Skip to content
Flight Deals

Lufthansa

Germany's flag carrier, flying from Frankfurt and Munich

  • GermanyCountry
  • LHIATA Code
  • DLHICAO Code
  • Star AllianceAlliance
  • Full-ServiceAirline Type

Guide reviewed

About Lufthansa

Lufthansa is Germany’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, flying from Frankfurt and Munich across Europe and around the world. From 27 October 2026 its cheapest Economy Basic fare covers all European routes and includes only a personal item. This guide covers every European fare, long-haul baggage, the 2026 power bank ban, connecting in Frankfurt and Munich and how Lufthansa compares with British Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Today’s Lufthansa was founded in 1953 and began flying in 1955; the name goes back to Deutsche Luft Hansa of 1926. It is a founding member of Star Alliance and leads the Lufthansa Group, which also includes SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Discover and Eurowings.

Lufthansa flights to Frankfurt
Photo: Matthias Münning / Unsplash

Power Bank Rules on Lufthansa Group Flights

Since 15 January 2026, all Lufthansa Group airlines apply strict power bank rules:

  • A maximum of two power banks per passenger, in cabin baggage only.
  • Power banks may not be used or charged on board, and you cannot use one to charge your phone or laptop during the flight.
  • Keep them in the seat pocket, on your person or in a bag under the seat, never in the overhead bins or checked bags.
  • Up to 100 Wh is allowed; 100–160 Wh needs the airline’s approval in advance.

Power banks that run an essential medical device are exempt from the use ban.

Check-In and Connecting in Frankfurt and Munich

Online check-in opens 23 hours before departure on the website and the Lufthansa app.

Frankfurt is large, with long walks between gates and a passport check between Schengen and non-Schengen areas. Munich is smaller and known for quicker connections. Allow extra time when connecting from a long-haul flight to a European one.

Families, Special Assistance and Pets

Families can add children to one booking, and infants under two travel on an adult’s lap. Bassinets are available on long-haul flights.

Special assistance should be requested in advance. Small dogs and cats can travel in the cabin in a suitable carrier when booked ahead.

How to Find Cheap Lufthansa Flights

Lufthansa flights to Munich
Photo: Daniel Schmidt / Unsplash
  • Price the bag in: Basic plus a cabin bag can cost more than Light, and Light plus a checked bag more than Comfort.
  • Compare hubs: routing via Munich, Zurich or Vienna on SWISS or Austrian can be cheaper than via Frankfurt.
  • Avoid trade fair weeks: big fairs in Frankfurt and Munich push up fares and hotel prices.
  • Use Miles & More: miles from flights and partners pay for award seats and upgrades.
  • Compare airlines: use the FlightSelects flight search to see Lufthansa next to British Airways, Turkish Airlines and others.

Lufthansa vs British Airways vs Turkish Airlines

All three are big European network airlines with long-haul flights worldwide.

LufthansaBritish AirwaysTurkish Airlines
HubFrankfurt and MunichLondon HeathrowIstanbul
AllianceStar AllianceoneworldStar Alliance
LoyaltyMiles & MoreBritish Airways Club (Avios)Miles&Smiles
Cheapest Europe fareBasic: personal item onlyBasic: full cabin bag includedEcoFly: cabin bag included
Best forCentral Europe, Star Alliance connectionsLondon and transatlanticAsia, Africa and the Middle East via Istanbul

See our British Airways guide and Turkish Airlines guide to compare.

Arriving in Frankfurt and Munich

Frankfurt Airport has its own long-distance and regional train stations, with S-Bahn trains to the city centre in about 15 minutes. Munich Airport is linked to the city by the S1 and S8 S-Bahn lines.

You can also book an airport transfer in advance at a fixed price.

Is Lufthansa a Good Airline?

Yes. Lufthansa has a huge network, reliable operations, new Allegris cabins and easy Star Alliance connections. Its cheapest European fare is now very basic, so always check which fare you are buying and what it includes.

