Uptrip & Loyalty

The Uptrip App has released numerous collections over time, offering users various benefits, products, and services. Some are currently active, while others have ended. To make it easier to keep track and spot trends, we’ve divided the collections into four main categories: Miles & More and Status, Lounge & Travel Comfort, Partner Vouchers & Travel Services, and Lufthansa Worldshop & Specials.

The overview below is not exhaustive, as not all historical collections are still visible in the app. Nevertheless, we hope it provides a good sense of what to expect from Uptrip.

Miles & More and Status

These collections focus on points, miles, or specific status benefits, directly targeting frequent flyers and Miles & More users. With these Uptrip collections, you can collect extra qualifying points toward your frequent flyer status—or even achieve full FTL status.

Target audience: Frequent flyers, Miles & More users, status seekers, mileage hunters, and upgrade chasers.
*Updated: Thanks to the MeilenJunkies Team.

Lounge & Travel Comfort

These collections focus on lounges, Wi-Fi, and airport services, aiming to increase comfort during travel and make waiting times more enjoyable. Many of these offers target travelers without status who still want access to perks like business lounges.

Target audience: Travelers without frequent flyer status, comfort-oriented travelers, occasional travelers, and leisure travelers.

Partner Vouchers & Other Services

These collections include travel vouchers and services from partners such as Sixt or Babbel. They provide discounts for flights or services not directly related to the airline but designed to make travel more convenient or affordable.

Target audience: Very broad; cannot be reduced simply to bargain hunters.

Fun fact: In my account, the “Make Change Fly” collection is listed as ended and with a Compensaid voucher. In my mother-in-law’s account, the same collection is still active and offers 40 Points (not to be confused with the similarly named “Insight Art: Make Change Fly” collection). It’s unclear whether this is a glitch or if Uptrip is experimenting with personalized offers or A/B testing.

Lufthansa Worldshop & Specials

This category includes merchandise, fan items, trolleys, sneakers, or lottery offers for Lufthansa Group community flights. These collections often appeal to fans of the Lufthansa brand.

Target audience: Lufthansa fans, people interested in brand merchandise or exclusive promotions.

Current update: This category includes two Uptrip App collections from the August edition.

Offer Evaluation

Looking at the Uptrip collections, it’s clear the company tries to cater for different needs and audiences. Lounge access and status points are relatively frequent offerings. If you are interested, follow our discussion on how well Uptrip is currently addressing their audience needs.

As a frequent flyer who originally discovered the app because of the points offers, the analysis was surprising. I “felt” that there were relatively few status point promotions—likely because in my account, points are rarely active, as I redeem them immediately. Conversely, lounge access offers, which have little use for someone with Senator status, tend to accumulate in my account.

The variety and value of partner offers, however, could be improved. There are also few active and attractive Lufthansa brand-related collections. This is surprising, given that Lufthansa still has a highly loyal customer base.

The Uptrip collections in August have sparked mixed reactions within the community. While some users welcome the latest offers, others voiced criticism on social media: too few campaigns, a lack of innovation or usefulness, and a low release frequency. At the same time, it’s clear that Uptrip is still a young product in a phase of growth and experimentation (you can find an estimate of currently active Uptrip users). Let’s take a closer look at the current collections, their potential, and what the future might hold.

How should the user feedback be interpreted?

When evaluating the current collections, it’s important to keep in mind that Uptrip has only been around for about three years. The app only really gained traction last year, particularly after its integration into Lufthansa’s Miles & More loyalty program – a shift that brought significant changes.

Only recently has Uptrip begun to establish a regular release rhythm. By now, the cadence is similar to Miles & More: roughly monthly collections, though not always at the beginning of the month. That’s a positive step forward for the community.

Still, Uptrip needs to keep its target audience in mind: the app appeals to a younger, more tech-savvy generation accustomed to gamification and fast-paced content. At the same time, the range of offers is not yet on par with Miles & More. The partner list shows that Uptrip is still working internally on expanding attractive partner offers.

