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By a senior aviation travel strategist · Last verified: April 16, 2026

Navigating Lufthansa's partner network — Star Alliance, codeshares, and bilateral deals — is rarely as straightforward as booking a single ticket. This guide untangles what most airline websites don't bother explaining.

Confused about connecting flights or partner mileage rules? Speak to a real expert: +1-833-894-5333

Quick Answer

Lufthansa partner airlines include all 100+ members of the Star Alliance network, with key bilateral partners such as ANA (All Nippon Airways), United Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, and Austrian Airlines. These partnerships allow passengers to earn Miles & More miles, book codeshare connecting flights, and travel under a single itinerary even when operated by multiple carriers. The depth of benefits — upgrades, lounge access, baggage through-checking — varies significantly depending on which partner you are flying and which ticket you purchased.

There is a particular kind of travel frustration that starts in an airport lounge and ends at a gate agent's desk. You booked what looked like a smooth itinerary — Frankfurt to Tokyo via Lufthansa and ANA — but now you're being told your bags won't be checked through, your Senator status doesn't apply, and the lounge you expected to access is restricted to a different tier. None of this was in the confirmation email.

This happens because Lufthansa partner airline agreements operate on multiple levels, each with its own rules, fare class restrictions, and eligibility criteria. The website gives you a booking. It rarely gives you clarity on what that booking actually entitles you to. If any of this sounds familiar, or if you're trying to plan an upcoming journey and want to get it right before you fly, call +1-833-894-5333 — a human aviation advisor can walk through your specific itinerary and confirm what applies.

What follows is a thorough guide to how Lufthansa's partner airline ecosystem works — from the architecture of Star Alliance partnerships to the nuances of booking with ANA, understanding codeshare agreements, and getting the most out of your Miles & More miles.

How Lufthansa Structures Its Airline Partnerships

Most travelers assume that "partner airline" is a simple on/off category. Either a carrier is a partner or it isn't. The reality is layered, and understanding those layers explains most of the confusion people encounter at check-in or when redeeming miles.

Lufthansa partner airlines fall into three broad categories:

• Star Alliance member airlines — the foundational global network Lufthansa co-founded in 1997. This includes ANA, United Airlines, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, TAP Air Portugal, South African Airways, Air China, and over 90 others. Status recognition and most mile-earning agreements flow through this channel.
• Lufthansa Group airlines — carriers Lufthansa directly owns or controls, including Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, and Air Dolomiti. These operate with tighter integration — baggage, check-in, and status benefits are more reliably honored here than with external partners.
• Bilateral codeshare partners — carriers with specific route-sharing agreements with Lufthansa that fall outside the Star Alliance framework, or supplement it. These deals are negotiated independently and can change. Benefits here are the least predictable.

When you book a Lufthansa connecting flight that touches multiple carriers, which layer applies matters enormously for what you can expect on the day of travel.

The Lufthansa and ANA Partnership — What It Actually Covers

The Lufthansa and ANA airline partnership is one of the most frequently searched combinations, particularly among travelers making transatlantic-to-Japan connections through Frankfurt or Munich. Both airlines are founding members of Star Alliance, which means the partnership is robust — but "robust" still has limits that catch people off guard.

What the partnership enables

• Miles & More miles on ANA flights — if you book an ANA-operated flight on a Lufthansa ticket number (or vice versa), miles typically accrue to your chosen Star Alliance frequent flyer program. The accrual rate depends on the fare class, not just the cabin. Economy tickets in deep discount classes (often T, V, or Q) may earn as little as 25–50% of the base miles.
• Codeshare availability — Lufthansa sells seats on many ANA routes under its own flight code (LH). This means you can book through Lufthansa.com and be placed on an ANA-operated aircraft. The interface feels seamless; the experience can differ markedly.
• Lounge access based on status tier — Lufthansa HON Circle and Senator card holders generally get access to ANA's lounges at Japanese airports when traveling on a Star Alliance itinerary in eligible cabin classes. However, this is not guaranteed on every route or at every airport, and Lufthansa's own documentation contains footnotes most travelers never read.
• Through-checked baggage — in most cases, baggage can be checked from origin to final destination. The critical qualifier: this applies when your tickets are on a single itinerary with a single booking reference. If you booked Lufthansa and ANA separately — even on the same day — bags almost certainly won't be interlined.

What the partnership does not guarantee

• Automatic upgrade eligibility across both carriers — upgrades on ANA flights are governed by ANA's own policies, not Lufthansa's
• Identical fare rules — an ANA segment on a Lufthansa ticket follows ANA's operational procedures but Lufthansa's ticketing conditions
• Consistent on-board experience — ANA and Lufthansa have very different cabin products, particularly in business class, and neither carrier controls the other's service standards

Not sure whether your ANA itinerary will earn miles or whether your lounge access applies? A real person can check in under two minutes.

