My Road to Lufthansa HON Circle Status in 2025

As a frequent flyer with a global role as Field CTO for a software company based in Silicon Valley, travel has always been a significant part of my life. From long-haul flights to international conferences to short-haul connections between European cities, I spend at least roughly 30% of my working time in planes, lounges, and hotels. Achieving Lufthansa HON Circle (Miles & More) status in 2025 is a goal I’ve set for myself. Here’s my journey toward making it a reality. This isn’t about earning a title. It’s about improving my life and travel quality by adding more comfort and convenience to my frequent journeys, making the time I spend in the air and at airports more enjoyable and productive. This is primarily a technology blog, but many of my peers are frequent travelers who share an interest in optimizing their travel experiences.

The Background: My Role and Travel Lifestyle

My work as Field CTO at a global software company involves meeting customers, partners, analysts and the broader tech community worldwide. I give presentations at conferences, validate business value and use cases of our products in workshops, and enable colleagues globally. Explore my in-depth article on the job role of a Field CTO to gain insights into this fascinating and challenging position.

I’ve embraced a lifestyle where I work efficiently from wherever I am—whether it’s an airport lounge, a plane, a hotel room, or a conference venue. Over the years, I’ve mastered the art of productive travel.

My home airport is Nürnberg (NUE), a small German airport with frequent daily connections through Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS), (Paris (CDG) and Istanbul (IST). Unfortunately, the excellent, short flight to Munich (MUC) was killed after the pandemic for political reasons. Therefore, sometimes, I begin my travel in Munich (MUC) by car.

My travel is a mix of international long-haul (10-12 trips annually, primarily to the U.S.,  but also to the Middle East and Asia) and short-haul flights across Europe. The total is around 100 flight segments per year.

While my company typically covers economy (short haul) or premium economy (long haul), I’ve personally upgraded most of my long-haul flights with cash to business class for comfort. This is essential for such a high-travel lifestyle. Mile upgrades, while an option, are often too risky and annoying—they don’t always come through, and at Lufthansa Group (unlike many U.S. airlines), changes or refunds are not easily managed if plans shift. Worse, you typically lose the upgrade entirely in the process, making it an unreliable and costly choice for frequent and flexible travelers like me.

Reassessing Loyalty: Balancing Quality, Cost, and Comfort

I’ve been a Lufthansa Senator for years, enjoying perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and better upgrade opportunities. However, the pandemic changed my travel habits.

To save costs and access better business class experiences, I began flying with airlines like Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and KLM. My primary focus is on the business class seat, and unfortunately, Lufthansa’s offering has been very outdated compared to competitors. For instance, while United Airlines may have worse service and food than Lufthansa, their business class seats are far superior, and for me, the seat—providing comfort and rest on long-haul flights—is what matters most.

While this approach worked initially, it came with challenges:

Declining Quality and Service Over Time

While affordable, my experiences with Turkish Airlines have been mixed recently. The airline, which once stood out for its premium service and comfort, has shown a noticeable decline in several areas. Outdated seats, inconsistent in-flight service, and overcrowded lounges have made the overall experience less appealing. These issues, combined with challenges like poor lounge Wi-Fi and reduced food options, highlight a significant drop in quality compared to previous years.

KLM, while often available at a similarly “cheap” price for long haul business class, offers a consistent but less premium experience. The service is reliable but never reaches the high standards of the Middle Eastern carriers or Lufthansa Group when it comes to overall quality and attention to detail. While KLM remains a solid option for budget-conscious business class travelers, it lacks the exceptional service and comfort that make certain airlines stand out in the business class experience.

Longer Connection Times and Inconvenient Layovers

Flying with non-Lufthansa airlines often comes with the challenge of inconvenient layovers at hubs far from Germany, which has become increasingly frustrating over time. For example, connections via Istanbul require a roughly 3-hour flight from Germany, while reaching Doha for Qatar Airways takes about 6 hours—often scheduled in the middle of the night.

