Miles & More: Program & Cards Overview
IMPORTANT: Miles & More Dynamic Pricing (June 2025)
On June 3, 2025, Miles & More implemented dynamic pricing for Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian/Lufthansa City Airlines and eliminated Meilenschnäppchen bargain awards. Discover Airlines and Air Dolomiti joined on March 3, 2026, completing the rollout across the Lufthansa Group (Edelweiss awards are dynamic too). Award prices now vary - some flights are cheaper than before, while popular premium routes cost more. Partner airline awards increased 12-30% for premium cabins. Check prices for your specific route, and consider partner airlines (LOT, Singapore, ANA) for consistent value.
The Lufthansa “Miles & More” (M&M) program is a big player in Germany. Miles & More cards (issued by Deutsche Bank since October 2025, previously DKB) are a common way to earn miles. Crucially, holding one of these cards is the easiest way to prevent your M&M miles from expiring (normally after 36 months). With the new Deutsche Bank cards this protection is unconditional — no minimum monthly spend required. One of the easiest ways to get free M&M miles is via Payback.
Also, many vendors in Germany don’t accept American Express, so it’s always handy to have a MasterCard or VISA as well. That’s where I use the M&M Mastercard.
Using Your Card Abroad: When traveling, we often prefer the Miles & More Mastercard over American Express. Both cards have similar foreign exchange fees (~2%), but the M&M Mastercard is more widely accepted.
For an even better rate, you can top up a Revolut account using your M&M card via Apple Pay or Google Pay. While this gives you a superior exchange rate (often 0.5% to 1% better), you will forego earning miles on those transactions. It’s a trade-off between maximizing savings and maximizing miles.
Earning M&M Miles
Earning Directly with M&M Cards
Miles & More co-branded credit cards allow you to earn award miles directly with your everyday spending. The earning rate typically varies by card type (e.g., Blue, Gold) and whether it’s a private or business card. Business cards often offer a higher earning rate.
Key ways to earn with cards:
Partner Cards
If you have a partner, consider getting a partner card. This allows both of you to collect miles into the same account and can be a cost-effective way to ensure miles don’t expire for both individuals.
🔥 Payback Points to Miles & More: The Real Power Play!
The BEST way to earn M&M miles indirectly is through the Payback program. You earn Payback points on everyday shopping…
Collect Payback points year-round and transfer them to Miles & More, ideally during their 25% (or similar) transfer bonus events. These promotions make your Payback points significantly more valuable! For details on current bonuses and how this works, check the Payback Program Overview page.
Important Prerequisites
Schufa Score
Please be aware that applying for any credit card in Germany will involve a check of your Schufa score, Germany’s main credit rating agency. A good score is essential for approval.
Main Card Choices
Here are the main card choices. Detailed information for each card can be found on their respective pages below.
🧑 Private Cards
For Private Individuals
If you don’t have a business, the Gold Card private card is
a great choice for its comprehensive benefits. The Blue Card
private is an excellent, low-cost alternative that also
prevents your miles from expiring, which is its most
crucial benefit.
There is also a new free MyFlex Credit Card (€0/month, 1 mile per €2). It does not protect your miles from expiring, so for expiry protection the Blue Card remains the better pick.