Cabin
Ultimately, this change reinforces Lufthansa’s commitment to recognising loyalty as more than just mileage accumulation. It celebrates a long-term relationship built on trust, service excellence, and continuous reinvestment in the customer experience — values that resonate deeply within the global loyalty community.
As airlines look toward 2026, Lufthansa’s renewed focus on rewarding First Class travellers serves as a benchmark for premium loyalty strategy — one that blends rational value with emotional prestige, ensuring that loyalty remains both measurable and meaningful in a post-pandemic travel economy.
Source: Miles & More Official Announcement
Commentary by the Global Loyalty Organisation (GLO)
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