Lufthansa adds paid seat‑change option on long‑haul flights across its group

Lufthansa Group will charge passengers who wish to change an automatically assigned seat during online check‑in on many long‑haul flights. The fee, introduced on 1 July 2026, applies to Economy, Economy Comfort, Economy Comfort Plus, Economy Green and comparable Premium‑Economy fare classes on airlines including Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Discover Airlines.

Passengers who have pre‑reserved a seat or hold Flex‑tariffs, certain status levels (Senator, HON‑Circle) or travel with families and groups can still switch seats without charge. The amount of the fee varies by route, departure airport and booking time and is shown only at the time of the seat‑change request.

The move follows earlier changes to basic fares and cancellation policies and aligns Lufthansa’s long‑haul pricing with low‑cost carrier practices that charge extra for seat selection.