The Miles and More Lufthansa Credit Card from Barclays Bank
Most foreign airline carriers do not offer a co-branded airline credit card to customers in the United States. The German airline Lufthansa is one of the rare exceptions as they offer two different versions of their Miles & More World MasterCard from Barclays Bank.
Barclays Bank and Lufthansa offer both a standard version of their Miles & More card and a Premier version. The standard version offers a sign up bonus of 15,000 miles and the opportunity to earn up to 10,000 additional miles from a balance transfer. The standard card has a $59 annual fee and cardholders will earn one mile per dollar spent on all purchases.
The Premier card offers 20,000 miles as a sign up bonus and customers can earn up to an additional 15,000 miles when they complete a balance transfer. Like the standard card, customers will receive one mile per dollar spent on most purchases, as well as two miles per dollar for purchases from Lufthansa as well as about a dozen other airline partners. There is a $79 annual fee for the Premier card, but it is waived for Lufthansa’s elite members.
Both airline credit cards feature an annual companion ticket valid for economy class tickets in some fare classes. With both products, cardmembers will receive a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for six months. Subsequently, the standard APR will apply, which is equal to the Prime Rate plus 12.74% or 21.74%, depending on the applicant’s credit worthiness. Both cards have a foreign transaction fee of 1%.
This is a rare opportunity to earn credit card reward miles with a foreign carrier through credit card spending alone. Since Lufthansa is a member of the Star Alliance, Miles & More points can be redeemed with over 40 alliance members and other partners of Lufthansa. In addition, miles earned though travel on these members, such as United and US Airways may also be credited to a Miles & More account, making this a worthwhile program for American travelers.
Unfortunately, this card features few non-mileage perks such as priority check in or boarding. The one major perk they do offer, the companion certificate, is only valid on economy class seats, and is restricted to the higher fare classes. While few international travelers should tolerate any credit card with a foreign transaction fee, Barclays bank has alleviated some of this expense by only charging a 1% fee rather than the 3% charge levied by most of their other products.
These are good products for Lufthansa fliers or those who just wish to earn rewards with them instead of another Star Alliance partner. The companion certificate could be useful to a business traveler who may already be paying the higher fares required to utilize it. Lufthansa has a well-earned reputation for service and efficiency, and American travelers can now enjoy a credit card that helps them to enjoy this experience on their next award flight.
