Earning and redeeming miles on Edelweiss flights is not only possible with Miles&More, but also with Aeroplan and United MileagePlus. In this article, we’ll have a look at the various options for earning and redeeming miles with Edelweiss, as well as the status benefits you can enjoy.
Table of Contents
Miles&More
The most obvious option for earning miles is, of course, Miles&More, the frequent flyer program of the Lufthansa Group. However, not every Edelweiss flight automatically earns you miles!
Award Miles
Unfortunately, award miles for Edelweiss flights can only be earned if the flight is booked under a Swiss flight number. These are codeshare flights numbered LX 8000–8499. For these flight numbers, the regular Swiss mileage credit applies.
As a result, award miles for Edelweiss flights are credited based on spending. As long as the ticket price information is available, Miles&More members without status earn 4 miles per euro, while status holders (FTL, SEN & HON) earn 6 miles per euro.
If Miles&More does not have fare data, the following distance-based rates apply:
| Travel Class | Booking Class | Distance Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class | J, C, D | 200% |
| Business Class | Z | 150% |
| Business Class | P | 100% |
| Economy | B, Y | 150% |
| Economy | H, M, U | 100% |
| Economy | Q, S, V, W | 50% |
| Economy | K, L, T | 25% |
Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points
Since the Miles&More status program overhaul in 2024, status credit is awarded in the form of Points, Qualifying Points (QP), and HON Circle Points (HP), depending on travel class.
Even as a Lufthansa Group member airline, Edelweiss flights only earn Points and Qualifying Points when booked via Swiss’ website and operated under the code share flight numbers LX 8000–8499.
| Route Type | Economy | Business Class |
|---|---|---|
| Continental | 20 QP | 40 HP |
| Intercontinental | 60 QP | 200 HP |
Redeeming Miles for Edelweiss Flights
Even if booked under an Edelweiss (WK) flight number instead of Swiss (LX), Edelweiss flights have been dynamically priced since June 2025. This means there are no fixed award “sweet spots.”
Some flights to North America start at 26,000 miles one-way in Business Class, but surcharges are very high (over €500 per direction). Award availability is generally limited, though good value redemptions can still be found with some searching.
Status Benefits with a Miles&More Status
These are the benefits for Miles&More status holders:
- HON Circle Members and Senators receive lounge access regardless of fare, as long as Edelweiss has a partner lounge at that airport.
- They can also access Lufthansa Group lounges after arrival (if layout permits).
- Frequent Travellers get access to Lufthansa Group Business Lounges in all fare types.
United Airlines MileagePlus
In addition to Miles&More, you can also credit Edelweiss flights to United MileagePlus. Important: The flight must be booked as an LX codeshare (LX8000–8499).
Award Miles
If the ticket was booked directly through United Airlines, you earn 5–11 miles per USD, depending on your status. If booked elsewhere, you earn distance-based credit:
| Travel Class | Booking Class | Distance Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class | J, C, D | 200% |
| Business Class | Z | 150% |
| Business Class | P | 100% |
| Economy | B, Y | 150% |
| Economy | H, M, U, G | 100% |
| Economy | Q, V, W | 75% |
| Economy | L, E, T, S | 50% |
| Economy | K | 25% |
Premier Qualifying Points
As a Preferred Partner Airline, Edelweiss flights earn one-fifth of the award mile credit as Premier Qualifying Points:
| Travel Class | Booking Class | PQP Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class | J, C, D | 40% |
| Business Class | Z | 30% |
| Business Class | P | 20% |
| Economy | B, Y | 30% |
| Economy | H, M, U, G | 20% |
| Economy | Q, V, W | 15% |
| Economy | L, E, T, S | 10% |
| Economy | K | 5% |
Redeeming Miles for Edelweiss Flights
You can also redeem MileagePlus miles for Edelweiss flights through United’s award search. However, long-haul availability is limited, and up to 90,000 miles one-way in Business Class to North America make these redemptions relatively unattractive, even with low surcharges.
Status Benefits
MileagePlus status members enjoy most standard benefits, such as extra baggage, lounge access (with a guest), and priority services at many airports.
Air Canada Aeroplan
The last frequent flyer program that credits Edelweiss flights is Air Canada Aeroplan, though it’s a bit more complex.
Award Miles
Miles can be earned either on Air Canada–coded flights or on Swiss codeshares (LX8000–8999). For Air Canada codeshares, accrual depends on fare type; for Swiss codeshares, Swiss earning rates apply.
Since Edelweiss has no Premium Economy, booking classes E and G count as Economy on Edelweiss, so accrual in those cases is unclear. Otherwise, these rates apply:
| Travel Class | Booking Class | Distance Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class | J, C, D, Z | 150% |
| Business Class | P | 100% |
| Premium Economy | G, E | 125% |
| Premium Economy | N | 100% |
| Economy | B, Y | 125% |
| Economy | Q, V, H, M, U | 100% |
| Economy | W, S, L, T | 50% |
Status Qualifying Credit (SQC)
According to Air Canada’s website, Edelweiss flights don’t earn Status Qualifying Miles, though reports in forums suggest otherwise. From 2026, Status Qualifying Credits will replace them, and the same rules will likely still apply.
Redeeming Aeroplan Miles for Edelweiss Flights
Edelweiss award availability via Aeroplan is limited, but when available, pricing follows the Aeroplan partner award chart. Typical one-way rates:
- North America: 60,000–90,000 miles
- South America & Phuket: 80,000 miles
- Other long-hauls: ~60,000 miles
Given the low surcharges, Aeroplan redemptions are often competitive or even attractive.
Status Benefits
Aeroplan status holders enjoy the same benefits as with MileagePlus: extra baggage, lounge access (with a guest), and priority services depending on status level.
Conclusion
The simplest and often most rewarding way to credit and redeem Edelweiss flights remains through Miles&More, thanks to better availability and solid status earning.
However, since the June 2025 dynamic pricing change and high surcharges on North American routes, Aeroplan can sometimes be a more worthwhile alternative.
| Program | Air Canada Aeroplan | Miles&More | United Airlines Mileage Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award Miles | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status Miles | ❓ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Award Flights | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Lounge Access | All lounges1 | All lounges1 | All lounges1 |
| Miles Expiry | 12 months | 36 months | none |
1As long as Edelweiss operates a partner lounge at the airport.
Have you already booked an Edelweiss flight and want to know how many miles you’ll earn? Use our mileage calculator! Just enter your route and booking class to estimate your miles.
You can also check your status credit for upcoming Edelweiss flights with our dedicated tool, showing all three crediting options and your maximum potential earnings.
Translated by Ditmar
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange