Lufthansa Miles & More Expiration Rules: When Miles Expire and How Get an Exemption From Expiration

Lufthansa Miles & More Miles have a hard expiration date: Lufthansa miles expire 36 months after being earned. There is no way to extend the validity of your miles, although Lufthansa elites and credit card members are exempt from the expiration policy under certain conditions. Make sure to track your expiration date via AwardWallet.

Lufthansa is one of the largest airlines in the world and a significant player in global and European aviation markets. The airline operates out of several major hubs in Germany, with its main base of operations in Frankfurt.

The Lufthansa Miles & More program has a relatively generous miles expiration policy, with multiple ways to protect Lufthansa miles from expiring. Here is all you need to know about whether Lufthansa miles expire.

Do Lufthansa Miles Expire?

Your Lufthansa Miles & More miles will expire after 36 months from the date they were credited to your account. Per the Miles and More terms and conditions page:

“If miles are not redeemed for an award within 36 months of being applied to the member account (start of the relevant flight, start of the hotel stay, start of car rental, etc.), they will expire at the end of the following quarter, unless a longer expiry period has been announced in the Miles & More communication channels.”

Track your points and miles expiration for 600+ loyalty programs and get email alerts before your miles expire by signing up for a free AwardWallet account.

Credit: Lufthansa

How To Prevent Lufthansa Miles From Expiring

There are two ways to escape the expiration policy: elite status and credit card spending.

• Your miles will not expire as long as you hold the following elite status with the Lufthansa frequent flyer program, Miles & More:
  • Frequent Traveller
  • Senator
  • HON Circle
• If you hold an eligible co-branded credit card, your miles are exempt from the 36-month expiration rule. The card must be held for at least three months before miles are set to expire, and you must make at least one transaction per month.

Although buying Lufthansa miles can be a good way to boost your balance, doing so won't prevent your miles from expiring.

 Related: How To Book Lufthansa First Class Using Miles

What Are the Co-Branded Credit Card Options With Miles & More?

Luckily, Miles & More has a vast range of Lufthansa co-branded credit cards. There are Miles & More credit card options for residents of most European countries, as well as China, Japan, and India. In the United States, you can prevent your miles from expiring by completing eligible spending on the Miles & More^® World Elite Mastercard^®.

Use AwardWallet To Track Lufthansa Miles & More Expiration

Although Lufthansa miles expiring after 36 months is a long time, it is sufficiently long that you can lose track of your balance and forget about their expiration dates. That is why it pays to use AwardWallet to keep track of your Lufthansa Miles & More miles. This way, you will receive a timely reminder when miles are set to expire, allowing you to take action and use them before losing them.

To allow AwardWallet to track your Lufthansa miles, simply add your Lufthansa account to AwardWallet, and you'll get alerted about expiring miles.

Related: How To Track Your Rewards Using AwardWallet

Our Take

Miles & More is the mileage program for Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings, Swiss, and LOT Polish. Understandably, Miles & More is primarily a European-based reward program. That said, it still has a strong U.S. presence — including a U.S.-issued Lufthansa card. Also, the airline features what is arguably the best first-class product on routes between Europe and the U.S. Not to mention the spectacular first-class terminal in Frankfurt.

It's disappointing that Miles & More account activity doesn't prevent your Lufthansa miles from expiring. If you're a Miles & More collector, make sure you know the miles expiration rules and use your miles within 36 months, or utilize one of the options to become exempt from expiration. And don't forget to check out monthly Miles & More Mileage Bargains for great uses of your miles.