Submit an offer for your upgrade
Make the most of your chance for a last-minute upgrade
Have you booked a Lufthansa flight and would like to enjoy the benefits of Premium Economy Class, Business Class or First Class? If so, a very special opportunity is available to you for an upgrade on Lufthansa flights.
Here you can decide for yourself what the new travel experience is worth to you: log in using your login details at "My bookings", make an offer by entering your credit card details – and, with a little bit of luck, you’ll receive your upgrade at the price you wanted. (1)
How to make your offer
As an Economy Class passenger on long-haul flights, you can choose whether you want to make your upgrade offer for Premium Economy or for Business Class. As a Premium Economy Class passenger, you make your offer for an upgrade to Business Class. Business Class passengers can make an upgrade offer for First Class. As an Economy Class passenger on short- and medium-haul flights, you make your offer for an upgrade to Business Class.
- Log in using your login details at "My bookings".
- You will receive notification about whether you can submit an offer for an upgrade on your booking.
- Click on the relevant message if an upgrade is available for your booking.
- You can now enter the price you are prepared to pay. (2)
- Then enter your credit card details, check your offer and submit it.
- You will receive an email confirmation.
- You can change or cancel your upgrade offer at any time up to 60 hours before your scheduled departure. To do this, log in again under "My bookings" and adjust your offer.
The selection of upgrades
Lufthansa will let you know by email whether you will receive the upgrade at the latest 48 hours before your scheduled departure. Before the selection is made, all tickets that are the subject of an offer will be checked again according to the terms and conditions of participation. If the booking has been changed in the meantime, an upgrade will no longer be possible.
If your offer is accepted, your credit card will be debited with the amount you specified. You will receive new electronic tickets and, at check-in, boarding passes for the new travel class. If the flight is cancelled because of disruptions, your upgrade will be valid for the next available flight.
If your offer was not accepted, we will also let you know by email. You will then fly in the travel class you originally booked, and you will not incur any extra costs.
FAQs
If you have any questions about the process or require further information about submitting an upgrade offer, please refer to the FAQs.
What is the difference between an offer-based upgrade and purchasing a ticket directly for Premium Economy Class, Business Class or First Class?
When you buy a ticket in Premium Economy Class, Business Class or First Class, you will be guaranteed a seat in the relevant cabin. This is the only way of ensuring that you will actually fly in this travel class.
With an offer-based upgrade, passengers can make an offer for what they think the upgrade to a higher travel class would be worth to them up to 60 hours before departure. Lufthansa decides whether to accept these offers, based on the offers received and the booking situation. Therefore you cannot be sure whether you will actually get a seat in your desired travel class until shortly before departure.
What do I get if I am selected for an upgrade? What is included in the upgrade?
If you receive an upgrade to Premium Economy Class, you can enjoy the following benefits on this flight:
- A very comfortable Premium Economy Class seat that offers up to 50 per cent more space, as well as a considerably enhanced on-board service by comparison with Economy Class
- A 11-inch or 12-inch monitor and a power supply at every seat
- Optional lounge access (to selected Lufthansa lounges for a fee; for HON Circle Members, Senators, and Frequent Travellers lounge access regulations apply according to Miles & More member status)
- Higher or equivalent mileage and Points credit (as individual Economy or Premium Economy booking classes can have the same mileage and Points values as the low Premium Economy or Business booking classes) (3)
If you receive an upgrade to Business Class, you can enjoy the following benefits on this flight:
- Access to Lufthansa lounges
- Check-in or bag drop-off at the Business Class check-in counter
- Two items of carry-on baggage free of charge
- Use of priority lanes at security, if available at the respective airport
- Priority boarding if a passenger boarding bridge is used
- Higher or equivalent mileage credit (as individual Economy or Premium Economy booking classes can have the same mileage values as the low Premium Economy or Business booking classes) (3)
On long-haul flights with an upgrade to Business Class you can enjoy the following additional benefits:
- Outstanding on-board service
- Exquisite menus and fine wines
- The best entertainment on board – with our in-flight entertainment
- A very comfortable seat that converts into an almost two-metre-long, fully flat bed
On continental flights with an upgrade to Business Class you can enjoy the following services:
- A seat in the front rows of the aircraft
- More personal space and privacy, as the middle seat will always be kept free
- A full meal, served on high-quality china
- A selection of newspapers and magazines (in the form of eJournals)
If you receive an upgrade to First Class, you can enjoy the following benefits on this flight:
- Access to the most exclusive Lufthansa lounges
- Nothing will disturb your need for peace and relaxation: soundproof curtains and footfall sound insulation effectively shield First Class from the background noise inside the aircraft.
