Lufthansa City Airlines Finally Joins Star Alliance
ID 178450893 | Lufthansa © Harald Obergrusberger | Dreamstime.com
Lufthansa City Airlines (IATA: VL) will be integrated into Star Alliance on September 9, 2025. That means Star Alliance benefits and earning/redemption will finally apply on VL-operated flights, aligning the experience with mainline Lufthansa (LH).
Quick background: What is Lufthansa City Airlines?
Launched in June 2024, Lufthansa City Airlines is a wholly owned Lufthansa Group subsidiary created to operate short/medium-haul flying with a lower cost base. To customers, it’s meant to feel like Lufthansa: same cabins, fares, and routes; the main difference until now has been the flight code (VL vs LH).
Why this matters
Until this change, Star Alliance elites flying on VL metal were stuck in a no-man’s-land: no alliance lounge access, priority check-in, priority boarding, or guaranteed mileage accrual outside Lufthansa’s own Miles & More. That was especially frustrating on routes where LH and VL alternate the exact same timetable and price.
What changes on September 9, 2025
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Star Alliance Gold/Silver recognition on VL flights (status earned with any Star Alliance program).
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Alliance benefits honored: priority check-in, security (where available), boarding, standby, and extra baggage per your program rules.
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Lounge access for eligible customers, including when the long-haul segment is on another Star carrier and the feeder is on VL.
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Earning and redemption on VL across Star Alliance programs, subject to each program’s updated earning charts.
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Through-ticketing and through-check of bags on mixed itineraries with other Star carriers becomes cleaner and more consistent.
Earning and redeeming miles
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Accrual rates will be set by each frequent-flyer program’s chart for “Lufthansa City Airlines (VL).” Expect them to mirror or closely track Lufthansa’s short-haul earning, but verify fare-class mapping once charts are published.
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Award booking: VL segments should appear in Star Alliance award engines post-integration. Space will depend on inventory controls set by Lufthansa Group.
How to spot a VL flight when booking
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Look for the operating carrier field: “Operated by Lufthansa City Airlines.”
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Flight numbers typically carry the VL code. If you see an LH flight number, check the “operated by” line to know which rules/benefits apply. After September 9, benefits apply either way, but aircraft type, seat maps, and snack/beverage policies can still vary slightly by subfleet.
Practical tips for travelers
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If you’re Star Gold and had been avoiding VL to keep lounge access, you can book VL freely for travel on or after September 9, 2025.
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Mixed tickets (e.g., United long-haul + VL feeder) should now honor full Star benefits end-to-end. Keep your Star number in the reservation and verify priority tags at check-in.
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Re-check mileage credit after the integration date; if a segment misses, most programs allow retro-claims once VL is in their partner list.
Caveats and fine print to watch
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Benefit start date: only travel on/after September 9, 2025 will be covered. Tickets flown earlier remain under the old rules.
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Some airports outsource lounges; access still follows Star’s standard rules for same-day travel and eligible itineraries.
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Earning rates for deep-discount fare classes may vary by program. Check your FFP’s VL table once published.
Bottom line
Lufthansa City Airlines joining Star Alliance fixes a glaring inconsistency for customers: the same planes, schedules, and fares will finally come with the same alliance perks. From September 9, 2025, Star elites regain lounge and priority services on VL, and miles will accrue and redeem across Star programs—bringing the “feels like Lufthansa” promise in line with reality.
