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Review
Updated
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Barclays' Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® offers a menu of sweet perks to frequent travelers. In addition to racking up award miles, cardholders have access to a 0% promotional rate on balance transfers. However, the Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® is not a great fit for everyone. Here, we look at the benefits and shortcomings of the card and help you decide if it's right for you.
Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®
Great for: Frequent travelers
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4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good (670-850)
Intro APR 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply, 21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99%.
Balance Transfers: 0%
Regular APR
21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99%, variable
Rewards 1-2 award miles per $1
1-2 award miles
Annual Fee The annual fee will be waived for Senator and HON Circle Members, as long as they maintain their Senator or HON Circle Member status.
$89 (waivable)
Welcome Offer Earn 50,000 award miles if you spend $3,000 in purchases and pay the annual fee, both within the first 90 days.
50,000 award miles
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Consumers looking for a dedicated travel awards card with a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers may benefit from signing up for a Lufthansa credit card.
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- 0% introductory APR on balance transfers
- No foreign transaction fees
- Generous welcome offer
- Companion ticket
- Lounge access
- Achieve Miles & More status faster
- No promotional rate on purchases
- High standard APR
- $89 annual fee
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- Earn 50,000 award miles if you spend $3,000 in purchases and pay the annual fee, both within the first 90 days.
- Earn 2 award miles per $1 spent on ticket purchases directly from Miles & More integrated airline partners.
- Earn 1 award mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Receive two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers after each account anniversary.
- Receive a Companion Ticket after each account anniversary (taxes and fees apply).
- Redeem miles for flight awards and upgrades on Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, SWISS, Star Alliance Airlines and other partners.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Full Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® review
This credit card is a good fit for: Frequent travelers who will benefit by collecting award miles.
Top perks
It may not be perfect for everyone, but for some, the Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® offers just the right perks.
0% introductory rate
The Lufthansa credit card offers a 0% intro rate on balance transfers, with a 15 month term. That makes it a great card for those who want to transfer high-interest debt and save money.
Generous welcome offer
Cardholders who spend $3,000 and pay the annual fee within the first 90 days receive 50,000 award miles. With three months to make purchases, it won't be difficult for most cardholders to take advantage of the offer.
Attractive award miles
Cardholders earn 2 award miles per $1 spent on airline tickets purchased from Miles & More integrated airline partners. Earn 1 award mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No foreign transaction fees
Given that the Lufthansa card is geared toward frequent travelers, charging no foreign transaction fees is an attractive benefit.
Well-rated mobile app
The Barclays credit card mobile app earns a lofty 4.8 out of 5 stars from iOS users on the Apple App Store, and a 4.7 out of 5 stars from Android users on Google Play.
Companion ticket
Each year, after an account anniversary, cardholders receive one complimentary companion ticket (taxes and fees apply).
Airport lounge access
After each account anniversary, cardholders also receive two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge vouchers. Airport lounge access is a benefit more commonly found on credit cards with much higher annual fees, so this perk in particular stands out given that the Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®'s annual fee is just $89.
Achieve Miles & More status faster
The Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® makes it possible to convert award miles earned on purchases into status miles. One time each calendar year, cardholders can convert 5,000 to 25,000 award miles at a 5-to-1 ratio. For example, 5,000 reward miles becomes 1,000 status miles -- great for anyone who wants to achieve status at a faster pace.
What could be improved
No credit card is perfect, and that includes the Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®. Here's what we would change if we could.
No introductory rate on purchases
The 0% intro APR on balance transfers is attractive, but would be even more so if that 0% rate were extended to purchases. Cards that allow users to make purchases at 0% APR can save them hundreds of dollars in interest.
Costly transfer fee
The Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® charges a hefty balance transfer fee. Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Meanwhile, it's common to find balance transfer cards that charge only 3% per balance transfer.
Let's say a cardholder wants to transfer $5,000 from a high-interest credit card. An extra $250 would be tacked onto their balance using this card ($5,000 x .05 = $250). However, if they transferred the same $5,000 to a card charging a 3% balance transfer fee, they would pay $150 instead ($5,000 x .03 = $150).
RELATED: Best 0% APR Credit Cards
High standard APR
They may not be the highest credit card interest rates we've seen, but any way you slice it, carrying a balance with a rate of 21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99%, variable is expensive. Let's say a cardholder carries a $2,000 balance from month to month at a rate of 25.24%, and makes a minimum monthly payment of $60. At that rate, it will take them four years and seven months to pay it off, and they'll end up paying a whopping $1,352 in interest.
Annual fee
Although Senator and HON Circle Members can have their annual fees waived, non-members are stuck with an extra $89 (waivable) tacked onto their credit card bill once a year.
Note: The Lufthansa Miles & More loyalty program is divided into different status level tiers, with Senator and HON Circle being the two most exclusive. To achieve Senator status, a cardholder must earn 100,000 miles in a single calendar year. And to become a HON Circle Member, a cardholder must earn 600,000 HON Circle miles in two consecutive calendar years.
A limited number of ways to redeem miles
Miles earned on the Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® can be redeemed for flight awards and upgrades on a limited number of airlines, including: Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, SWISS, Star Alliance Airlines, and other partners.
Suggested credit score
We suggest applicants carry a FICO® Score of 670 or higher. However, it's important to note that other factors go into determining card eligibility. For example, Barclays will consider factors such as your monthly income, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, and history of late payments.
The Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® is right for you if:
You're a frequent traveler, looking for a card that allows you to transfer high interest debt.
As mentioned, no card is right for everyone. However, this card could be the perfect fit for a specific set of people -- namely, frequent travelers. If you're wondering what other cards are out there, our credit card reviews can help.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
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No. Some credit card companies extend the offer to applicants with "fair" credit scores (580 or above).
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It begins by studying how rewards are earned. Whether you're earning cash back, airline miles, or points, you'll need to calculate the annual value of what you're likely to receive. If the value of the awards and perks exceed the annual fee, you know it's a fair deal.
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No. Frequent travelers can also rack up rewards with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, and many others. Check out our list of the best travel credit cards for more details.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Dana George has a BA in Management and Organization Development from Spring Arbor University. For more than 25 years, she has written and reported on business and finance, and she's still passionate about her work. Dana and her husband recently moved to Champaign, Illinois, home of the Fighting Illini. And though she finds the color orange unflattering on most people, she thinks they'll enjoy Champaign tremendously.
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Dana George has positions in Apple and Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Bank of America, Mastercard, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Barclays Plc and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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