Call +1-833-894-5333 Now

The Lufthansa Partner Airlines List — Key Carriers You Should Know

While the full Lufthansa partner airlines list spans over 100 carriers through Star Alliance alone, some partnerships are more relevant to most travelers than others. Here are the ones that come up repeatedly in practice — and the specific things to watch when flying them on a Lufthansa itinerary.

• ANA (All Nippon Airways) — Japan's premier carrier. Particularly strong for trans-Pacific and Europe-to-Japan routes. Miles accrue well on full-fare economy and premium cabins. ANA's ANA Mileage Club also has a bilateral redemption agreement with Miles & More.
• United Airlines — the dominant U.S. partner. Lufthansa and United codeshare flights are common across North Atlantic routes. MileagePlus and Miles & More have a longstanding reciprocal earning relationship. Watch for United Basic Economy fares — these are often excluded from earning and benefits.
• Singapore Airlines — one of the most frequently chosen partners for Southeast Asia connections. KrisFlyer miles and Miles & More operate reciprocally. Singapore Suites and First Class availability for award redemption through Miles & More is limited but exists.
• Turkish Airlines — a major hub at Istanbul Ataturk offers excellent connectivity to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Miles&Smiles and Miles & More have earning reciprocity. Lounge access at IST for Star Alliance Gold members is among the best in the network.
• Air Canada — key for North American connections, especially for passengers transiting through Toronto or Montreal. Aeroplan and Miles & More are both Star Alliance currencies, but Aeroplan has its own redemption ecosystem that can sometimes outvalue Miles & More for specific routes.
• Thai Airways — important for Bangkok connections. Royal Orchid Plus has earning agreements with Miles & More. Note: Thai Airways went through bankruptcy proceedings and its Star Alliance membership and partnership terms have shifted — verify current earning rates before flying.
• Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) — as a Lufthansa Group carrier, SWISS offers the deepest integration. Your Miles & More miles earn at the same rates as on Lufthansa itself. Check-in, lounge, and baggage rules are nearly identical. Frankfurt-Zurich feeders are some of the most seamlessly integrated connections in the network.
• Austrian Airlines — similar to SWISS, Austrian is a Lufthansa Group airline with tight integration. Vienna (VIE) functions almost as a secondary Lufthansa hub for Eastern Europe connections.

Understanding Codeshare Flights — The Detail Most People Miss

A Lufthansa codeshare airline arrangement means that Lufthansa places its "LH" flight code on a flight that is physically operated by another carrier. You see the LH number when you search. You board an ANA plane, a United aircraft, or an Austrian jet. This is standard practice across the industry, but it generates more confusion than perhaps any other aspect of modern air travel.

The practical consequences of flying a codeshare are significant and often underappreciated:

• Check-in procedures follow the operating carrier — if your LH-coded flight is operated by ANA, you check in through ANA's systems. Lufthansa's app may not show your seat or boarding pass correctly until closer to departure.
• Meal and service standards are the operating carrier's — you may expect Lufthansa's German wine list and find ANA's Japanese cuisine instead. Neither is a complaint; both are simply different from what the booking interface suggested.
• Cancellation and rebooking rules can involve both carriers — if ANA changes the operating schedule, Lufthansa must reissue your ticket. This handoff sometimes results in delays that self-serve tools cannot resolve. Human agents at both airlines — and, critically, at ticketing level — are needed.
• Seat selection may be blocked — because inventory is managed by two separate systems, preferred seat selection on partner-operated codeshares is often restricted until closer to departure or at check-in.

Earning Miles on Lufthansa Partner Airlines — The Rules That Catch Travelers Off Guard

Lufthansa miles partner airlines operate within a framework that seems simple — fly a Star Alliance carrier, earn Miles & More miles — but the actual earning rates are governed by fare class codes that most booking interfaces don't prominently display.

• Fare class is not the same as cabin class. You can be in Economy and have a "Y" fare (100% mileage accrual) or a "V" fare (25% accrual). The fare class code is buried in your ticket details and is one of the most commonly overlooked factors in mileage planning.
• Partner airlines publish their own earning charts. ANA's earning table for Lufthansa tickets differs from United's and differs from Singapore Airlines'. There is no single universal rate.
• Award tickets often earn at 0%. If you are flying on a Miles & More award redemption, you typically earn no status miles on the journey. This catches frequent flyers who assume their status-qualifying miles keep accumulating regardless of ticket type.
• Promotional fares sometimes have delayed earning. Some heavily discounted fares on partner airlines credit miles 4–6 weeks after the flight, not immediately. If you're close to a status tier boundary, this timing can mean missing a deadline.
• Retro-claiming has a deadline. Most partner airlines allow retroactive mileage claims for up to 6 months post-flight, but some restrict this to 3 months. After that, the miles are gone regardless of whether the flight operated correctly.

