Lufthansa Status Match Returns: BA Gold Members Can Get Star Alliance-Wide Lounge Access

If you've been feeling a bit unloved by British Airways lately, you're not alone. But here's some good news: Lufthansa's Miles & More programme has relaunched its status match for British Airways Club members, and it's available right now.

This is particularly interesting for those of us who've been exploring options outside oneworld. Combined with the Air France Flying Blue status match that launched last month, you could potentially hold elite status across all three major alliances – oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam – simultaneously.

The match works differently depending on your current BA status:

BA Gold members (and above) receive Senator status in Miles & More. This is the headline benefit – Senator gives you Star Alliance-wide lounge access, fast track security, and priority boarding across all Star Alliance carriers. If you've ever wanted to access those United Polaris lounges or Singapore Airlines SilverKris facilities, this is your ticket in.

BA Bronze and Silver members receive Frequent Traveller status. This is more limited – you get lounge access, but only at lounges directly operated by Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings). This includes the recently refurbished Lufthansa lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2, which is actually rather nice. You won't get Star Alliance-wide lounge access, fast track security, or priority boarding with this tier.

There's a €99 administration fee to complete the status match. Your new status will be valid until 28th February 2027, giving you just over a year to enjoy the benefits.

To requalify beyond that date, you'll need to meet Lufthansa's standard qualification requirements by the end of 2026. Importantly, 50% of the qualifying points must be earned on Miles & More airlines – you can't maintain status purely by flying United or Singapore Airlines.

For BA Gold members: Yes, almost certainly. Senator status opens up an entirely new world of lounge access across Star Alliance. If you have even one or two trips planned with Star Alliance carriers over the next year, the €99 fee will likely pay for itself. Access to lounges like the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt (with business class bookings), United Clubs worldwide, and countless others makes this excellent value.

For BA Silver members: This is more marginal. You're trading broader oneworld Sapphire benefits for more limited Lufthansa Group-only lounge access. If you regularly fly through Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, or Vienna, it could be worthwhile. If your Star Alliance flying is mainly with United or Singapore Airlines, the value drops significantly since you won't get lounge access with them.

For BA Bronze members: This is actually quite compelling if it works for you (see the note below about current issues). Bronze doesn't include any lounge access with BA, so gaining access to Lufthansa Group lounges for €99 is a genuine upgrade. Even if you only use it a handful of times, you're likely to get value from it.

Head to the Miles & More status match website and follow the application process. You'll need to submit proof of your BA status.

Critical tip: Submit a screenshot from your British Airways app showing your status. Physical cards and photographs of cards have been rejected in previous status match campaigns. The screenshot should clearly show your name, membership number, and current tier.

You'll need a Miles & More account to complete the match. If you don't have one, you can create it during the application process – it's free to join.

One often-overlooked benefit: if you have an existing Miles & More balance that's at risk of expiring (miles expire after three years of inactivity), holding any elite status suspends the expiration clock. This alone could make the €99 worthwhile if you have a substantial balance sitting dormant.

Yes! These are separate programmes, and you can absolutely hold status in both. With BA Gold, you could potentially have oneworld Emerald (via BA), Star Alliance Gold (via Lufthansa Senator), and SkyTeam Elite Plus (via Flying Blue Gold) simultaneously. That's comprehensive lounge access across virtually every major airline in the world.

As a BA Gold holder myself, I have just applide and been accepted for this. The Star Alliance lounge network is genuinely excellent, and having options outside oneworld is increasingly valuable as BA continues to make changes to its loyalty programme.

For those of you chasing or maintaining BA status, don't forget to use our BA Tier Point Calculator to work out how your upcoming flights will contribute to your tier points under the new British Airways Club system.

And if you're flying Star Alliance carriers with your new Senator status, check out our Airport Lounge List to find which lounges you can now access at your destination.

Have you applied for the match? Let me know how you get on via Instagram.

Jack