There’s plenty of room for growth and potential to adress the Uptrip collection community feedback. For now, most collections are based on Lufthansa Group offers, such as:

• Lounge access
• Flight rewards or vouchers
• Miles and Points
• Products from the WorldShop

This should not be underestimated, however: most users are Lufthansa Group fans, so these options are still valuable to them.

More variety and higher frequency needed

To adress the Uptrip collection community feedback and to expand the growing of the community and demanding user base, Uptrip will need to broaden its collections and release them more frequently. Here are some ideas we at Scantofly have gathered (beyond the much desired Senator collection):

Innovative and exclusive Uptrip offers

1. Free checked baggage voucher (even in Eco Light fares)
2. Free seat selection voucher (across participating airlines)
3. Complimentary Fast Lane access where pre-booking slots is available
4. Limited First-Class Terminal/Lounge access (off-peak times)
5. Blind booking tickets
6. (More) exclusive products from the World Shop

More redemption options for Miles & More

1. More frequent opportunities to earn a few extra miles
2. Qualifying Points as a contribution toward status
3. eVouchers or other upgrade options
4. Vouchers for flight bookings
5. Regular free WiFi vouchers (usable multiple times)
6. Vouchers for the World Shop

Conclusion and outlook

Uptrip is still in an experimental and growth phase. Especially within the Lufthansa Group, quick and flexible solutions aren’t always possible right away. Criticism of the current collections is understandable, but it should be seen in the context of how far the product has already come. With more variety, higher frequency, and targeted offers, Uptrip has the potential to keep delighting its users.

The fact that Uptrip wants to evolve is already clear: selected users were recently invited to interviews to share their wishes and suggestions. We at Scantofly are excited to see which steps Uptrip will take next.

On Thursday afternoon, Uptrip released new collections redeemable in the app. We’re taking a closer look at these releases and summarizing the feedback from social media.

Miles & More Launches Three New Collections

The Miles & More app, Uptrip, has released the following new collections:

• Kapstadt Kick
• Layover Genuss
• Jet Set Comfort #3

Uptrip Collection “Kapstadt Kick”

Lottery ticket for 5 × 2 community flight tickets from Munich to Cape Town on November 23, 2025, returning December 8, 2025, in Economy Class. Since this is already the second Community Flight, it indicates the success of the initiative and high demand.

Participation in the lottery requires only 4 cards, 2 of which must be original cards. Due to this low barrier to entry, a large number of participants is expected, which means the chances of winning are relatively low.

Estimated odds: between 1:10,000 and 1:20,000 – potentially slightly better, as not everyone can fly at the exact scheduled times.

Uptrip Collection “Layover Genuss”

A business lounge voucher redeemable with 7 cards, 4 of which must be originals. Also relatively easy to obtain and widely available. This collection has appeared before and was especially popular with users without frequent flyer status. Users with status like FTL or Senator already have access.

Uptrip Collection “Jet Set Comfort #3”

For the third time in a short period, an amenity kit from the Lufthansa Life Collection is being offered. The 30-piece limited offer was claimed within about an hour – similar to previous editions. This is despite the requirement of 17 cards, including very specific ones (like Lufthansa City Airlines and LH A350-900) and 13 originals.

User Reactions

Within the first hour after the email announcement, the app servers experienced heavy load – a clear sign of high interest. The amenity kit quickly became a bestseller again. The Cape Town lottery is also likely to be well-received, as the entry barrier is low.

On social media, there were also critical voices: frequent flyers and very active users find some new collections irregular and not very attractive. Additional amenity kits or lounge vouchers for users who already have them draw little attention.

Uptrip’s social media team assured that they take the criticism seriously. Whether and what consequences this will have for future releases remains unclear.

Officially, Lufthansa has only been awarding the Senator status for life since January 1, 2024. However, even before that, there were always rumors that certain long-standing customers had been granted the frequent flyer status permanently. I was able to see firsthand that this wasn’t just a rumor when looking at my grandfather’s account—he traveled extensively worldwide as a former executive at Deloitte. In this post, I’ll share some details about the Miles & More Lifetime Senator status and discuss whether it might be worthwhile and for whom.