These long feeder flights, combined with awkward timings, make it difficult to get any meaningful rest, exacerbating jet lag when crossing multiple time zones. Adding to the discomfort, lounges at these hubs are frequently overcrowded during rush hours, offering little respite between flights. This contrasts sharply with the more convenient and less stressful connections offered by Lufthansa at hubs like FRA, MUC, ZRH or VIE.

Moreover, if a feeder flight is canceled—a relatively common occurrence, especially in winter—traveling via FRA or MUC offers the relatively efficient option of taking a train or rental car to get home. In contrast, when connecting even in relatively close hubs like AMS or CDG, there are no such alternatives. Rebooking to the next day becomes the only option, significantly extending travel time and adding to the inconvenience.

Fragmented Benefits and the Challenges of Multiple Alliance

Switching between different loyalty programs has diluted the perks I could consistently enjoy, making airlines like KLM less appealing despite their affordability and the convenience of a short flight to Amsterdam. While KLM is often a cheaper option, it belongs to a different alliance, creating challenges for earning and redeeming points, securing upgrades, and maintaining status benefits. Additionally, KLM lacks a First Class option, which further limits its appeal for premium travel.

After the pandemic, when earning status became easier, I even (unintentionally) achieved gold status in all three major alliances—Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld. While this gave me broader access to lounges and benefits, it also fragmented my rewards and made it harder to concentrate on one program to maximize the (premium) perks.

And let’s not even start on the connecting experience at CDG airport in Paris—it’s easily one of the worst in Europe. Only LHR in London can rival it for sheer chaos and inefficiency. These factors make sticking with Lufthansa and Star Alliance far more attractive for frequent and seamless travel.

Why Lufthansa HON Circle (Miles & More)?

The introduction of Lufthansa’s new loyalty program, based on points rather than revenue, reignited my interest in sticking with the Lufthansa Group. It rewards true frequent flyers over those who simply buy the most expensive tickets, making HON Circle a feasible goal.

While Lufthansa Senator status provides great benefits, HON Circle takes it to another level, offering a first-class experience that caters specifically to frequent long-haul travelers like me. The most significant benefits for me include:

• First-Class Lounges: Exclusive access to quieter, less crowded lounges with premium amenities in hubs like FRA, MUC, and ZRH.
• Limousine Service: Seamless transfers from the plane to the terminal in a luxury car, avoiding long walks or bus rides.
• Top Upgrade Priority: The highest chances of securing upgrades to first class, especially valuable on ultra-long-haul flights.
• Enhanced Comfort for Connecting Flights: Traveling via FRA, MUC or ZRH becomes a pleasant experience rather than a hassle.
• Simplified Travel: Sticking with one airline group simplifies bookings, loyalty points, and service consistency.

An extra benefit of achieving HON Circle status is that you can earn many points toward becoming a Lifetime Senator, which gives you Star Alliance Gold status with Lufthansa for for your entire life. Under the new system, you need 40,000 qualifying points to achieve this. Since you earn at least 6,000 points per year by reaching HON Circle, it becomes quite easy to reach this goal.

The Unmatched Luxury of Lufthansa HON Circle (Miles & More) vs. United Global Services

For international readers, HON Circle is somewhat comparable to United Global Services. However, HON takes it a step further with its unparalleled First-Class experience. Even on domestic economy flights, the access to First-Class lounges and the limousine service elevate the travel experience to a level that is simply unmatched. This premium service is exclusive to Lufthansa Group and a select few luxury carriers in the Middle East and Asia, making it one of the most sought-after statuses in the world of frequent flying.

Lufthansa Business Class: Competitive Again with Allegris

Looking ahead, Lufthansa’s Allegris cabin upgrade is slowly being introduced. While it won’t be widely available in 2025, it is expected to roll out more extensively in 2026 ahead. This upgrade finally makes Lufthansa’s business class seats competitive with other leading airlines. While I, like many, am not particularly enthusiastic about the new First Class with the double bed in the middle, I anticipate that HON Circle members will be prioritized for the best Allegris business class seats as complimentary upgrades, adding even more value to the status.

