Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Daniel Globe
If you’ve ever stared at your Lufthansa booking confirmation wondering what “LH400,” a six-character booking code, or a long string of digits actually means, you’re not alone. Lufthansa uses several identifiers for different jobs, and mixing them up can cause headaches when you’re checking flight status, managing a booking, requesting a refund, claiming missing miles, or tracing baggage. Here’s how each number works, where to find it, and which one you actually need.
Quick Answer
A Lufthansa flight number uses the airline designator “LH” plus a flight number, such as LH400, and identifies a scheduled service. A Lufthansa-issued ticket has a 13-digit ticket number that normally begins with 220. Your booking reference is a separate six-character code used to retrieve and manage your reservation.
Key Takeaways
- Lufthansa’s airline designator is LH, but the number after it is not always four digits. Lufthansa has used flight numbers ranging from very short examples such as LH1 to four-digit codes.
- A Lufthansa-issued e-ticket normally has a 13-digit ticket number beginning with Lufthansa’s IATA airline code 220.
- Your booking reference, also called a booking code or record locator, is a six-character alphanumeric code used to retrieve and manage a reservation.
- An LH flight number does not always mean Lufthansa operates the aircraft. Codeshare flights may carry an LH number while another airline operates the flight.
- For an exact flight-status lookup, use the flight number together with the travel date.
What Is a Lufthansa Flight Number?
A Lufthansa flight number combines the airline’s two-letter IATA designator, LH, with a numeric flight identifier. For example, Lufthansa currently lists LH400 as a Frankfurt-to-New York JFK service. Schedules change, so always check the number and date shown on your own itinerary rather than relying on an old example.
The International Air Transport Association lists Lufthansa’s designator as LH. IATA standardizes airline coding, but the individual flight number after LH is the airline’s service identifier rather than a number assigned to your personal reservation.
Your flight number is useful for checking departure or arrival status, identifying the correct service on an airport monitor, and discussing a disruption with airline staff. Lufthansa’s flight-status service lets travelers search current flight information by flight number.
Note: A flight number repeats on different operating dates. “LH400” identifies the scheduled service, while “LH400 on your travel date” identifies the departure you actually need to track.
How Are Lufthansa Flight Numbers Formatted?
Lufthansa flight numbers begin with LH when the flight is marketed under Lufthansa’s airline designator. The numeric portion can vary in length, so you should not expect every Lufthansa number to contain exactly four digits. Examples in Lufthansa’s own materials include LH1, LH400, LH712, LH989, LH2310, and four-digit codeshare numbers such as LH7603.
At a Glance: Flight Number vs. Ticket Number vs. Booking Reference
| Flight Number | LH + numeric flight identifier, such as LH400. Identifies a marketed flight service; use it with the date for an exact departure. |
| Ticket Number | 13 digits. A Lufthansa-issued ticket normally begins with 220, Lufthansa’s IATA airline accounting code. Identifies the issued travel document. |
| Booking Reference (PNR) | 6 letters and numbers, such as AB12CD. Used to retrieve and manage the reservation. |
What Do the Flight Number Digits Mean?
You may notice that certain Lufthansa flight-number ranges appear repeatedly on particular parts of the network. However, Lufthansa does not publish a simple public decoding chart that lets passengers determine a destination, aircraft, or region from the digits alone. Treat any apparent numbering pattern as an operational convention, not a travel rule.
A useful historical example is LH1. Lufthansa’s own company chronicle says LH1 was used on one of its first services in April 1955, from Hamburg toward Munich with intermediate stops. The example also shows why the idea that every Lufthansa flight number contains four digits is incorrect.
Note: Flight numbers can be introduced, discontinued, or reassigned as schedules and networks change. Do not use the digits alone to infer a flight’s destination, aircraft type, or operating history.
What Does a Lufthansa Ticket Number Look Like?
A ticket number is different from a flight number. Lufthansa states that an airline ticket number contains 13 digits. When Lufthansa itself is the ticketing carrier, the number normally begins with 220, Lufthansa’s three-digit IATA airline accounting code. It may appear as a continuous number or with formatting that visually separates the airline prefix.
For example, a Lufthansa-issued ticket could be shown in a form such as 220-1234567890. You’ll typically find the number on your e-ticket receipt, passenger receipt, booking documentation, or other ticket details, usually next to a label such as “Ticket number” or “TKT.” Lufthansa also accepts a booking reference or ticket number for many online check-in searches.
The distinction matters because an itinerary can contain Lufthansa flights without being ticketed by Lufthansa. If a partner airline issued the ticket, the first three digits may belong to that carrier instead of 220. In other words, LH describes the marketed flight; 220 identifies Lufthansa ticket stock.
The ticket number can be useful for refund or ticket-level questions and for mileage-credit requests. Miles & More, for example, says a retroactive flight-credit request requires details including the flight number and ticket number.
Pro Tip: Save your e-ticket or passenger receipt after booking. Lufthansa says passenger receipts can be downloaded after ticket issuance and remain available through its receipt service for a limited period after travel.
Where Can You Find Your Lufthansa Flight Number?