Miles & More Account of a Lifetime Senator

Many frequent flyers dream of lifelong status, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down—despite Lufthansa gradually reducing the benefits for Senators and the growing environmental awareness among travelers. But what actually changes when you reach the status?

Aside from a congratulatory email, only a few details in the Miles & More account are updated. The change is actually quite modest for someone who may have “worked towards it” for decades.

Miles & More account with Lifetime Senator status

Everything else remains the same. Invitations to frequent flyer events continue, and when comparing my regular Senator status with my grandfather’s, there’s no difference in invites or promotions. The main—and not insignificant—advantage is that from that point on, you no longer need to worry about qualifying points

Is Lifetime Senator Status Achievable?

With 40,000 qualifying points, the bar is set high if you don’t travel extensively for work. One or two personal vacation flights—even in business class—won’t get you very far.

Here’s a quick calculation for someone like me, who usually just manages to earn Senator status each year:

An international business flight—including outbound, return, and any connecting segments (even by train)—earns 480 qualifying points. Four such flights per year would put you just under the Senator threshold (1,920 points). Add two domestic return flights, or convert some premium miles into points, and you’d reach the goal.

Most people don’t fly long-haul business class four times a year. If it’s only three flights, you’d need to make up the missing points with something like 28 domestic return flights—that’s flying more than every other week.

If you manage this consistently for 20 years (40,000 points at 2,000 per year), you become a Lifetime Senator. By then, you might not even want to board another plane 😊.

For a small circle of true frequent flyers, the calculation looks different. Those who manage to reach HON Circle status for several years—earning at least 6,000 qualifying points with the Lufthansa Group—could become Lifetime Senators in well under 10 years. This would typically require around 13 long-haul business flights with connections each year. At that point, a second home near the destination might even make sense…

Much Ado About Nothing?

Of course, Senator status comes with perks that make flying more comfortable, and I won’t list them all here. Personally, I enjoy spending less time waiting at crowded gates, sleeping in a bit longer for early flights, and generally benefiting from faster lounge access.

However, I see only limited advantages in the Lufthansa Lifetime Senator status itself. In my grandfather’s case, he received it as he approached retirement and had already started flying less frequently. In the last 10 years, he probably flew fewer than 10 times.

The real benefit is likely limited to the small group of HON Circle members who can earn the required 40,000 qualifying points in 10 years or less and who can enjoy the Senator status while still actively traveling.

Miles & More is running the “Friends Fly Further” contest exclusively via the Uptrip app from July 16 to August 16, 2025 – and may have inadvertently hinted at its active user numbers.

Prizes to win:

• 1st place: €1,000 flight voucher
• 2nd place: €700 flight voucher
• 3rd place: €300 flight voucher
• 4th–50th place: One Joker Card (if not already owned) valued 10€
• 51st place and below: Entry into a prize draw for Sennheiser Momentum 4 Lufthansa Edition headphones

Is Uptrip revealing active user numbers?

Since integrating Uptrip into the Miles & More ecosystem, the company has been boasting rapid growth. In a recent LinkedIn post, they claimed the app already has almost 200,000 users.

But the total number of registered users doesn’t tell us how many are actually active. Competitions like the one above can lead to more sign-ups, but may also reduce the ratio of active to total users. In fact, Uptrip may have (unintentionally) given us a clue about its active user base.

To see why, we need to look closely at the contest mechanics and understand the ranking system. Uptrip’s leaderboard is clearly based on two factors:

1. Number of friends referred
2. Time of the most recent referrals

This means:

• The more referrals you have, the higher you rank.
• If multiple users have the same number of referrals, the one whose most recent referral was earlier ranks higher. A later referral pushes you down the list.

Example:
You have 4 referred friends and rank #25. Someone with 5 referrals ranks #15. If you then refer a new friend (bringing you to 5 total), you drop behind the existing 5-referral user – maybe to #16 – because your last referral was more recent.

