Lufthansa Group has introduced a new fee for passengers who wish to change the seat automatically assigned to them during online check-in on Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines flights. This policy adds another layer of ancillary charges to the European travel experience and creates new considerations for award travelers who use Miles and More miles, Star Alliance partner awards, or transferable credit card points to book Lufthansa Group flights. Understanding when fees apply and how elite status interacts with the policy helps frequent flyers plan award bookings and seat selection timing more effectively.
Passengers who check in online and receive an auto-assigned seat now face a charge if they wish to switch to a different available seat in the same cabin. The fee varies by route and cabin class, with economy passengers on short-haul European routes typically seeing lower charges than long-haul international flights. Seats assigned at the time of booking, whether complimentary with a fare class or purchased separately, are not affected by this change. The fee applies specifically to seat changes made during or after the online check-in window opens, usually 23 to 30 hours before departure depending on the route.
For award travelers booking through Miles and More, United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, or other Star Alliance programs, the new policy means that seat assignment strategy matters earlier than ever. Booking a specific seat at the time of ticketing, when permitted by the fare rules of the award ticket, avoids the check-in change fee entirely. Miles and More Senator and HON Circle members retain complimentary seat selection benefits that supersede the new fee. Frequent travelers should confirm their elite status benefits with each Lufthansa Group carrier before relying on free seat changes at check-in.
If you hold transferable points in American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, or Capital One Miles that convert to Star Alliance programs, the new seat policy affects your booking timeline. Award tickets booked through partner programs such as Aeroplan or United MileagePlus come with different seat selection windows and elite recognition rules. Initiating point transfers early enough to book and select seats days before the check-in window opens reduces the risk of facing seat change fees. Check each frequent flyer program’s seat selection timeline before transferring points for a Lufthansa Group award.
Several approaches minimize exposure to the new fee. First, select a preferred seat during the booking process rather than waiting for auto-assignment at check-in. Second, leverage Star Alliance Gold status, which often includes complimentary seat selection on Lufthansa Group carriers. Third, consider booking through programs that pass through elite benefits or offer seat selection waivers. Fourth, if traveling as a family or group, link reservations early to increase the likelihood of being assigned seats together without needing to change them at check-in.
Lufthansa Group’s seat change charge follows a broader European airline trend of unbundling services that were previously included. Ryanair, easyJet, and other low-cost carriers have long charged for seat selection, but this move by a full-service airline group signals that ancillary fees are expanding into legacy carrier operations. For award travelers, the rising cost of ancillary fees means that choosing the right frequent flyer program and status tier becomes even more important when booking European routes with miles.
This article draws on publicly available Lufthansa Group policy announcements, Miles and More program terms, Star Alliance partner award booking rules, and elite status benefit charts from member airlines. Seat change fee amounts and policies may vary by route and are subject to change.
Q: Does the seat change fee apply to all Lufthansa Group airlines? A: Yes, the policy applies to Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines flights where online check-in auto-assigns a seat that the passenger wishes to change.
Q: Does Star Alliance Gold status waive the seat change fee? A: Generally yes. Star Alliance Gold members typically receive complimentary seat selection on Lufthansa Group carriers. Confirm current elite benefits before travel.
Q: Can I avoid the fee by selecting a seat at booking? A: Yes, choosing a seat during the booking process, even a complimentary one permitted by your fare class, means the check-in change fee does not apply.
Q: Does the fee apply to business class and first class passengers? A: Business and first class passengers typically have complimentary seat selection at booking, so the check-in change fee is unlikely to affect premium cabin travelers in practice.