The members of Europe's largest airline bonus program, Miles & More, are increasingly collecting anger and frustration instead of miles and points. In recent months in particular, more and more participants have expressed their dissatisfaction with the decreasing availability of award flights. On long-haul routes in particular, it is hardly possible to redeem collected miles for coveted award flights, especially during peak travel times. This problem is leading to more and more customers turning away from Miles & More and considering alternative frequent flyer programs.
Another significant point of criticism is the change in the status program, which came into effect at the beginning of 2024. Miles & More has replaced the previous system, which was based on status miles, with a new points system. Many users saw this change as a disadvantage. In numerous online forums, affected participants report that they can no longer achieve or maintain their previous frequent flyer status with the new points system. This has led to many long-standing members turning their backs on the program.
However, criticism of the lack of availability of award flights is not new. Even before the introduction of the new points system, users had problems redeeming their miles for attractive flight awards. These grievances were taken up by the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier , which reported that Austrian Airlines, one of Miles & More's main partners, has promised to improve. There will be more available award seats in the future. However, it remains to be seen whether these promises will actually bring about noticeable improvements for loyal customers.
A former successful model under scrutiny
Miles & More was launched by the Lufthansa Group and has established itself as Europe's leading frequent flyer program over the past few decades. It offers its members numerous benefits that go far beyond simply collecting miles. Through the program, frequent flyers can achieve the status of Frequent Traveller and Senator and even become a member of the exclusive HON Circle. These status levels come with attractive privileges such as access to exclusive lounges, free seat reservations or upgrades to Business and First Class.
Despite these extensive benefits, the program appears to be losing its appeal. The increasing difficulty of actually converting the miles collected into award flights and the harsh criticism of the redesign of the status system have diminished the trust of many customers. The question now is whether Miles & More can regain its former glory.
For the Lufthansa Group and its partner airlines, which include Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines, it will be crucial to implement the promised improvements and regain the trust of their loyal customers. Otherwise, the former flagship model of frequent flyer programs risks a long-term loss of importance.