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Marriott partners with more than three dozen airlines, but some relationships — the ones it calls “preferred” partnerships — run deeper than others. And if you didn't know, the hotel giant has a preferred partnership with Miles & More, the loyalty program for Lufthansa, SWISS, and other European carriers.
The tie-up gives travelers a way to earn towards Miles & More elite status through stays and unlock complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® elite status. Here’s what you need to know about Marriott’s partnership with the Lufthansa Group and how to participate.
Marriott–Lufthansa Partnership: Status Matches, Bonus Rewards, and More
Marriott Bonvoy and Lufthansa Miles & More have a preferred partnership, and the benefits have been live since September 15, 2025. To participate, you can link your loyalty accounts and start enjoying limited perks.
The benefits are only somewhat similar to other preferred partnerships, such as Marriott’s tie-up with United MileagePlus. But there are a few key differences, so don’t assume it works exactly the same.
In short, here are the benefits of the Marriott and Miles & More partnership based on your memberships and statuses:
- Marriott Bonvoy members: Earn 40 Miles & More Points per qualifying stay (no minimum stay requirement), up to a maximum of 120 Points per year. These Points count toward Miles & More elite status but can’t be redeemed as award miles.
- Miles & More members: Those with Senator status or HON Circle membership automatically receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and can enjoy hotel benefits without meeting traditional requirements.
- Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card (issued by Deutsche Bank AG) cardholders: Those with Miles & More Frequent Traveller status can receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and have the option to upgrade to Gold after completing eight qualifying paid nights in the first 90 days of linking their accounts.
To access these benefits, you’ll need to link your accounts, which you can do here.
The benefits of this partnership are limited
On balance, the benefits of this partnership are fairly limited. Marriott’s preferred partnership with Lufthansa Miles & More isn’t on the same level as its preferred partnership with United MileagePlus.
For example, this partnership doesn’t offer reciprocal earning opportunities; you can’t earn Lufthansa Miles & More miles when you stay at a Marriott property by selecting Miles & More as your preferred earning partner. And you can’t earn Marriott Bonvoy points on flights with Lufthansa Group carriers. That makes this “preferred” partnership not particularly rewarding — particularly for Marriott elites.
What’s more, unless you’re specifically aiming to earn Miles & More elite status this year, the elite-qualifying points you’ll pick up on stays won’t move the needle very much.
For reference, entry-level Frequent Traveller status requires 650 Points and 325 Qualifying Points (and yes, those are different metrics). So, whether this partnership is worth your time really depends on your elite status goals this year.
On the other hand, if you already hold Senator or HON Circle status with Miles & More — or Frequent Traveller status and the Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card (issued by Deutsche Bank AG) — and don’t have Marriott elite status, this partnership gives you an easy way to unlock some hotel perks without any extra effort.
Bottom Line
For the right kind of traveler, Marriott’s preferred partnership with the Lufthansa Group might come in handy. But unless you’re chasing Miles & More elite status this year or you’re a Senator or HON Circle member looking for Marriott Gold Elite benefits, there’s not much to get excited about.
Hopefully, this partnership expands in the future to include point transfers from Marriott to Miles & More, since those miles are notoriously difficult to earn. But for now, that's not in the cards, as Marriott confirmed to AwardWallet that there are “no current plans to resume Marriott Bonvoy points transfers to Miles & More.”
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