Miles and More: Status Runs in 2024
Explore the best options for a Miles-and-More Status Run to earn points with the new Lufthansa Status program.
(Updated MAR-2024)
Since the 1st of January 2024, Lufthansa has switched to a new way of earning your status with points. It is no longer necessary to book the most expensive tickets, as you earn points based on the class you fly in. On this page you will find an overview on what are the best routes, if your main purpose is to collect points and qualifying points with Miles and More Status runs.
- How to earn a status with Miles & More?
- Continental vs Intercontinental flights
- Earning Qualifying Points
- Earning non Qualifying points
- Bottom Line
How to earn a status with Miles & More?
Required Points
You are required to earn the following points/ qualifying points to earn a status:
- Frequent Traveler: 650 Points and 325 Qualifying Points in a year (Star Alliance SILVER)
- Senator: 2000 Points and 1000 Qualifying Points in a year. (Star Alliance GOLD)
- HON Circle: 6000 HON Circle Points in a year
How to earn points
Qualifying Points can only be earned with Miles & More member airlines, while Points in general can be earned with all Star alliance member airlines.
- For Continental flights, you earn 20 Points in economy and 40 Points in Business Class.
- For intercontinental flights you earn 60 points in economy, 80 Points in premium economy, 200 Points in Business Class and 300 Points in First class.
You can read more about the new changes in our post here.
Continental vs Intercontinental flights
The new Miles-and-More status program is pretty straight forward. If your departure country lies in a continental zone defined as the same continent as the arriving country, it counts as continental flights, and if the departure country is on a different defined continent than the arriving country, you receive the points for an intercontinental flight. It does not matter if your flight is 500 miles long or 5’000 miles long.
How are continents defined at the new program?
The following map shows you which countries belong to which continent:
As you can see, most countries are defined according to their real continent except for Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia which are classified as part of the European Continent.
How to make the best status runs
There are several approaches on how to make a good status run with the new frequent flyer program of Miles and More.
Which class to fly?
We are focusing mainly on Business class flights since we are a premium flights blog. Furthermore, in First class you only earn 50% points than with Business class flights.
The extra costs in First class are not worth the relatively low amount of extra points you would earn. Only if you find a great deal you could combine earning a status with a holiday in that case.
Earning Qualifying points
Qualifying points can only be earned with fully integrated Miles-and-More partners. Below you can find the best options for earning Qualifying Points.
1. Short haul flights within Europe nonstop (80 Qualifying Points)
There are a couple of interesting short haul deals with Miles and More member airlines in Europe, earning you a total of 80 qualifying points for the nonstop return trip.
For example:
- Stockholm to Zurich for 240€
- Germany or Austria to London for 290€
- Stockholm to Vienna 350€
- Geneva to Porto for 385CHF
- Stockholm to Vienna 270€
2. Short haul flights within Europe including a stop (160 Qualifying Points)
From many of the Lufthansa Group network destinations, you can find Business class flights to destinations all over Europe including a layover for only 350€. This means you will have 4 continental Business class flights, which gives you a total of 160 Qualifying points per Round Trip.
It could make sense to make a weekend trip out of this opportunity.
For example:
3. Flights from Europe to Tel Aviv (480 Qualifying Points)
With the Lufthansa Group, you have many options to fly to Tel-Aviv starting at 390€ with a layover in either Frankfurt, Munich or Zurich earning you a total of 480 qualifying for the Round Trip, which means that you would not even pay 1€ per Qualifying point. Here you can keep in mind that SWISS, once a day, uses a long haul aircraft on the route from Zurich to Tel-Aviv which means that you can do the trip in lie flat seats on the long leg.
Lufthansa Deals to Tel Aviv can be found here.
4. Flights from Europe to Dubai (400 – 480 Qualifying Points)
There are some relatively cheap flights to Dubai available from several countries in Europe.
You usually have a stopover, so in total you will earn 480 Qualifying points for a round trip to Dubai.
- Eurowings to Dubai nonstop (400 Qualifying Points)
From Stuttgart and Berlin, Eurowings often has fares for as low as 600€ in Business class to Dubai for the Round Trip.
These nonstop flights are operated by a short haul aircraft meaning that you do not have lie flat seats for such a long flight. However, you will receive 400 Qualifying points for this trip.
Eurowings deals to Dubai can be found here.
- Dubai with Lufthansa (480 Qualifying Points)
Lufthansa has some interesting fares to Dubai as well departing from all over Europe. Starting from 1100€ you have a layover in Germany on Lufthansa flights, or a layover in Zurich with SWISS. Lie flat seats on the long flights are making this journey much more comfortable while earning you 480 qualifying points. Here are a few examples:
5. Long haul flights from Europe to Africa, Asia or North America (480 Qualifying Points)
If you are planning a holiday, there are some very good deals available for a long haul vacation, earning you 480 qualifying points on top.
The best deals are usually departing from Amsterdam, Stockholm or Oslo. You can use our search function to look out for deals departing from one of these cities. Here are some examples:
Earning non qualifying points
Non qualifying points are much easier to earn compared qualifying points. It is possible to earn as much as 800 Points for a round trip with 4 relatively short flights and pay not even 1€ per point.