- On request, the flight attendants will convert your seat into a two-metre-long bed with a mattress topper, high-quality pillow and temperature-regulating duvet.
- The wide-ranging Lufthansa Media World, displayed on your very own 17-inch screen, provides variety and great entertainment. Bose noise-cancelling headphones ensure that you’ll enjoy the full sound experience.
- If you would like to freshen up during the flight, an exclusive amenity kit and a selection of high-quality toiletries are available in our elegant bathroom.
What is not included in the upgrade?
The offer-based upgrade is only valid for the flight for which you have made the offer. The fare conditions of the ticket which you originally purchased remain valid, even if your upgrade offer has been accepted. If you decide you want to rebook or cancel your flight after Lufthansa has accepted your upgrade offer, you are no longer entitled to that upgrade. It cannot be transferred to another flight and the amount you paid is non-refundable, irrespective of your original ticket’s fare conditions.
How many miles and Points can I earn?
You will be credited with award miles and status miles when you upgrade to the respective higher travel class. You can find detailed information on how your award miles are calculated at Miles & More.
How does an offer-based upgrade work?
Only when you have booked your ticket will you have the opportunity of upgrading.
- Go to lufthansa.com.
- Retrieve your current booking by logging in or entering your booking code. Select the booking for which you want to make an upgrade offer.
- On the "My bookings" page, there will be an automatic check to see if your flight is eligible for an upgrade offer. If this is the case, you will see another link on the right-hand side.
To My bookings - Submit your offer.
- Fill in payment details. Of course, your credit card will only be charged if your offer is successful.
- Check your details, accept the terms and conditions of participation and send in your offer.
- Receipt of your offer will be confirmed by email.
You can revise or retract your offer at any time up to 60 hours before departure via the link in the confirmation email.
About 24 hours before departure, we will inform you by email whether your upgrade offer has been accepted or not.
- If your upgrade offer has been accepted, we will charge your credit card with the amount offered, your flight will be rebooked to the relevant travel class and you will receive an updated ticket.
- If your upgrade offer has not been accepted, you pay nothing and travel in the class you originally booked.
Are all my flights eligible for an upgrade?
In principle, upgrade offers can be made on all Lufthansa flights up to 60 hours before departure.
However, an upgrade is unfortunately not possible for technical or legal reasons for:
- Tickets that have not yet been issued
- Tickets that are part of a group booking
- Tickets whose booking includes a child under 2
- Tickets for other airlines or tickets that have not been issued on a Lufthansa document
- Passengers with animals (pets carried in the cabin and/or in the hold)
- Extra seats for more comfort and/or for medical reasons or for carry-on baggage (e.g. musical instruments)
When will I be charged?
During the selection process, we may have your credit card authorised for the relevant amount. However, the card will only be charged when your upgrade has been confirmed. You will receive an email notification about 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of each route segment.
Do I have to pay for the upgrade immediately upon submitting my offer?
No, you only pay for the upgrade when your offer has actually been accepted. This happens up to about 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of each flight segment.
Can I pay with two different credit cards?
No, payment can only be made within one transaction and using one credit card.
Can I submit an offer for an upgrade even without a credit card?
To take part you need a valid credit card. Unfortunately, no alternative payment methods are acceptable.
Can I also pay using miles?
Payment is only possible by credit card. Please enquire about mileage upgrades via the usual channels.
Do any additional taxes or charges apply when I receive my upgrade?
The amount you offer includes all taxes due and payable in advance, as well as all fees applicable to the particular upgrade.
Exceptions to this are:
- possible additional costs for using your credit card abroad, as the service is processed by Plusgrade L.P., a provider based in Canada, and
- possible foreign exchange fees, if you make your offer in a currency that is not the same as the currency of your credit card account.
Whether additional costs apply, and in what amount, depends on the terms of your credit card agreement. Please enquire about this with the bank that issued your credit card.
Do I have to pay to be able to submit an upgrade offer?
We do not charge any booking or registration fees for upgrade offers.
What should I review before submitting my offer?
Please review the amount of your offer and the total amount for each flight segment. Also, please make sure that you have provided the correct payment and contact details, and have read and accepted the terms and conditions of participation.
What are the terms and conditions of participation?
The terms and conditions of participation specify all the details of the programme. You can find them on the "Review & Send" page. You must accept the terms and conditions of participation before submitting your offer.
Why do I have to accept the terms and conditions of participation?
The terms and conditions of participation comprise the rules of the entire programme, so we can only process your offer once you have read and accepted the terms and conditions of participation.
What can I do if I do not receive an email after submitting my offer?
Please wait for four hours, as it can take a while for the email to be generated. In addition, please check the spam folder in your email account.
Can I also phone Lufthansa to submit my offer?
