Lufthansa Teams Up with Major European Hubs to Replace Green Fares with Impact Fares Under New EU Rules

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Cities like Frankfurt in Germany, Zurich in Switzerland, and Vienna in Austria are some of the prominent European aviation hubs affected by the decision by Lufthansa Group to change the name of its Green Fares to Impact Fares, introducing new terms in the airline’s operations starting from 23rd October, 2026. The change will affect customers making their flight bookings through Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Discover Airlines, among others within Lufthansa Group due to new stringent European regulations regarding environment-related claims in travel products. It is important to note that the change does not introduce a new ticket class nor modify the already existing contribution structure. On the contrary, Lufthansa Group is opting to maintain its fare program but just changing the way they talk about the environmental contribution made by customers’ bookings. Already more than five million passengers have opted for this fare since its launch in 2023, making it one of the popular options offered by the group’s European and International booking programs.

EU Environmental Rules Prompt Lufthansa’s Rebranding

The decision comes as the European Union implements the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, formally known as Directive (EU) 2024/825. The new requirements became applicable on September 27, 2026, following their adoption into the EU legislative framework.

The directive strengthens consumer protection against misleading environmental advertising. It restricts generic claims such as green, eco-friendly and climate-friendly when businesses cannot demonstrate recognised environmental performance. It also addresses claims suggesting that a product has a neutral or positive environmental impact solely because greenhouse gas emissions have been offset outside its value chain.

For airlines, these requirements affect how environmental contributions, sustainable aviation fuel and carbon-related initiatives are presented during ticket sales.

Lufthansa Group has therefore replaced the Green Fare name with Impact Fare to describe the contribution passengers make towards additional SAF deployment and selected climate protection projects.

The rebranding also follows legal scrutiny in Germany. On July 8, 2026, the Higher Regional Court of Cologne partially upheld a ruling against Lufthansa’s advertising of SAF-related emissions reductions. The court found that the airline’s communication could mislead customers by suggesting that purchasing the contribution would directly reduce emissions from their particular booked flight.

The timing of SAF deployment was central to the case. Lufthansa’s additional SAF was introduced into its wider flight operations within six months after departure, rather than necessarily being used on the passenger’s specific journey.

The court’s decision adds another regulatory consideration for European airlines marketing voluntary environmental contributions.

How the Impact Fare Contribution Works

Although the name has changed, the financial contribution structure remains the same. Passengers selecting an Impact Fare support two separate environmental measures: additional sustainable aviation fuel deployment and selected climate protection projects outside Lufthansa Group’s corporate value chain.

The allocation differs according to the journey’s geographical category.

For every Impact Fare booking, Lufthansa Group commits to deploying an additional quantity of SAF within six months after the passenger’s departure. The quantity is calculated using estimated flight-related carbon dioxide emissions.

The remaining contribution supports selected climate protection projects. Depending on the individual project, these initiatives aim to prevent additional carbon emissions or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Importantly, this arrangement does not mean that the aircraft operating the passenger’s particular journey will necessarily use the additional SAF. The fuel is introduced into the group’s wider flight operations.

For international tourists, understanding this distinction is important when selecting a fare based on its environmental contribution.

Availability Across Lufthansa Group Airlines

Impact Fares are available across all travel classes within the participating Lufthansa Group airline network. Passengers can select the option when booking eligible journeys through the group’s airlines.

The participating brands include:

• Lufthansa, with its main hub at Frankfurt Airport.
• SWISS, operating through Zurich Airport.
• Austrian Airlines, based at Vienna Airport.
• Brussels Airlines, serving Brussels Airport.
• Eurowings, with an extensive European leisure and short-haul network.
• Discover Airlines, serving holiday destinations from Germany.

The wider group also includes carriers such as Edelweiss, Air Dolomiti and Lufthansa City Airlines.

The availability of the fare across different travel classes gives leisure passengers, corporate travellers and international visitors an opportunity to support the programme when purchasing tickets.

Additional Miles and Passenger Benefits Remain

The Impact Fare retains several existing booking benefits beyond its environmental contribution.

Passengers continue to receive additional Miles and Points through Lufthansa Group’s loyalty arrangements. Depending on the booking class and destination, certain fares also provide more flexible rebooking conditions or fee-free changes.

These benefits remain subject to the applicable ticket conditions, meaning travellers should compare the fare rules before completing a reservation.

The fare is therefore not simply an environmental contribution added to an otherwise identical basic ticket. Its associated loyalty rewards and selected flexibility benefits remain part of the overall booking proposition.

More Than Five Million Passengers Have Selected the Fare

The Lufthansa Group’s Green Fare was rolled out in 2023 and offered travellers yet another option to make a contribution towards the deployment of SAF and climate protection initiatives. Over five million people have purchased the fare since its launch, according to the airline group. Having been available on both European and intercontinental flights, the fare has thus become an important part of the travel offerings related to sustainability initiatives of the airline group. While maintaining the already established booking approach, the announcement of October 23 also sees a change in the wording used to describe its meaning. Passengers flying from European aviation hubs such as Frankfurt, Zurich, Vienna and others will see a new name called the Impact Fare replacing the Green Fare in the group’s booking environment.