You receive the same amount of points no matter how long your flight is, as long as you travel from one continent to another. The first thing to look into are flights which cover a short distance between 2 different continents due to Star Alliance member airlines having a base located relatively close to another continent.
Unfortunately, no fully integrated Miles-and-More member airline has their home base on the edge of a continent, therefore we are looking here to accumulate non qualifying points only.
1. Earn 800 Points with flights on different continents
- Flights from the Middle East to Africa with Egypt Air (800 Points)
Egypt is considered Europe and lies adjacent to the Asian and African continent. Therefor, some interesting options arise here to earn points the cheap way.
You can depart from all over the Middle East with your final destination in Africa via Egypt. In this scenario you will have 4 flights to different continents according to Miles and More. Thus, you will earn 800 points for the Round Trip. Some Examples below:
Miles and More Status Run from Jeddah to Addis Ababa
- South America – Panama – South America with Copa (800 Points)
Copa is having its base in Panama-City which is considered North America at Miles-and-More. If you depart from a South American city with Copa to another South American city you will have a layover in Panama. This means that you will have 4 intercontinental Business class flights and you will earn a whooping 800 points for the round trip. Furthermore, these flights often only have a duration of around 2 hours . Here are some examples of possible departure points:
From Ecuador – Guayaquil
From Colombia
You can fly from Bogota or Cartagena to Quito or Guayaquil for around 600€ to earn 800 points.
From Lima – Peru
From Lima, several destinations in Colombia and Ecuador can be reached for around 800€.
2. Earn 480 Points with an intercontinental flight combined with a continental flight
- Flights departing from Colombia, Peru or Ecuador(480 Points)
Many flights with a layover are available with numerous star alliance members such as Avianca (which has a base here), Copa or United Airlines to North America earning you a total of 480 points.
- Flights departing from the East Coast of North America (400 – 480 Points)
Some destinations in South America can be reached in Business class for a good price, earning you 400-480 points as well depending on if you have a layover or not.
Especially from Miami, you can find some interesting fares, mainly with Copa via Panama earning you a total of 480 points.
3. Earn 400 Points with an intercontinental round trip
- 2 hour flight from Athens to Tel Aviv with Aegean (400 Points)
With Aegean, you can fly to Tel Aviv for around 400€ the whole year around, earning you 400 points for the round trip, so basically 1€ per point.
- Short nonstop flights departing from Cairo with Egypt Air (400 Points)
If you do not want to do a longer trip, short nonstop flights with Egypt Air are available as well.
Many Middle Eastern countries are only a short hop away (which are all considered as Asia), and you can easily find Business Class round trip fares to Saudi Arabia, Amman or the United Arab Emirates for around 500€ earning you as much as 400 qualifying points.
With these flights, you are also coming close to 1€ per point.
- Short flights departing from Istanbul with Turkish Airlines (400 Points)
Turkey is also considered Europe and lies adjacent to the Asian continent. Therefor, some interesting options arise here as well to earn points the cheap way.
Amman, Israel and the Iran are often available for around 650€ and you will earn 400 points for the Business Class return flight.
- Short nonstop flights departing from Panama City with Copa (400 Points)
Nonstop flight with Copa are available to several South American cities as well for around 600€, earning you only 400 points, but reducing you travel time.
4. Earn 80-160 Points with a short continental round trip within the US
If you happen to be in the US, there are some opportunities to earn 80 points for the return trip in domestic first class. A few examples here below:
Furthermore, from New York you have several options to earn 80 points with a short nonstop round trip. Some more options are available including a layover which would earn you 160 points.
Bottom Line
There are various opportunities for a Miles and More status run in 2024, with the new program. If you’re just a few points away from reaching a status in the revamped Miles and More program, there are several ways to earn points or qualifying points, often costing less than 1€ per point.
Especially when flying from the Middle East or South America, you can accumulate points with minimal travel time and relatively low expenses.
Collecting points is a simple process, linked only to the travel class and your destination. The main challenge is obtaining qualifying points, which tend to be more expensive. This is because none of the Miles and More member airlines have a hub conveniently located near another continent.
Frequently Asked Question
How many points do you earn for a flight?
For Continental flights, you earn 20 points in economy and 40 points in Business Class. For intercontinental flights you earn 60 points in economy, 80 points in premium economy, 200 points in Business Class and 300 points in First class.
How do I earn the most points with a single trip?
Departing from the Middle East or South America, you can earn 800 points with 4 very short flights in Business Class
What is the best way to earn qualifying points?
The cheapest way to earn many qualifying points currently is to fly from Europe to Tel-Aviv to earn 480 qualifying points cheaply.
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4 Comments
Jack of All
Hi,
How about Ethiopian in this context, any interesting options?
jfk
CAI – DXB rt can be done for cca 900 EUR and earns 800 points
a curious flyer
Any other cheapest options that don’t involve traveling to Israel?
premiumflights
Dubai from Stuttgart or Berlin.