Flying to Frankfurt using points

Frankfurt is one of Europe's great aviation crossroads, which is both the opportunity and the complication. No airline flies non-stop between Australia and Frankfurt, so every points itinerary involves a connection — but that same hub status means an unusually large number of programmes can get you there.

Because every itinerary needs two flights each way, you have to find reward availability twice rather than once. That is the main reason Frankfurt awards feel harder to book than a one-stop Asian city. Flexibility on dates and transit points solves more than loyalty to any single programme does. It is also worth remembering that Frankfurt need not be your entry point to Germany: arriving into Munich and taking the high-speed rail across is entirely practical, and the train runs directly into Frankfurt Airport's own station.

Using Qantas Points

Qantas does not fly to Frankfurt, so every option is a partner connection.

Points are charged per person, one way, with taxes, fees and carrier charges payable on top and varying considerably by route. Cabin availability is not uniform: first class on these itineraries is effectively an Emirates-only proposition, and premium economy is not offered on the China Eastern or SriLankan routings. On the Perth–London routing, a premium economy booking applies to the Qantas long-haul sector, with the British Airways leg into Frankfurt in economy.

More adventurous combinations exist for those willing to accept the friction. Japan Airlines arrives into Tokyo Haneda from Sydney but departs for Frankfurt from Narita, which means collecting bags and crossing the city. Two-stop itineraries through the wider oneworld network open further possibilities again.

Using Velocity Points

Virgin Australia's partner network reaches Frankfurt through Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, United Airlines, Air Canada and All Nippon Airways, transiting Singapore, Doha, Abu Dhabi, San Francisco, Vancouver and Tokyo Haneda respectively.

Two quirks matter. There is no way to build a one-stop Velocity itinerary in first class end to end: Qatar Airways offers first class on some Australian routes, but its Doha–Frankfurt flights top out at business. And the points required vary by origin city — a Darwin departure via Singapore in business class can require fewer Velocity Points than premium economy out of Sydney or Melbourne.

Velocity also levies carrier charges on reward bookings with Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Qatar Airways, payable in addition to genuine taxes, so compare total cost rather than points alone.

Using KrisFlyer miles

KrisFlyer is arguably the most flexible currency for this route, for one reason: Lufthansa. Frankfurt is Lufthansa's fortress hub, and although Lufthansa does not fly to Australia, KrisFlyer lets you pair a Lufthansa flight with a Star Alliance flight out of Australia. Thai Airways to Bangkok, United to San Francisco, ANA to Tokyo, Air India to Delhi, Asiana to Seoul, Air Canada to Vancouver or Singapore Airlines to Singapore can all connect onto Lufthansa for the final hop.

For travel wholly on Singapore Airlines, KrisFlyer charges one rate from Perth and Darwin and a higher rate from the rest of the country. Where Star Alliance partners are involved, the rate is the same nationwide. Premium economy and Suites are limited to selected Sydney and Melbourne services, and Air China is the only partner offering a full first class journey from Australia through to Frankfurt.

One caveat: KrisFlyer miles expire three years after they are earned, and only the programme's top tier is exempt. Leave points in your bank or Membership Rewards account and convert once you have found the seat.

Availability is not identical between programmes either. Singapore Airlines reward seats visible to Velocity members do not always match what KrisFlyer members see, and the discrepancy runs both ways. If you have access to both, check both.

Using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Not to be confused with Velocity, Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club is a SkyTeam member with a separate ANA partnership, and it hides one of the better-value routes: Sydney to Tokyo Haneda on ANA, connecting onwards, where the business class pricing is notably lower than equivalent options elsewhere. Vietnam Airlines via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Korean Air via Seoul and China Airlines via Taipei are also bookable, though premium economy is not available on the Korean Air routing.

Flying Club points are harder to earn in Australia. The usual routes are buying points during one of the programme's regular promotions, or transferring from American Express Membership Rewards, which for most Australian members converts at two Membership Rewards points to one Virgin Point. Flying Club members cannot currently redeem on SkyTeam member China Eastern.