For more options, see our SWISS guide, our Austrian Airlines guide, our airline guides and the FlightSelects travel blog.

Facts checked in October 2026 against the Lufthansa Group European fares page and the Lufthansa Group power bank update. Rules change, so check the official Lufthansa website before you travel.

Star Alliance & Airline Partnerships

Lufthansa is a founding member of Star Alliance (1997). You can connect onto partners such as United, Air Canada, ANA and Singapore Airlines on one ticket, use Star Alliance lounges and earn Miles & More across the alliance.

Learn more about Star Alliance

Codeshare & Interline Partnerships

Lufthansa runs a transatlantic joint venture with United and Air Canada, and joint ventures with ANA and Singapore Airlines, alongside codeshares with SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways and many other partners.

Hubs & Focus Cities

Frankfurt is Lufthansa's main hub and one of Europe's busiest airports, while Munich is its second hub, known for quick connections. Many Lufthansa Group long-haul flights also leave from Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome.

Popular Lufthansa Routes

Lufthansa's busiest routes link Frankfurt and Munich with Berlin, Hamburg, London and Barcelona, as well as long-haul flights to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Singapore. Choose a route to see recent schedules and fares.

Fares are the lowest recently found by our partners and can change quickly. Select a fare to check live prices and availability.

Lufthansa Reschedule & Cancellation Policy

Within Europe, Lufthansa sells Economy as Basic, Light, Comfort and Flex, and Business as Comfort and Flex. Basic and Light are the cheapest but the least flexible. Comfort adds a checked bag and allows rebooking for a fee, and Flex lets you rebook for free and get a refund for a fee.

Economy Basic went on sale for all flights within Europe from 6 October 2026, for travel from 27 October 2026. It includes only a small personal item, so if you need a cabin bag, compare Basic plus the bag fee with Economy Light before you book.

  • Economy Basic (Europe) Personal item only; no changes or refunds; seat selection paid; sold only on direct channels such as lufthansa.com.
  • Economy Light (Europe) 8 kg cabin bag; rebooking for about €100; no refund.
  • Economy Comfort (Europe) 23 kg bag; rebooking for about €80; no refund.
  • Economy Flex (Europe) 23 kg bag; free rebooking; refund for about €150.
  • Business Comfort (Europe) 1 × 32 kg bag; no rebooking and no refund.
  • Business Flex (Europe) 2 × 32 kg bags; free rebooking and refund.
  • Green fares Comfort and Flex Green add CO₂ offsetting and sustainable aviation fuel, with the same baggage.
  • Flights to or from the USA You can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund if you booked at least 7 days before departure.
  • EU passenger rights Regulation 261/2004 may entitle you to compensation for long delays, cancellations or denied boarding.

Lufthansa Seat Selection & Additional Services

On European flights, Basic and Light fares get a seat assigned at check-in; you can pay to choose one earlier. Comfort includes a free standard seat at check-in, and Flex and Business include seat selection from booking. Seats with extra legroom can be bought on most flights.

On long-haul aircraft with Allegris, Lufthansa offers new Economy and Premium Economy seats, Business Class suites and private First Class suites. Online check-in opens 23 hours before departure on lufthansa.com and in the Lufthansa app.

  • Basic and Light Seat assigned at check-in; advance selection for a fee.
  • Comfort Free standard seat at check-in.
  • Flex and Business Seat selection included.
  • Extra legroom Exit-row and front seats available to buy.
  • Allegris New long-haul cabins in every class, including Business Class suites.
  • First Class Available on selected long-haul flights, with access to Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.
  • Online check-in Opens 23 hours before departure.
  • Special assistance Request wheelchairs and other help in advance.

Lufthansa Baggage Allowance

Within Europe, every Lufthansa fare includes a small personal item. Economy Light, Comfort and Flex add one cabin bag of up to 8 kg; Economy Basic does not, though you can add one for a fee. Checked bags are included from Economy Comfort upwards.

