Miles&More, how to calculate the award miles you earn on a flight

In recent days I wrote an article explaining how, from Jan. 1, qualifying points useful for obtaining, or renewing, Miles&More status will be accumulated. Instead, today I want to focus on the other half of the loyalty program: the accumulation of award miles, those useful for redeeming tickets and upgrades when flying with LH group airlines.

Depending on the booking channel, two types of calculation are used: based on the price of the flight or based on the distance flown and the booking class.

Calculation method 1: based on the price of the flight

The revenue-based model, is now the most popular model in the frequent flyer world and can be summarized as follows: Award miles = flight price x multiplication factor.

They fall under this calculation all tickets sold through one of Lufthansa's direct sales channels (website, app), the cost of the ticket to be considered for multiplication and the final calculation of award miles takes into account the cost of the ticket, net of taxes. This means that only the base rate and any surcharges will have to be multiplied. The multiplication factor depends on the frequent flyer status and the airline operating the flight

Calculation method 2: based on distance flown and reservation class

In case the flight ticket is sold by a Miles&More partner carrier, the Award Miles accumulation will not be based on the cost of the ticket, but on the distance traveled. In detail, M&M provides two options:

1. On continental flights = flat rate based on booking class
2. On long-haul flights = reservation class x distance flown

Some simulations

If you fly on a ticket bought on the LH website to fly from Bologna to Munich you will accumulate reward points based on the expense incurred. On the other hand, if you fly on a ticket bought from Turkish to fly the same route you will accumulate a flat rate.

Same for an intercontinental destination. If the ticket is issued by LH it will accumulate based on the amount spent, if vice versa it is issued by a Star Alliance carrier the accumulation will depend on route flown and status held.

The mileage calculator takes care of it

Whereas with systems that take into account distance to know how much you accumulate you can use services such as Where to credit, con the revenue based model you have to do a hand counting (or almost). To simplify the calculations and help the passenger LH has arranged for help through the Miles&More app. Within the app is a calculator that performs the calculation of the miles it can accumulate with each flight.

It has two modes: the Easy Mode and the Expert Mode. Easy Mode is available in the Miles & More app. and is designed specifically to calculate the miles it might accumulate before booking a flight. On the website you will also find the Expert Mode, which allows for a more accurate calculation. It is especially recommended for flight reservations that have already been made, because it also takes into account factors such as booking class.

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