Lufthansa Miles&More Senator Status: Everything You Need to Know About Qualification and Benefits

The Senator status is arguably the most well-known Star Alliance Gold status in Europe. Positioned between Frequent Traveller and HON Circle Member within the Miles&More program, it offers not only lounge access and priority services but also several other benefits that go beyond the standard Star Alliance Gold perks.

However, the requirements of 1,000 Qualifying Points and 2,000 (Status) Points are not easy to meet and imply a certain loyalty to the Lufthansa Group. In this article, we clarify what benefits this status brings and what alternatives exist.

Qualification

To attain Senator status, you need 1,000 Qualifying Points and 2,000 (Status) Points within a calendar year. These point types were introduced in the 2024 overhaul of the Miles&More status system, differentiating between points earned on Lufthansa Group airlines and those earned with other partner airlines.

Qualifying Points can only be earned on Lufthansa Group airlines and other airlines that use Miles&More as their frequent flyer program, including:

• Austrian Airlines
• City Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Swiss
• Brussels Airlines
• Discover Airlines
• Eurowings
• ITA Airways
• Edelweiss (with LX flight number)
• Air Dolomiti
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Luxair

At the same time, you’ll earn (Status) Points on these airlines too. Additionally, (Status) Points can also be collected on all other Star Alliance members not listed above:

Point accrual depends on flight type and travel class:

Class	Continental	Intercontinental
Economy Class	20	60
Premium Economy	20	80
Business Class	40	200
First Class	40	300

Examples

To qualify, you could take five round-trip intercontinental Business Class flights, with at least five one-way flights on a Qualifying Point-eligible airline:

• 5x Lufthansa Business Class transatlantic = 5 x 200 QP = 1,000 QP + 1,000 SP
• 5x United Business Class transatlantic = 5 x 200 SP = 1,000 SP

Alternatively, 100 continental flights would suffice, as long as at least 50 are operated by Lufthansa Group, LOT Polish Airlines, Luxair, or Croatia Airlines.

Once earned, the Senator status is valid for at least one year, until the end of February of the second following year. Examples:

• Status earned in January 2025 ⇒ valid until February 2027
• Status earned in July 2025 ⇒ valid until February 2027
• Status earned in December 2025 ⇒ valid until February 2027

Requalification

The requalification criteria are the same: 1,000 Qualifying Points and 2,000 (Status) Points within a calendar year. If you don’t requalify, you’ll receive a soft landing to Frequent Traveller, which you’ll keep from March 1 until the end of February the following year. Alternatively, you can extend Senator status for €2,000 with all associated benefits.

Senator Status Benefits

Senator status equals Star Alliance Gold, meaning you get alliance-wide benefits, including:

• Lounge Access: Entry on the day and at the airport of departure for you and one guest (must be on a Star Alliance flight). Some airlines have special lounges (e.g., Senator or KrisFlyer Gold Lounges).
• Extra Baggage: One additional checked bag. On long-haul Light fares: 1 x 23 kg is included. Within Europe, checked baggage isn’t included for Light fares (except on LOT, where it is).
• Priority Check-in: Use Business Class counters (First Class counters on Lufthansa Group).
• Priority Boarding: Board with Business/First Class guests—even if flying Economy.
• Priority Baggage: Your baggage is tagged for faster delivery.
• Waitlist Priority: Higher priority on fully booked flights.
• Fast Lanes: Access to security/passport fast lanes in many airports.

Additional Senator-exclusive perks:

• Lounge Access on Arrival: Access Lufthansa Group lounges upon arrival (if airport design allows). Frankfurt Welcome Lounge is available after long-haul flights.
• Seat Blocking: Lufthansa tries to keep adjacent middle seats empty for Senators.
• Free Seat Reservation: Free seat selection upon booking (except Light fares in Europe). Includes exit row and preferred seats within the booked cabin class.
• Improved Award/Upgrade Availability: Extra availability on Austrian/Lufthansa flights via hotline. Can also waitlist for mileage upgrades with high priority.
• 2 eVouchers per Qualification: Used for upgrades (Economy → Premium/Business or Business → First). The number of vouchers needed depends on the booking class. You can find more information on this in our detailed guide on upgrades with eVouchers.
• Companion Award: Bring a travel companion on a mileage ticket for half the miles (taxes & fees still apply; must be on the same flights/class).
• Mileage Advance: Overdraw your mileage account by up to 50,000 miles.
• Executive Bonus: 25% bonus miles on flight distance, even on discounted Economy tickets. Or 6 instead of 4 miles/€ on Lufthansa Group bookings (5 for Eurowings, Brussels, and all other partners that are not part of the Lufthansa Group).
• Eurowings Benefits: Lounge access, priority boarding, and larger carry-on—even on Basic fares (no free checked baggage though).
• Personal Greeting: On long-haul flights, the purser might greet you personally (and offer wine or a drink from Business Class on short-haul flights—unofficial perk).
• Senator Hotline: 24/7 priority support with short wait times and well-trained staff.
• Status Match with Europcar: Get Privilege Elite status with benefits like double upgrades, which may help with matches to other rental car statuses.
• Sixt Benefits: Platinum status with upgrades and up to 15% off rentals.
• Senator Luggage Tags: Two signature red luggage tags to identify your bags (and you as a Senator).

Tips to Quickly Achieve Senator Status

Despite the 2024 simplification, Senator remains one of the hardest Star Alliance Gold statuses to earn. 100 continental Economy flights (25 round trips with 4 segments each) are required if done purely on short-haul flights.

It’s easier with Business Class segments, especially affordable options can be found in South America, or you can fly to the Middle East with Eurowings. These and other status sweet spots are detailed in our dedicated article.

Miles&More: Sweet Spots for Cheap Status Points in 2024 (FTL from approximately €570 & Senator from €1,660)

Is There a Lifetime Senator Status?

Yes, since January 2024, the requirements are clearly defined:

• 30,000 Qualifying Points = Lifetime Frequent Traveller
• 40,000 Qualifying Points = Lifetime Senator

So you’d need to earn all 40,000 QPs solely on Lufthansa Group and Miles&More partner airlines. That’s equivalent to 200 long-haul Business Class flights or 2,000 short-haul flights—a tough target for most.

Alternatives to Senator Status

There are easier ways to gain Star Alliance Gold with other frequent flyer programs and enjoy lounge access, baggage allowance, and priority services. We recommend checking out simpler paths to Star Alliance Gold through other airline programs.

Three Easy Ways to Obtain Star Alliance GOLD Status

Conclusion – Is Senator Status Worth It?

Senator status is a status symbol and makes sense mainly for frequent flyers of the Lufthansa Group, especially in Economy. Those just seeking Star Alliance Gold benefits might reach it more easily via another airline.

But if you already earn Senator naturally—or can benefit from things like free seat selection, Eurowings lounge access, or the Companion Award—it’s a very solid status. Personally, I value the Lufthansa-specific benefits, like priority handling in delays or the special Senator award waitlist.

Whether it’s still worth it after the June 2025 award chart devaluation remains to be seen, but some of the value may indeed decrease with upcoming mileage changes.

Translated by Ditmar