This is more of a rant.
I have been flying with Lufthansa Group almost exclusively for the last 12 years. I’ve been a Senator for a few years now and currently travel frequently for business across continents, usually in business class. I choose my flights carefully, and I choose Lufthansa because I value the status and the benefits that come with it.
That said, over the last 12 months, I’ve repeatedly tried to upgrade flights using my points, and I’ve failed miserably every single time.
1. Codeshare flights
I’ve booked through the wrong codeshare and ended up not being eligible for an upgrade. I find this absolutely ridiculous, and it can become incredibly cumbersome.
TL;DR: You have to be extremely careful how you book your flight. If you have a connecting flight, make sure the segment you want to upgrade is operated and booked through the same airline.
2. Waiting lists
I’ve been put on waiting lists for multiple flights, especially through partner airlines (stay away from Edelweiss!!!). On one occasion, I checked four days before departure and there were still more than 10 seats available in business class.
Then came the dreaded removal from the waiting list 72 hours before departure, without any prior notification or explanation.
3. Not upgraded even when seats were available
I booked an LH flight from Munich to Vancouver. I was traveling in business class and brought my partner along, booking their ticket in economy. I requested an upgrade for them and they were placed on the waiting list.
The upgrade never cleared.
Once onboard, I noticed there was an empty seat in business class, even though my partner had not been upgraded (so of course I ended up moving back to economy and let my partner in my business class seat). When I asked about it, the crew had no explanation.
The purser was amazing and ultimately allowed me to use the seat, but this only highlighted how broken the entire points/upgrade system is within the Miles & More ecosystem.
At this point, I’d honestly rather they scrap the points upgrade system entirely. It’s absolutely ridiculous and a complete waste of time to even try.
From what I’ve read on the forums, my advice to anyone looking to use their points is simple: just book award flights. Everything else is essentially useless.