Lufthansa Group is expanding its fare portfolio on short and medium-haul routes with the introduction of a new entry-level Economy Basic fare, aimed at passengers looking for the lowest starting price and the option to choose additional services individually. The new fare will be available from April 28, for travel from May 19, and will be introduced gradually on selected routes.
Economy Basic will be available for booking with Lufthansa Group carriers, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Lufthansa City Airlines and Air Dolomiti. Sales will be available through digital channels, including the airlines’ websites and NDC channels.
The new fare is primarily aimed at passengers travelling for a short period, for example on one-day business trips, who do not require additional baggage. The basic price includes one personal item, such as a laptop bag or a small backpack. Passengers who need additional baggage will be able to add carry-on or checked baggage later, or choose one of the fares that already includes a broader baggage allowance.
Lufthansa Group emphasizes that this does not mean carry-on baggage is being removed from Economy Class flights. Instead, the Group is introducing an additional, more attractively priced fare designed to give passengers more choice. In other words, passengers will still be able to select fares that include carry-on baggage, while the baggage rules of the existing Economy Light fare will remain unchanged. The new Economy Basic fare is therefore positioned as an additional option for those for whom a personal item is sufficient and who want to travel at the lowest available price.
With this move, Lufthansa Group is further differentiating its offer according to the needs of different passenger groups. Instead of a single package of services, the focus is increasingly shifting toward a modular approach in which passengers pay for the basic transport service, while additional services are selected according to actual need.
At the same time, the existing Light fare is also being changed. In the future, it will allow passengers to rebook their reservation for a fee, making it more flexible than before. Lufthansa Group says the change is intended to give passengers greater planning security.
Following the expansion of the fare portfolio, passengers in Economy Class will have four clearly differentiated fare options, while Business Class will offer three fare choices. The new structure should give passengers a clearer choice between the lowest price, flexibility and included additional services.