Less obvious options

Bamboo Airways flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and onwards to Frankfurt, and partners with Air Canada Aeroplan. China Southern, which left SkyTeam but retains bespoke partnerships, can be booked through American Airlines AAdvantage or Air France/KLM Flying Blue — and CommBank Awards points transfer to Flying Blue at a considerably better rate than to Aeroplan.

Emirates Skywards, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club are all further possibilities. One note on Emirates: reward flights can attract substantial carrier charges on top of the points, and booking the same flights through Aeroplan is the standard way to avoid them, the trade-off being how much harder Aeroplan points are to earn here.

Mixing paid and award travel is also fair game. A reward seat into Rome plus a short Lufthansa hop booked with KrisFlyer miles is a reasonable way in when direct availability will not cooperate.

Frankfurt Airport in practice

Almost everything happens across two terminals. Terminal 1 handles gates beginning with A, B, C and Z, and is effectively Star Alliance territory. Terminal 2 holds gates D and E and a broader mix of carriers, including Emirates. Lufthansa also operates a separate First Class Terminal, restricted to first class passengers and top-tier HON Circle members.

The terminals are linked by Skytrain, but moving between them is not always simple, because the airport is divided into Schengen and non-Schengen zones. A flight to Rome involves no passport control; a flight to Dubai does. The letter at the start of your gate number matters more than the terminal name.

Security differs between the two: Terminal 1 screens centrally on entry, Terminal 2 generally at the gate, so leave the lounge earlier than you otherwise would. Most gates have a priority lane for premium cabins and eligible elite members. Australian passport holders can use the automated gates on departure, collecting a stamp from the officer beyond them. Rail services, including high-speed trains, call at Terminal 1.

Lounges at Frankfurt

The lounge options are unusually deep, and many travellers have access to more than one. Check the alternatives rather than accepting the lounge your airline points you towards — the default is often the busiest.

Several of these are conditional on the airline you are flying that day rather than on status alone, which is the detail most often missed. American Express Platinum and Centurion access to Lufthansa lounges through the Global Lounge Collection is being withdrawn, so check the current benefit before planning around it. There is also a Deutsche Bahn lounge for first class rail passengers.

Hotels and practical notes

Booking direct with a chain keeps your elite benefits and earns hotel points and qualifying nights; most chains honour neither on third-party bookings. Accor, GHA DISCOVERY, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Radisson Rewards, World of Hyatt and Wyndham Rewards all have a solid Frankfurt presence.

If you rarely travel and hotel points would only trickle into a seldom-used account, airline points may return more. Qantas Hotels earns Qantas Points per dollar spent, with more for Points Club members and during promotions, and Qantas Points can also pay for the room outright. Velocity members can earn through Rocket Travel; KrisFlyer collectors through Rocketmiles, which runs its own convertible currency. Compare the cash price first — a points-earning channel is not automatically cheapest.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Germany, including contactless and mobile wallets, though a little cash remains useful. Most Australian points-earning cards charge an international transaction fee; if you are paying it anyway, a card paying a higher rate on overseas spending at least returns something.

Finally, check transit visa requirements. A US connection requires an ESTA and a Canadian one an eTA, even without leaving the airport, and connections in Delhi between different airlines can be awkward.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fly non-stop from Australia to Frankfurt? No. Every itinerary involves at least one connection, which is why reward availability must be found on two flights each way.

Which programme offers the most routings? KrisFlyer is the most flexible in practice, because it allows a Star Alliance flight out of Australia to be paired with Lufthansa, for whom Frankfurt is a primary hub.

Do KrisFlyer miles expire? Yes, three years after they are earned, with only the programme's highest tier exempt. Convert bank or Membership Rewards points only when you are ready to book.

Why do Emirates reward flights cost more than the points suggest? Emirates reward bookings can attract significant carrier charges alongside the points. Booking the same flights through Air Canada Aeroplan generally avoids them.

Is it worth flying into another European city instead? Often yes. Arriving into Munich and taking the high-speed train to Frankfurt is straightforward and can unlock availability a Frankfurt-only search misses.

Does my status get me into any lounge at Frankfurt? Not always. Many entitlements depend on which airline you are flying that day as well as your status tier, so check both before planning around a particular lounge.

This information is general in nature. It does not take your personal circumstances into account.