The Challenges: Cost and Commitment

Pursuing HON Circle status comes at a cost, both financially and in terms of flexibility. Here’s what I anticipate:

Increased Costs

Achieving HON Circle status requires accruing 6,000 HON Circle points annually. HON Circle points can only be collected by flying Lufthansa Group airlines in business or first class. While my company covers travel expenses for economy on short-haul flights and premium economy on long-haul trips, I personally cover the difference to upgrade to business class or book directly in a higher fare class. These upgrades are essential not only for comfort but also to meet the points requirement for HON Circle status.

In 2025, I estimate that my personal expenses for upgrades and ticket premiums will increase significantly to past years. This includes the higher costs of flying exclusively with the Lufthansa Group instead of mixing in cheaper alternatives like Turkish Airlines, KLM, or Qatar Airways, as well as the premium fares required for certain routes and schedules.

While this is a substantial financial commitment, I see it as an investment in improving my travel quality and overall experience. The enhanced comfort, time savings, and first-class perks provided by HON status make the additional expense worthwhile, especially given the amount of time I spend in the air and at airports for my job.

Reduced Flexibility

Sticking with the Lufthansa Group means foregoing cheaper or more convenient flights with other airlines like KLM or Turkish Airlines. This commitment to maintaining loyalty often requires compromises in terms of flexibility. For instance, KLM has excellent direct flights to Las Vegas while Turkish Airlines is perfect for many Asian countries where Lufthansa usually requires a stopover in San Francisco/Los Angeles/Denver/Chicago respectively Singapore/Bangkok for many less important travel destinations.

While my home airport is Nürnberg (NUE), Lufthansa’s pricing or flight schedules sometimes make it necessary for me to start my journey from Munich (MUC), which involves a two-hour car drive. In contrast, from NUE, I could easily connect to hubs like Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG) or Istanbul (IST) with multiple daily flights—up to four times a day.

This convenience with other airlines often offers not only better prices but also shorter overall travel times. However, prioritizing Lufthansa Group for HON Circle status means sacrificing these options to consolidate points and loyalty benefits.

Strategic Planning

Achieving HON Circle status requires not only frequent flying but also careful planning to optimize both costs and points. To meet the requirements efficiently, I rely on two key strategies:

Flexible Travel Dates (If meetings and events allow)

I plan my travel strategically, often avoiding the most expensive and high-demand days for business travel. For example, instead of flying Sunday to Friday like many executives, I schedule my trips for Wednesday to Tuesday whenever possible. This flexibility allows me to book more affordable business class fares while still aligning with my work commitments.

Additionally, I sometimes extend my travel by a day or two of vacation to take advantage of significantly lower fares (and relax) or incorporate a weekend to transition between cities or countries where I have meetings. This not only optimizes costs but also makes the travel experience smoother and less stressful.

Leveraging “Cheap Airports” (if business class is too expensive from my home airport)

If business class fares from Germany are prohibitively expensive, I sometimes start long-haul Lufthansa trips from “cheap airports” like AMS (Amsterdam) or CPH (Copenhagen), where fares can often be €1,000–€2,000 lower than from German airports (for Lufthansa flights, not for direct flights with the home airline). However, this strategy introduces additional complexity. To reach these airports, I need to book a feeder flight or drive to the departure city, adding travel time and personal expenses. These feeder flights are not covered by my company and must be paid for out of my pocket.

While this approach can save significantly on the overall cost of long-haul business class tickets, it requires extra coordination and effort. Planning routes, ensuring seamless connections, and managing additional logistics can be time-consuming. Despite these challenges, these strategies are essential trade-offs to achieve my HON Circle status goal in 2025 while keeping the financial impact manageable.

My Strategy for Lufthansa HON Circle Status

Achieving HON Circle status in 2025 will require careful and deliberate planning. Here’s the approach I’m taking to make it a reality:

Prioritize Lufthansa Group Flights

Whenever possible, I will fly Lufthansa Group flights. This includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and a few others. I fly business class, especially on long haul flights. This ensures that most of my flights contribute to HON Circle points and align with my strategy to accumulate the required status points efficiently.

