Lufthansa Increases Fuel Surcharges for the Third Time This Year

Travelers using Lufthansa’s Miles & More program are in for a rude awakening. Lufthansa Group has raised the surcharges attached to many award tickets — for the third time in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know and what you can expect to pay going forward.

Lufthansa Raises Fuel Surcharges for Award Redemptions

For the third time this year, Lufthansa has announced higher fuel surcharges. This latest increase follows 2 rounds of higher surcharges in March and is mainly aimed at Miles & More award redemptions.

The new changes affect more than just flights to North America, with surcharges for several Asian and other international destinations also increasing. Depending on the route, Lufthansa has increased fuel surcharges by up to 25%, and that is just this round alone.

For example, a one-way Lufthansa business class award between Frankfurt (FRA), Germany, and St. Louis (STL) incurs $1,035 in taxes and fees, including fuel surcharges.

The same applies to other destinations. For example, a one-way award between Frankfurt and Hyderabad (HYD), India, incurs $587 in taxes and fees, including fuel surcharges.

This isn’t entirely surprising. With wars in the Middle East and interruptions to the global energy supply, fuel prices have been rising worldwide. Airlines around the world have been raising their fuel surcharges, and the U.S. Department of Transportation recently reported that airline fuel prices in August were up 62.2% from the same month the previous year.

What This Means for Travelers

Lufthansa already has some of the highest fuel surcharges of any airline worldwide. For Miles & More members, the latest increase adds another layer of expenses for passengers hoping to redeem miles for long-haul travel.

Travelers who have accumulated miles expecting to book premium cabin awards may now face hundreds of dollars or even more than $1,000 in additional charges, making Lufthansa award tickets considerably less attractive.

This increase also highlights the importance of comparing the total cost of an award ticket rather than only the mileage component. Travelers planning to use Lufthansa miles should check cash fares before redeeming miles.

In some cases, the additional fees on award tickets can represent a significant portion of the price of a regular paid fare. Additionally, partner airlines and loyalty programs may offer similar routes with substantially lower taxes and surcharges.

Final Thoughts

Lufthansa has announced another hike to its fuel surcharges, the third major increase this year. This is another major blow for travelers hoping to redeem Miles & More miles for award travel. This is all happening against the backdrop of rising fuel prices worldwide.

The value of Lufthansa award redemptions is becoming significantly harder to justify. Worst of all, as fuel costs remain volatile, further changes cannot be ruled out.