Since even participants with “0” referrals are listed in the leaderboard, the newest sign-up always appears at the very bottom. As the contest has been running for nearly a month, the position of the most recent participant can give us a pretty good idea of how many people have actively logged in and joined over the past four weeks.

I tested this with two friends who signed up back-to-back on August 13:

Conclusion and Estimated Active Users of Uptrip

It’s quite clear: Uptrip gives us a hint about its active user numbers. Both test accounts were placed near the bottom, just under position 15,000. In my view, this provides a fairly good indication of the number of active Uptrip users.

Of course, one could debate the definition of “active users” and rightly point out that not every user participates in a contest. Still, this particular competition was very prominently featured in the app and promoted via social media. The roughly one-month registration period also makes the data meaningful.

If we generously round up to 20,000 active users, this would imply a maximum activity rate of around 10%, which, in my opinion, is actually a pretty decent outcome.

The Lufthansa Uptrip App – Explained

Uptrip is a loyalty app from the Lufthansa Group (Miles & More) that combines gamification with Web3 technology. Flights become digital collectible cards (NFTs) that you can scan or upload. You can then collect, trade, or complete collections and redeem them for rewards such as lounge access, upgrades, miles, or onboard Wi-Fi.
(Source: Uptrip, 2023)

Origins and Context

Uptrip was launched in spring 2023 by the Lufthansa Innovation Hub in Berlin. The project was designed as a complement to the existing Miles & More program, testing new technologies and playful engagement mechanics. Initially released as an MVP (Minimal Viable Product), it is now fully integrated into Miles & More – which, according to reports, has brought not only procedural changes but also a shift from a pilot project to an established offering.

Full integration means more professional workflows, greater reach, and a move from experimental concept to a regular part of the Miles & More ecosystem.
(Sources: Lufthansa Innovation Hub, 2023; Miles & More, 2024)

Target Audience – Younger, Digital, and Curious

The app targets a younger demographic – on average around ten years younger than typical Miles & More members (Source: Miles & More, LinkedIn post, 2024). By combining gamification with NFTs, Uptrip appeals to tech-savvy users who enjoy collecting and unlocking achievements.

Growth of Uptrip’s User Base

Exact user numbers are not shared regularly, so I looked back at older LinkedIn posts to get a sense of Uptrip’s growth over time:

• Spring 2023: ~20,000 users, 200,000 cards
• Late 2023: 70,000+ users, 1 million cards, 70,000 rewards
• Mid 2024: 100,000 users
• Current (2025): ~192,000 users and over 2.5 million cards
  (Sources: Miles & More, LinkedIn posts, 2023–2025)

This clearly shows rapid growth. Current promotions – such as the Friends Fly Further referral contest – will likely accelerate this trend even more. Based on these numbers, I’ve also analyzed Uptrip’s estimated active user base.

The shift from an innovation lab project to a fully integrated Miles & More app strongly suggests Lufthansa’s intention to establish Uptrip for the long term. And with more than 36 million Miles & More members, there’s still huge synergy potential.

Structure & Rewards

Uptrip offers numerous themed collections – for example:

• Travel the World (different cities)
• Lufthansa Fan (aircraft types, events)
• Keep Connected (digital services)

A collection is considered complete when you’ve gathered all its cards. Rewards vary by set and can include free Wi-Fi, lounge passes, miles, or even elite status benefits.

Experimental with Mixed Results

Uptrip still has an experimental edge: new collections and special events are appearing more regularly, but not all are perfectly executed. Past examples include limited events with very few available spots, or announced collections (such as Senator Status) that were later canceled or scaled down – in the Senator case, into a smaller giveaway.

Despite this, the concept remains dynamic and adaptable, with frequent adjustments and new trials.

Conclusion

Uptrip is a promising – and potentially fun – addition to the Miles & More program. It brings fresh energy, opens the door to new technologies, and connects with a younger audience. Personally, I’m curious to see how the concept evolves – and what unique collections and rewards Lufthansa has in store next.

For latest information: Uptrip Website