On long-haul flights, most Economy fares include a 23 kg checked bag, Premium Economy includes two, and Business and First include two or three bags of up to 32 kg. Your exact allowance is shown in your booking.

  • Personal item (all fares) 1 small item up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm.
  • Cabin bag (Economy, except Basic) 1 bag up to 8 kg and 55 × 40 × 23 cm.
  • Economy Basic (Europe) Personal item only; cabin and checked bags for a fee.
  • Economy Light (Europe) Cabin bag included; no checked bag.
  • Economy Comfort and Flex (Europe) 1 checked bag up to 23 kg.
  • Business (Europe) 2 cabin bags up to 8 kg each and 1–2 checked bags up to 32 kg.
  • Long-haul Economy Usually 1 checked bag up to 23 kg (Light fares may exclude it).
  • Long-haul Premium Economy 2 checked bags up to 23 kg each.
  • Long-haul Business and First 2 (Business) or 3 (First) checked bags up to 32 kg each.

Miles & More: Lufthansa Loyalty Programme

Miles & More is the Lufthansa Group's free loyalty programme. You earn miles on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Star Alliance airlines and many partners, and redeem them for flights and upgrades. Award miles are valid for 36 months.

Status is earned with points from flying in a calendar year, in three tiers: Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle.

  • Frequent Traveller Priority check-in, business lounge access on Lufthansa Group flights and Star Alliance Silver status.
  • Senator Senator lounge access, extra baggage, seat reservations and Star Alliance Gold status.
  • HON Circle The top tier, with First Class lounges and the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.
  • Miles validity Award miles are valid for 36 months.
  • Star Alliance Earn and redeem miles on all Star Alliance airlines.
Join or log in on the Lufthansa website

Lufthansa: Frequently Asked Questions

01What are Lufthansa’s IATA and ICAO codes?

The airline's two-character IATA code is LH. It appears in flight numbers (for example LH 101), on tickets and on airport departure boards. Its three-letter ICAO code is DLH, which air traffic control and flight-tracking services use to identify the airline.

02Which airline alliance is Lufthansa part of?

It is a member of Star Alliance. Alliance membership usually means easier connections, shared lounge access for eligible passengers and the option to earn and redeem miles across partner airlines.

03Where is Lufthansa headquartered?

The airline is headquartered in Cologne, Germany.

04When was Lufthansa founded?

The airline was founded in 1953.

05What are Lufthansa’s main hubs?

Its main hubs and focus cities are: Frankfurt (FRA) – Main Hub; Munich (MUC) – Hub.

06What is Lufthansa’s frequent flyer programme called?

The frequent flyer programme is called Miles & More. Members earn points or miles on eligible flights and can redeem them for award tickets, upgrades and other benefits.

07What is Lufthansa's cabin bag allowance?

Economy Light, Comfort and Flex include one cabin bag of up to 8 kg and 55 × 40 × 23 cm plus a small personal item. Economy Basic within Europe includes only the personal item (up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm).

08What is Lufthansa Economy Basic?

Economy Basic is the cheapest Lufthansa Group fare within Europe. It includes a small personal item only, with no cabin bag, no checked bag, no free seat and no changes or refunds. It is offered on all European flights from 27 October 2026.

09Does Lufthansa include checked baggage?

Within Europe, Economy Comfort and Flex include one 23 kg bag; Basic and Light don't. On long-haul flights most Economy fares include one 23 kg bag, and premium cabins include more.

10When does Lufthansa online check-in open?

Online check-in opens 23 hours before departure on lufthansa.com and in the Lufthansa app.

11What is Lufthansa Allegris?

Allegris is Lufthansa's new long-haul cabin generation, with redesigned seats in Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class, including Business Class suites with closing doors on some aircraft.

Lufthansa, its logo and trademarks are the property of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and are used for identification and informational purposes only. FlightSelects is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lufthansa unless expressly stated. FlightSelects may earn a commission when you book through partner links, at no extra cost to you.