Advance seat reservation
Whether it’s a window or aisle seat, or a seat with extra legroom, we offer you the option of reserving seats for yourself and your travelling companions in advance or at check-in.
How do I reserve a seat?
You can reserve your seat directly when booking your flight or at a later date. You can reserve a seat for a fee via My bookings up to two hours before departure.
You will be allocated a seat automatically during online check-in if you do not choose a seat. You can change it for a fee, depending on the fare and seat category selected. This fee is not payable by passengers who have booked a seat in advance, providing the newly selected seat is of the same or a lower seat category.
Further information and details about advance seat reservation
- The flight must be operated by Lufthansa Group airlines, Lufthansa Regional (Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa CityLine), Lufthansa Express Rail (DB), Edelweiss, or Discover Airlines.
- Your flight booking is confirmed (no waiting list bookings).
- If you did not select your seat during the booking process, you can also do so after completing your booking. Access your trip under My bookings, and book or change1 your seat there.
You will be allocated a seat automatically during online check-in if you did not choose a seat in advance. You can change it for a fee depending on the fare and seat category selected. This fee is not payable by passengers who have booked a seat in advance, providing the newly selected seat is of the same or a lower seat category.
Please note that a confirmed advance seat reservation does not guarantee you a specific seat on board the aircraft (e.g. seat 3A). It only refers to the category selected (e.g. Classic Seat, Preferred Zone Seat, Extra Legroom Seat, etc.). An advance seat reservation applies to a single leg of your flight.
1 Changes are only possible if the seat is available at the same or a lower price. Fees already paid are not refundable.
Seats in the emergency exit rows can only be booked for passengers who meet the following requirements:
- You are at least 16 years old.
- You speak fluent German or English.
- You are willing to offer help in the unlikely event of an emergency.
- You are capable of reading and understanding instructions and carrying out the crew’s directions in an emergency.
- You are capable of carrying out the tasks given to you without assistance from a travelling companion, parent, or another family member.
- You are not travelling with a person who would be dependent on your help in the event of an emergency.
- You do not have a condition or position of responsibility that would prevent you from carrying out these tasks or would lead to physical injury in carrying them out.
- You are not travelling with an animal in the aircraft cabin.
- Lufthansa may allocate another seat to passengers who do not meet these preconditions to ensure safety on board.
- Any carry-on baggage must be stowed in the overhead bins, as items must not be placed in the seating area or under the seats during take-off and landing.
HON Circle Members and Senators who are travelling with up to eight people on the same booking number can reserve seats free of charge on flights operated by the Lufthansa Group, Lufthansa Regional (Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa CityLine), Edelweiss, or Discover Airlines in all booking classes (except on the Economy Light fare on short-haul flights).
With the Economy Light fare, the option of selecting a seat free of charge is only available on short-haul flights to HON Circle Members during online check-in.
If we have to change the seat you reserved in advance (e.g. for operational reasons), we will endeavour to reserve an equivalent new seat for you. In such cases, priority is given to passengers who are travelling together, e.g. families sitting next to one another. After this, seats with extra legroom in the emergency exit rows, aisle, window and then middle seats will be allocated in that order.
If we cannot allocate a seat in the same category (e.g. by the aisle, window, or a seat with extra legroom), you can arrange a refund of the fee paid via the Lufthansa Service Center.
If you have an existing advance seat reservation, you can rebook or cancel your ticket easily and conveniently yourself via “My bookings”.
Please note that a confirmed advance seat reservation does not guarantee you a specific seat on board the aircraft (e.g. seat 3A). The advance seat reservation refers to the chosen seat category (e.g. Classic Seat, Preferred Zone Seat, Extra Legroom Seat, etc.).
An advance seat reservation applies to a single leg of your flight.
Please note that advance seat reservations are not refundable, either at the airport or on board.
When you book a seat in an emergency exit row, you must be able to meet the legal requirements. These will be explained to you during the booking process. Should you not meet these requirements, you will be allocated a different seat and you are not entitled to a refund.
If your advance seat reservation is changed unexpectedly, the following cancellation and refund conditions apply:
In the event of an operational change (e.g. a change of aircraft type or travel route), we will try to rebook you in the same seat category you have previously booked. However, the seat number you chose before may change. If we are unable to rebook you in the same seat category, your advance seat reservation is refundable.
Your advance seat reservation is also refundable if we cancel your flight.
If you make changes to your booking yourself, the following conditions apply to cancellations and refunds:
Changing your advance seat reservation without changing your flight
If you have made an advance seat reservation for your flight and wish to change your seat, you can do so via “My bookings”. The following rules apply:
- You can change to a lower seat category free of charge. The price difference is non-refundable but is retained in your reservation and can be used for a later rebooking to a higher seat category (e.g. back to your previous seat category, if available, or to a higher seat category).
- You can rebook to a higher seat category by paying the price difference.
Changing your advance seat reservation and your flight
If you change your flight and the route remains the same, you can transfer your advance seat reservation to the new flight. If the original seat category is not available on the new flight:
- You can rebook to a lower seat category free of charge. The price difference is non-refundable but is retained in your reservation and can be used for a later rebooking to a higher seat category (e.g. to the seat category you originally booked, if this is still available).
- You can rebook to a higher seat category by paying the price difference.
Should you also change your flight route, you may incur additional costs.
Refund for your advance seat reservation without your flight being refunded
Advance seat reservations alone are not refunded. However, if you have purchased an upgrade to a higher travel class, the advance seat reservation you previously purchased is refundable. Free upgrades that we offer as a goodwill gesture or for operational reasons do not entitle you to a refund for your prior advance seat reservation.
Refund for your advance seat reservation together with the cancellation and refund of your flight
Advance seat reservations are generally non-refundable, even when you cancel your flight.
Please note that if you only use part of your ticket, e.g. only BUD–FRA instead of BUD–FRA–NYC, the advance seat reservation is non-refundable.
If you are travelling with children between the ages of two and 11, we will do our best to seat your child next to an adult in your group. These seats are allocated free of charge at check-in. You can, of course, reserve seats for your family in advance for a fee to ensure that you are all sitting together.
For Lufthansa Allegris flights in Business Class especially, we strongly recommend that you reserve your seats early, as there are only limited options available for you to sit together.
On flights to and from Canada, if we are not able to seat your child near an adult in your group, you can rebook your flight or cancel your trip.
Under the regulations of ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile [Italian Civil Aviation Authority]), we would like to make you aware that you are entitled to free advance seat reservations on flights to and from Italy if you fulfil the following conditions:
- you are travelling with a child between the ages of two and 12; and/or
- you are a passenger with a disability or are accompanying a passenger with a disability.
The Lufthansa Group will then seat you together free of charge at check-in.