Lufthansa Group Introducing No-Carry-On Basic Economy Fares Next Week

Another day, another airline behaving badly — though this time, it’s multiple airlines. The Lufthansa Group has announced it will introduce a new tier of economy tickets on intra-European flights that don’t include a carry-on bag in the fare.

These new fare types go into effect on April 28, 2026, so you’ll want to be extra vigilant if you’re booking flights within Europe on any Lufthansa Group airline going forward.

Here’s what you need to know to be ready and avoid surprise fees.

Basic Economy Getting Even More Basic in Lufthansa Group

Starting next week, Lufthansa Group will introduce a new “Economy Basic” fare for intra-Europe flights operated by Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City Airlines, and SWISS.

While these new entry-level economy tickets go on sale April 28, they’ll be available on “selected European routes” for departures starting on May 19, 2026.

These tickets are about as bargain-basement as they come, with only a single personal item (like a backpack, laptop bag, tote bag, or similar) included in the fare. Economy Basic tickets are unchangeable and nonrefundable, and you’ll have to pay extra if you want to bring a carry-on, check a bag, or pick a seat in advance.

The addition of Economy Basic will shift Lufthansa’s existing fare structure. Starting on April 28, Economy Light fares will become changeable for a €100 (~$117) fee. Light fares include 1 carry-on and 1 personal item in the ticket price.

Continuing up the chain, travelers can choose from the following fare types: Economy Comfort, Economy Comfort Green, Economy Flex, Business Comfort, and Business Comfort Green. You can learn more about each fare type in detail on Lufthansa’s website.

One final thing to note: It doesn’t appear that there are any exceptions carved out for Miles&More elite members, nor for Star Alliance Gold flyers. Even Lufthansa Group’s most loyal flyers will be forced to pony up more cash for a higher ticket tier if they want to travel with anything more than a single personal item.

Final Thoughts

Lufthansa Group is introducing more restrictive basic economy fares to some of its European routes next week. They’re not on sale yet, but we should get a clearer idea of the new pricing structure come April 28.

This is an unfortunate development for flyers, who will undoubtedly be confused by the new fare structure and who will have to pay even more to fly on a ticket that includes something as basic as a carry-on bag.