There’s something deeply satisfying about maximizing value from airline loyalty programs. After years of exploring various programs, I’ve developed a special appreciation for Lufthansa’s Miles & More. While not as widely discussed as some other programs in India, Miles & More offers remarkable sweet spots that deserve attention from any serious points enthusiast.
☕ Better get some coffee – we’re about to dive deep into Miles & More sweet spots.
What is Miles & More?
Miles & More is the loyalty program of Lufthansa Group airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings. As one of the largest frequent flyer program in Europe with over 40 million members worldwide, it provides access to the entire Star Alliance network, covering 26 airlines and more than 1,300 destinations globally.
Earning Miles & More points presents a unique challenge since the program lacks transfer partners globally—not by choice, but due to strict German regulations. This makes these miles particularly valuable for those who know how to acquire them. While we’ll explore earning strategies later in this article, let’s first uncover the incredible sweet spots that make Miles & More worth the extra effort.
Incredible Japan Value
Japan remains one of the most aspirational destinations for Indian travellers, and Miles & More offers some of the best redemption rates to get there:
- Economy Class for just 20,000 miles one-way – an incredible bargain for a long-haul flight
- ANA Business Class for 35,000 miles with approximately ₹9,000 in taxes and fees
The return journey costs around ₹13,000 in taxes, but considering Japan’s renowned hospitality and the exceptional ANA business class experience (consistently rated among the world’s best), this represents exceptional value compared to paying cash fares that typically exceed ₹100,000 each way.
If you are a newbie, understand that unlike cash tickets where prices fluctuate constantly based on demand, Miles & More award pricing follows a fixed chart. For example, a business class ticket from Pune to Tokyo will always cost 35,000 miles regardless of whether you’re booking during peak cherry blossom season or a quiet weekday in November when cash prices might differ by thousands of rupees. This predictability makes planning redemptions much easier than navigating volatile cash fares. However they can revalue the entire program without prior notice just like they are doing in June 2025
Let’s get back to the sweet spots. While ANA currently serves only Mumbai and Delhi in India, the true magic of the program lies in its Star Alliance connectivity. Travellers from across India can seamlessly connect to these gateway cities using Air India—maintaining the same attractive mileage requirements with only a modest increase in taxes. For instance, if you’re based in Kochi, Bengaluru, Chennai, or any other Indian city, you can fly Air India business class to Delhi or Mumbai and continue your journey to Japan without spending additional miles
Maldives for 17,000 Miles
Few destinations capture the imagination quite like the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives. Using Miles & More, you can reach Male for only 17,000 miles in Economy & 30,000 in Business with minimal taxes. This is particularly noteworthy because:
- Whether you are from Leh or Bengaluru, same number of miles.
- Flight availability is generally good, even during peak seasons
African Safari
For wildlife enthusiasts dreaming of witnessing the Great Migration in Kenya’s Masai Mara or tracking the Big Five through Tanzania’s Serengeti, the program delivers exceptional value with remarkably modest redemption rates. You can experience these bucket-list safari destinations for just 15,000 miles in economy or the real showstopper 30,000 miles in business class.
This business class sweet spot becomes particularly compelling when you consider the cash fares. Let’s say you are flying from Pune to Nairobi, typically prices in business soar above ₹90,000 & Air India’s Maharaja Club takes away 1L points for the same redemption. However, with this program, you will have to shell out just 30k points + taxes.
Monthly Bargains: 50% Off Award Tickets
One of my favorite features of Miles & More is their “Mileage Bargain” awards, offering selected routes at 50% off the standard award rates. Every month they declare airlines across Star Alliance network who participate in the Mileage Bargain program. This is similar to Singapore Airlines offering 30% monthly discount on their award tickets.
Here is one eg, you can book Mumbai to Warsaw, Poland in just 30,000 points round-trip in Economy or 60,000 points round-trip in Business.
You can check the monthly schedule using this link.
Important note: This incredible feature is sadly disappearing on June 3, 2025, so I strongly recommend taking advantage of these opportunities in the coming months.
European Adventures
Europe is well-served by the program partners, with several particularly valuable options:
- 60k in Economy & 112k in business round-trip. This is going to get better for Economy & little costlier from Jun 2025 onwards
- LOT Polish Airlines redemptions come with remarkably low surcharges, often under ₹5,000
- Turkish Airlines offers reasonable fees around ₹8,000 for European destinations
- Creative routing hack: When combining SWISS with Lufthansa Cityline or Austrian Airlines, taxes mysteriously drop significantly compared to flying pure Lufthansa routes
How to Earn Miles & More in India
The main challenge with Miles & More is limited earning opportunities:
No transfer partners – Unlike programs that partner with credit card rewards programs like Amex, HDFC Bank or even hotel programs like Marriott, Miles & More has no transfer partners across the globe.
Co-branded credit card – The primary earning method is through the Axis Bank Miles & More World Select Credit Card, which offers decent joining bonus
Bundles&Go program – For those with specific routes in mind, purchasing miles through Lufthansa’s Bundles&Go program can offer excellent value with monthly bonus of 50% more points, particularly when targeting the sweet spots mentioned above.
When purchasing miles directly, you can get the value down to as low as ₹1.22 per mile, meaning a round-trip to Japan in business class could cost you just around ₹1.1 lakh all-in. That’s an incredible deal compared to cash fares that typically exceed ₹3-4 lakh! The program offers purchases in four different currencies, so it’s worth comparing forex rates before buying to squeeze out even more value. Here are the direct purchase links:
- Link to buy in Euro
- Link to buy in US Dollars
- Links to buy in Canadian Dollars
- Link to buy in Pound Sterling
My two cents – purchase airline miles when you have a specific redemption in mind, & not for speculative future travel.
Conclusion
While the program might require more effort to accumulate miles compared to other programs, the exceptional redemption values particularly for Japan, Europe make it worthwhile. Even if you’re just starting your journey into the points and miles world, Miles & More offers immediate value. Simply purchasing miles directly and redeeming them for your next adventure can save you thousands compared to cash fares, especially for premium cabins and the sweet spots we’ve covered.
Have you used Miles & More for any remarkable redemptions? Share your experiences in the comments below!
This is such an informative blog.