Even Lufthansa "milks" frequent flyers under the guise of SAF: pay only if you need points for Miles&More status
Sustainability is no longer an abstract concept: it affects all of us, every day. Even when we travel. That's why Lufthansa Group [...]
Swiss
Lufthansa
Brussels Airlines
Austrian Airlines
Star Alliance
Sustainability is no longer an abstract concept: it affects all of us, every day. Even when we travel. For this Lufthansa Group has set an ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and, through the loyalty program Miles & More, offers passengers the opportunity to "actively contribute" to this change.
In this article:
This is not new, Flying Blue has offered this option since 2022, in practice the passenger can offset the CO₂ emissions of their flights (i.e. paying more for their ticket) and in return receive a "reward" from the loyalty program
More miles for those who choose sustainability
Each time a passenger offsets CO₂ emissions related to their flight, they receive 4 miles for every euro spent. For frequent flyers, the benefits are even more significant: up to 6 miles for every euro spent.
If the flight is operated by Air Canada, Air Dolomiti, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, SWISS, or United Airlines it is multiplied by 6; for Eurowings and all other Miles & More partner airlines it is multiplied by 5.
In addition, by choosing a Green Fare, which is a fare that makes travel even more sustainable, you can get up to the 20% of extra miles. A concrete incentive to turn every responsible choice into a money-making opportunity.
Closer to status
Offsetting CO₂ emissions with packages that include. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), you receive up to the80% of extra Points and Qualifying Points.
Those flying Business or First Class can also benefit from an additional 20% by HON Circle Points extra. A way to reward those who choose the green route, with an immediate impact on Miles & More status.
How it works
- I CO₂ compensation packages. can be purchased on the websites of Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Lufthansa and SWISS at the time of booking or until shortly before departure.
- It is also possible to compensate later, directly in theMiles & More app or on miles-and-more.com, for all flights made in the current calendar year.
- Le Green Fare are available on almost all Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Edelweiss, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Lufthansa CityLine and SWISS flights, in all travel classes.
It doesn't apply to everything and everyone
But, as is often the case, there are also limits to keep in mind. Not all flights allow for bonuses: Extra points are credited only for travel operated by Lufthansa Group airlines and partners directly participating in the program, while for other Star Alliance airlines the recognition is not provided.
Travel class also makes a difference: valuable extra HON Circle Points are awarded exclusively to those flying Business or First Class, thus leaving Economy and Premium Economy classes excluded from this specific benefit.
There are restrictions on geography as well. Green Fares, for example, are not available for flights to and from Japan and China, nor for routes out of North America and Central America. In addition, the maximum CO₂ reduction through SAF comes in at 80% (50% in the case of Eurowings' PlanetBlu package), thus setting a definite cap on the number of additional points that can be earned.
In summary, the road to more sustainable flying is now within everyone's reach and can prove doubly convenient: for the environment and for one's mileage account. At the same time, it is good to know the boundaries of the initiative to really make the most of it.
My opinion
I am not a fan of these policies that set honestly unattainable goals, flying pollutes and none of us will ever get on an electric plane and even if we did, it would not be zero emission. It sounds to me like the same witch hunt toward the endothermic-powered car. In no other industry is the "cost" so arbitrarily passed on to the passenger, not to mention that the action of payment does not correspond to actual use on that flight of SAF paid by the passenger, but the company reserves the right to use the extra income for environmental policies in general, how to buy new machines.
That said. the initiative must be exploited for its material purpose: achieve/renew status more easily, always keeping the costs and benefits in check, if towards the end of the year you realize that you are short of Qualifying Points then it pays to accumulate them more easily.