How to Book Lufthansa Connecting Flights With a Partner Airline — Step by Step

1. Search on Lufthansa.com for your full route, including the partner-operated segments. The search engine will display all options, including codeshare flights, within a single results view. Choosing here ensures your segments are on a single booking reference.
2. Identify which segments are operated by partner carriers by looking for "operated by [airline name]" text beneath the flight number. This is often small text but always present in the full booking flow — not just on the confirmation.
3. Check the fare class before confirming. On the payment screen, expand the fare details. Look for the three-letter booking class (Y, B, M, U, E, etc.). Cross-reference this against the partner airline's mileage earning chart on their official site.
4. Enter your Miles & More number during booking, not after. Adding your frequent flyer number retroactively through a partner airline can create mismatches that delay or block accrual entirely.
5. Verify baggage policy for each segment. On the confirmation screen, baggage rules should reflect the most restrictive carrier in the itinerary. If they don't match what the operating carrier publishes on its own site, contact customer service before you travel.
6. Screenshot your confirmation with all flight codes visible, including the operating carrier information. At airport check-in, discrepancies are resolved by whoever is behind the desk — having documentation speeds resolution significantly.
7. Call if anything is unclear. +1-833-894-5333 connects you to advisors who can read your actual ticket record and confirm what is and isn't included — something the website cannot do interactively.

The Most Costly Mistakes Travelers Make With Lufthansa Partner Bookings

Mistake 01

Booking partner segments separately to save money — if you book your Lufthansa flight and your ANA flight as separate tickets, you lose interline baggage agreements, you're not protected if one segment delays you to miss the other, and your mileage accrual may not function correctly across both bookings.

Mistake 02

Assuming lounge access applies universally — Star Alliance Gold status gives you lounge access at most partner airports, but not all. Some airports restrict access to the operating carrier's lounge rather than a general Star Alliance lounge, and some regional partner airports don't have a qualifying lounge at all.

Mistake 03

Misreading what "partner flight" means at check-in — travelers sometimes arrive at a Lufthansa check-in desk for a flight operated by ANA and are directed to the ANA counter instead. This isn't an error; it's protocol. It does mean your Lufthansa app boarding pass may not be accepted at the ANA gate without modification.

Mistake 04

Redeeming miles without confirming the operating carrier's change policies — if you use Miles & More miles for an ANA-operated flight and ANA changes the aircraft or schedule, Lufthansa must process the change. Each carrier charges different fees, and the two systems don't always communicate in real time.

Mistake 05

Waiting until after the flight to sort out mileage discrepancies — most mileage issues are much easier to resolve before travel. Checking that your frequent flyer number is correctly linked, that the fare class earns miles, and that the ticket type is eligible takes minutes over the phone and can save weeks of back-and-forth afterward.

When Calling Actually Beats the Website

There is a persistent myth that calling an airline is a last resort — that it's slower, more painful, and ultimately less effective than self-service tools. For straightforward bookings, that may be true. For anything involving Lufthansa partner airlines, codeshares, Miles & More international redemptions, or multi-segment itineraries touching two or more carriers, the phone is categorically faster and more effective.

Here is what a phone agent can access that no website provides:

• Your raw ticket record (PNR), including every fare class, segment status, and partner-side booking reference
• Real-time confirmation of whether your status tier will be recognized on a specific partner segment
• The ability to reissue a ticket when a partner airline has made a schedule change that the website has not yet propagated
• Partner airline agent lines — in some cases, Lufthansa agents can conference in the operating carrier directly, resolving disputes in a single call
• Waiver codes and exception handling that digital tools are not authorized to offer

Best time to call: Tuesday through Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. in your departure city's time zone. Monday mornings and Friday afternoons carry the highest call volumes — wait times can triple.

A brief story worth sharing: a reader recently booked a Frankfurt–Tokyo itinerary with ANA's transatlantic portion on a Lufthansa ticket. At Frankfurt airport, ANA's check-in system showed no seat assignment because the fare class was marked non-selectable. The Lufthansa desk couldn't override it. A four-minute call to +1-833-894-5333 while still in the terminal resolved the seat issue and got confirmation that the lounge access was valid for that specific routing. Total time at the desk otherwise: could have been over an hour.

Sample call script — feel free to adapt"Hi, I have a Lufthansa booking with an ANA-operated segment from [origin] to [destination]. I'd like to confirm that my Miles & More number is correctly linked to the ANA segment, verify my checked baggage allowance through to final destination, and confirm whether my Senator card gives me lounge access at [airport]. My booking reference is [XXXXXX]."

