Lufthansa and its airline group are changing the rules. Photo: Shutterstock An important change for passengers on Lufthansa Group airlines: The group has announced a gradual expansion of the requirement to use a Travel ID account for online check-in on its airline websites and apps.
The move applies to seven companies: Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Edelweiss and Air Dolomiti.
According to the group's announcement, the requirement comes into effect in several stages depending on the country of origin of the flight. This means that passengers wishing to check in online will, as a rule and subject to published exceptions, be required to identify themselves using a Travel ID account.
The first phase goes into effect on October 20, 2026 for flights departing from Schengen area countries, except Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
On November 2, the requirement will be expanded to flights departing from European countries that are not members of the Schengen area, as well as from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with the exception of Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich airports.
On November 16, the change will also apply to flights departing from the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as from Munich and Zurich airports.
The final phase is planned for November 30, when the requirement will also apply to flights departing from other regions of the world and from Frankfurt Airport.
It is important to emphasize that the effective date is determined by the flight's port of departure, and not by the passenger's citizenship or the destination to which he is flying.
Travel ID is a digital user account that allows access to the online services of the airlines in the Lufthansa Group via a single email address.
As part of the service, you can manage personal information and order details, use previously filled-in data, and perform digital operations in group companies.
The group presents Travel ID as a solution designed to unify online services and reduce the need to re-enter user information.
Connecting to the Miles & More frequent flyer program is possible, but not required for using a Travel ID account.
No. The Lufthansa Group has issued a number of exceptions to the new requirement. Passengers checking in at the service counters or self-service kiosks at the airport are not required to use their Travel ID for this purpose.
The requirement also does not apply to passengers holding tickets issued by other airlines, as well as to passengers on flights operated by a company that is not part of the Lufthansa Group, even when the ticket was issued by one of the group companies.
Additional exceptions apply to group bookings and certain bookings made through tour operators or charter companies.
According to the announcement, a person checking in for another traveler can use their Travel ID account.
This option also applies to travel agents and tour operators who perform the operation on behalf of their clients. In the case of a booking with multiple passengers, if one person is checking in for all of them, only that person is required to have a Travel ID account. The other passengers on the booking are not required to have their own account for the same operation.
Lufthansa Group announced that passengers will receive information about the new requirement by email before departure, in the check-in invitation and on the check-in screen itself.
The company recommends preparing for the change in advance to avoid unnecessary delays in the digital process.
Important to know: This is not about canceling the option to check in at the airport, but rather about changing the method of identification required for online check-in at group companies.