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.