No, at present upgrade offers can only be submitted online.
What should I do if I want to modify or cancel my offer?
You can modify or cancel your offer up to 60 hours before departure, by clicking on the link in the email you received as confirmation of your offer. Alternatively, you can login via "My bookings" at lufthansa.com and cancel your offer there up to 60 hours before departure.
I’ve forgotten to submit my offer before the 60-hour deadline. Is there any way of making an offer retrospectively?
All offers must be made at the latest 60 hours before the departure time of the respective flight segment. Once this deadline has passed, no more offers can be submitted.
When does Lufthansa/Austrian/SWISS decide who will receive an upgrade?
We will inform you by email 24 hours before the scheduled departure time whether your upgrade offer has been accepted or not.
What criteria does Lufthansa use to assess my offer?
We use various criteria when assessing the upgrade offers. These include the amount of your offer and the amount of the other offers, the number of seats available and the number of passengers in the booking.
How and when do I find out if I have been upgraded?
If your offer has been accepted, we will inform you by email 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. We will also inform you by email if your offer has been declined.
Can you send me a text message if my offer has been accepted?
All communication concerning your offer is made exclusively by email.
What happens if I am not upgraded?
About 24 hours before departure, we will inform you by email that your offer was not successful. Your credit card will not be debited, and you will fly in the travel class that you originally booked.
If my offer was not accepted, will I be told why?
No. Numerous factors play a role in the selection process, so we cannot specify why individual offers were not successful.
How can I find out about the current status of my offer?
In the confirmation of receipt of your offer you will find a link through which you can access all the information. If you click on this link and select the relevant flight, you can see the status of your offer in the top right-hand corner of the window.
What does it mean if I see an authorisation of the upgrade amount on my credit card?
As part of the decision-making process, we may check that your credit card account has sufficient funds. However, this is no guarantee that you will also receive the upgrade, but merely one step in the allocation process.
Can I transfer the upgrade to another flight once my offer has been accepted?
Successful upgrade offers are only valid for the flight specified, the passengers included in the booking and the date specified. They are not transferable to another person or another flight, and they are also non-refundable.
Can I increase my offer if I discover that I will not receive the upgrade?
No, if your offer has not been accepted, you cannot submit a new offer. To have the best chances of gaining an upgrade, it is important to submit your best possible offer in the first place.
What do I have to do when I have received my upgrade?
You do not have to do anything further. However, please remember that the upgrade is only valid for the specified flight segment. Your original ticket’s fare conditions still apply, including terms of cancellation, rebooking charges and baggage regulations.
Which fare regulations apply to the upgraded ticket?
When your upgrade offer has been accepted, the ticket conditions for your original booking (before the upgrade) continue to apply, including the conditions for minimum and maximum stay, cancellation, changes and baggage regulations. Please remember that the upgrade will no longer apply if you rebook or cancel your flight. The upgrade cannot be transferred to another flight or passenger and is non-refundable.
What must I do if I have changed my mind and no longer want the upgrade?
Offer-based upgrades are non-refundable.
What must I be aware of if I want to cancel a ticket that includes an upgrade?
Offer-based upgrades are non-refundable. If you want to cancel your ticket, you forfeit the amount paid for the upgrade, irrespective of your ticket’s cancellation terms. Please be aware of this before submitting an offer.
What happens with my upgrade if I want to rebook my flight?
The offer-based upgrade is valid exclusively for the flight and passenger or passengers for which/whom you have submitted the offer. If you decide you want to rebook, you forfeit your claim to the upgrade. Unfortunately, it is not possible to transfer the upgrade to another flight. Upgrade payments are non-refundable. Please be aware of this before submitting an offer.
What happens with my upgrade if I miss my flight?
If you miss a flight through your own fault, you forfeit your claim to the upgrade. Upgrade payments are non-refundable.
If, in the event of flight disruptions, you are rebooked by Lufthansa on to an alternative flight after your upgrade has been successful, you are, of course, fully entitled to a seat in the new travel class. Following this flight disruption, if a seat cannot be found for you in the new travel class, please contact Lufthansa Customer Relations so that the upgrade payment can be refunded to the credit card used to pay for the upgrade.
(1) Unfortunately, tickets in group bookings are excluded for technical or legal reasons. For further details of the terms and conditions of participation, please see the FAQs.
(2) An offer always applies to all the people for whom the ticket is issued: for example, in the case of three people, the amount of the offer is tripled. In addition, offers always apply per route, so you can decide whether you want to make offers for all or just for individual flight segments.
(3) You will be credited with miles and Points when you upgrade to the respective higher travel class. You can find detailed information on how your miles and Points are calculated at Miles & More.