On intercontinental flights as well as on continental feeder flights, advance seat reservation is free of charge for passengers in Business and First Class.

Whether seat selection is free on Lufthansa in 2026 depends heavily on your ticket fare, cabin class, and loyalty status. For those traveling in First Class, Business Class, or Premium Economy, seat reservations are almost universally complimentary. However, in Economy Class, the rules vary: "Economy Light" (the most restrictive fare) always requires a fee for advance selection. "Economy Classic" and "Flex" fares typically include free selection of a standard seat on European flights. For long-haul international flights, even standard seats may incur a fee for Economy passengers unless they have Miles & More status (like Senators or HON Circle members), who can reserve seats for free. A "pro-tip" for 2026 is that if you don't want to pay, you can wait until online check-in opens (23 hours before departure); at this point, you can often select from the remaining standard seats for free, though the best options like aisles and windows are often already taken by those who paid.