+1-833-894-5333

Lufthansa Partner Airlines Benefits — A Realistic Summary

Rather than listing everything that's theoretically available, here is a grounded breakdown of what Lufthansa partner airline benefits actually look like in practice, arranged by status tier:

Miles & More Frequent Traveller (entry-level status): You earn miles on most partner airlines at the standard rate for your fare class. You get priority boarding on Lufthansa Group flights only — not automatically on partner carriers. No lounge access unless you're in a qualifying cabin.

Miles & More Senator (mid-tier status): Lounge access on Star Alliance carriers in most airports worldwide. Some partners recognize this for priority check-in, but it's inconsistent. On ANA specifically, the ANA Lounge in Tokyo Haneda and Narita is accessible when flying in business class or with Star Alliance Gold status in any cabin — but you must show the Senator card and a boarding pass for the relevant flight.

Miles & More HON Circle (top tier): The widest recognition across Star Alliance Lufthansa partners. Most carriers' agents know what HON Circle means. Upgrade waitlisting on some partners (not all), dedicated phone lines, and in some cases access to First Class check-in counters operated by partner airlines.

Regardless of status tier, one universal rule applies: the benefits flow more reliably when your ticket was issued by Lufthansa, not by the operating partner carrier. A Lufthansa ticket number (code 220) on an ANA flight gives Lufthansa more ability to enforce the agreement if something goes wrong at the airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airlines work with Lufthansa for Miles & More mileage earning?

All Star Alliance member airlines participate in Miles & More mileage earning, including ANA, United, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Air Canada. Earning rates depend on fare class, not just the airline or cabin. Deeply discounted economy fares on partner airlines sometimes earn as low as 25% of the flight distance.

Does my Lufthansa Senator card give me lounge access on ANA flights?

In most cases, yes — Star Alliance Gold status (which Senator card grants) gives lounge access at ANA's hub airports in Japan when flying in any cabin on a Star Alliance itinerary. However, access is not guaranteed at every airport ANA serves globally, and some regional airports may only have access for premium cabin passengers.

Can I book Lufthansa connecting flights with ANA as a single ticket?

Yes. Booking through Lufthansa.com will display ANA-operated codeshare segments under a single Lufthansa booking reference. This gives you interline baggage protection, schedule change responsibility under one carrier, and unified mileage accrual. Booking as two separate tickets removes all of these protections.

Why didn't my miles post from an ANA-operated Lufthansa flight?

The most common reasons are: your frequent flyer number wasn't attached to the correct passenger name record, the fare class was ineligible for earning (often T, V, G, or N class in economy), or the ticket was an award ticket (which earns 0% on most partner flights). You can retro-claim miles up to 6 months post-flight in most cases.

What is the difference between Star Alliance partners and Lufthansa Group airlines?

Lufthansa Group airlines — SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines — are directly owned by Lufthansa and offer deeper integration: same check-in systems, identical baggage rules, and more reliable status recognition. Star Alliance partners are independent airlines with agreed reciprocal benefits, but integration is looser and benefit recognition can vary at the airport level.

Is ANA a codeshare partner or a Star Alliance partner of Lufthansa?

Both. ANA is a full Star Alliance member and also has specific codeshare agreements with Lufthansa on key routes. This means some ANA flights are bookable directly on Lufthansa.com under an LH flight number. The Star Alliance relationship covers benefits; the codeshare covers the booking mechanics.

Putting It Together — A Clearer Picture Before You Fly

The Lufthansa partner airline network is genuinely one of the most extensive in global aviation — over 100 carriers, dozens of hub cities, and bilateral agreements that have been refined over decades. The challenge isn't the size of the network. It's that the benefits, restrictions, and eligibility rules are layered across multiple systems that were never designed to speak to each other cleanly.

Most of the frustrations travelers encounter — miles not posting, lounge access denied, bags not through-checked, codeshare confusion at the counter — are entirely preventable with about ten minutes of advance verification. The information exists; it's just dispersed across Lufthansa's website, ANA's website, and a collection of partner-specific footnotes that nobody reads until they're standing at a gate.

If your upcoming itinerary involves any Lufthansa international partner airlines, particularly connections through Tokyo, Singapore, Istanbul, or North American hubs, it is worth a quick call to verify your specific ticket before you travel. The Miles & More miles you expect to earn, the lounge you plan to use, and the bags you're checking through — these should all be confirmed rather than assumed.

For a straightforward, no-pressure conversation with someone who can actually read your booking record and tell you exactly what applies: +1-833-894-5333. It is, without question, the fastest way to turn a confusing itinerary into a confident one.

fOR YOU: https://youtu.be/j0Ew5qvDB6A?si=aeyVGfayazIo-bWz