For short-haul flights, I’ll cash upgrade to business class when feasible, even though the value may not be as strong as in the U.S. or Asia, where domestic business class provides a true premium seat. The key is to prioritize accumulating HON points effectively. I will upgrade most of the time in 2025 to reach HON Circle. But beginning 2026, I can be relaxed as my long haul flights should be sufficient to keep the HON Circle status for the next year.

Optimize Booking Strategies

To manage costs, I’ll book routes and dates strategically. This sometimes means choosing flights with better fares from neighboring airports like AMS (Amsterdam) or PRG (Prague) instead of starting from my home airport in Germany. These routes sometimes offer significantly lower business class fares, making them an essential part of my strategy. I will avoid this option whenever possible. But I am ready to do this two or three times a year if needed to “save” a few thousand Euros.

Conduct Quarterly Status Checks

I’ll regularly monitor my progress toward accumulating 6,000 HON Circle points by reviewing my points balance and upcoming travel plans. I’m fully committed to achieving HON Circle status in 2025, but I’ll reevaluate whether to continue pursuing it in 2026 and beyond. Ultimately, the decision will depend on weighing the costs against the value and comfort provided by the benefits. But honestly, as long as I travel as much as I do right now, I am confident that it is worth the spent for the better comfort.

Leverage Cash Upgrades

I’ll frequently book premium economy for long-haul flights and cash upgrade to business class when the cost is reasonable. However, as I’ve explained earlier, this approach can be risky because upgrades are forfeited if the flight needs to be rebooked. To avoid losing both the upgrade and flexibility, I’ll consider this option carefully for each trip. This is mainly possible if dates are fixed. For instance, if I fly to a country for a week long conference. In that case, the travel dates are fix and will not change after the flight booking.

Work Around Travel Needs

I plan my travel to align with my ability to work anywhere, taking advantage of flexible travel dates and layovers to secure cheaper fares without sacrificing productivity. For instance, I use time in transit to work extensively—whether on flights or in lounges—preparing presentations, writing, or catching up on emails.

However, I balance this travel-heavy schedule by minimizing work commitments when I’m at home. For example, if I’m home on a Friday, I typically dedicate just two hours in the morning to emails before focusing on family, friends, and hobbies for the weekend. I also do longer travel breaks, e.g., during the German summer or around the Christmas break.

This combination of strategic planning, flexibility, and balancing cost versus value will help me achieve my goal of HON Circle status in 2025 while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

My Lufthansa HON Circle Road Ahead: Updates in 2025

Reaching HON Circle status will be a significant milestone in my frequent flyer journey. Throughout 2025, I’ll share updates on my progress, including:

• Points and Bookings: How close I am to achieving the required 6,000 points and insights into my booking strategies.
• Cost Analysis: A breakdown of the additional expenses incurred for HON status and whether the benefits justify the investment.
• Lessons Learned: Challenges, surprises, and tips for others pursuing similar goals.

For me, pursuing HON Circle is not about achieving a status. It’s about enhancing the quality of life by making frequent travel more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable. Although it involves meticulous planning and a financial investment, the rewards of a seamless and elevated travel experience are invaluable for someone who spends as much time traveling as I do.

Now is the right time. Although I still miss having flights to ZRH and VIE from my home airport NUE, my biggest concern is losing FRA as a feeder flight. Green politicians have been debating this for a while. If this happens, I would have to change my entire travel strategy again, connecting at non-German hubs like AMS or IST. Like most frequent travelers, I will NOT take a three-hour train ride every week as a feeder option. However, I don’t think this will happen because Lufthansa and green politicians understand that it would just drive loyal German customers to international airlines.

Stay tuned for HON Circle updates on my blog as I navigate the world of travel and aim to elevate my Lufthansa experience in 2025. You can subscribing to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn or X (former Twitter) to stay in touch. But please keep in mind that this is mainly a software and technology blog, not about travel…