You can usually find the Lufthansa flight number in several places:
- Your booking confirmation email, beside the departure time and route
- Your e-ticket or passenger itinerary receipt
- Your boarding pass after check-in
- Your Lufthansa Travel ID or saved booking
- The Lufthansa app
- Airport departure and arrival monitors
For live status, enter the flight number and relevant travel date on the Lufthansa flight status page or check the Lufthansa app for current departure, arrival, gate, and disruption information.
How Is a Flight Number Different From a Booking Reference?
A flight number identifies the scheduled service you’re taking. Your booking reference identifies the reservation containing you and the other passengers booked under that record.
Lufthansa describes its booking code as a six-character combination of letters and numbers. You can use that code with your surname to retrieve a booking, check in online when eligible, review your itinerary, select or change seats when permitted, and access other booking-management functions.
The booking reference is sometimes called a booking code, record locator, or PNR. It is not your ticket number and it is not your flight number.
Warning: Treat your booking reference, full ticket number, and boarding-pass barcode as private travel information. Avoid posting screenshots containing these details publicly or sharing them with anyone who does not need access to your reservation.
Why Can an LH Flight Number Be Operated by Another Airline?
Because of codeshare agreements, the airline shown in the flight number and the airline operating the aircraft are not always the same.
Lufthansa explains that a flight may be booked under a Lufthansa flight number even when another airline operates it. Look for wording such as “operated by United Airlines”, “operated by Air Canada,” or another partner on your booking confirmation.
This distinction can affect check-in, baggage rules, airport procedures, seat selection, and other operating details. Lufthansa specifically advises travelers on codeshare flights to check the rules of the operating carrier.
Partner itineraries can also have more than one reservation locator in airline systems. If an operating airline’s website does not accept your Lufthansa booking code, check your confirmation for that airline’s record locator or contact the airline or agency that issued the booking.
Which Lufthansa Number Should You Use?
Which Number Do I Need?
| Check flight status | Flight number + travel date |
| Open or manage a booking | Booking reference + passenger surname |
| Online check-in | Booking reference or ticket number where Lufthansa’s check-in system supports the itinerary |
| Ticket/refund question | Ticket number plus booking details; fare and refund rules still determine eligibility |
| Claim missing Miles & More credit | Flight number, ticket number, date, route, and other requested flight details |
| Trace delayed baggage | PIR/reference number after reporting the delay; keep your baggage receipt and boarding pass |
When Does a Lufthansa Flight Number Change?
If your original flight is canceled and Lufthansa rebooks you onto a different scheduled service, the replacement service can have a different flight number. Always check your updated itinerary instead of assuming the original number still applies.
A schedule adjustment does not automatically mean the flight number will change. Lufthansa may alter departure or arrival times while leaving the marketed service number intact. Aircraft types can also change without the flight number changing.
Connections naturally have separate flight numbers for each flight segment. A codeshare can add another layer: the number you booked may be Lufthansa’s marketing flight number, while the operating airline uses its own flight number internally or on its own systems.
What If Lufthansa Cannot Find Your Booking or Ticket Number?
If a Lufthansa page rejects a code that looks correct, first check which identifier you’re entering. A six-character booking code belongs in a booking-reference field, while a ticket-number field expects the full 13-digit ticket number.
Then check the following:
- Enter the passenger surname exactly as it appears in the booking.
- Confirm that you are using the airline booking reference rather than a travel agency’s order number.
- If a partner airline operates the flight, look for a separate partner booking reference.
- Check whether the ticket was issued by Lufthansa or another airline; a partner-issued ticket may not start with 220.
- If you booked through a travel agency or third-party portal and the booking cannot be retrieved, contact the seller that issued the ticket.
Lufthansa’s refund guidance likewise directs customers with travel-agency or third-party tickets back to the agency when appropriate.
What Can You Do With a Lufthansa Flight Number?
With the Lufthansa flight number and travel date, you can check current flight status, identify the right departure on airport displays, follow schedule changes, and give airline staff a quick reference when discussing a disruption.
For baggage, however, don’t rely on the flight number alone. If a checked bag does not arrive, Lufthansa advises passengers to report it and retain the resulting PIR/reference number, along with the boarding pass and baggage receipt. The baggage reference is the important identifier for tracking the delayed-baggage case after it has been opened.
Your flight number identifies the service. Your ticket number identifies the issued travel document. Your booking reference identifies the reservation — three different codes with three different jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Lufthansa flight numbers start with?
Flights marketed under Lufthansa’s own airline designator start with “LH,” followed by a numeric flight identifier. The number is not always four digits; Lufthansa has used shorter numbers as well. On a codeshare, an LH flight number may still be operated by another airline.
What is the 24-hour rule for Lufthansa?
For reservations covered by Lufthansa’s U.S. Customer Service Plan and booked directly through qualifying Lufthansa channels, Lufthansa allows cancellation without penalty within 24 hours when the reservation was made at least seven days before departure. Under that policy, the cancellation must cover all flights and passengers in the reservation; partial cancellations do not qualify for the same 24-hour provision.
What do Lufthansa ticket numbers look like?
A ticket number contains 13 digits. When Lufthansa issued the ticket, it normally begins with Lufthansa’s three-digit IATA airline code, 220, so it may be displayed in a form such as 220-1234567890. A ticket issued by a partner airline can have a different three-digit prefix even when the itinerary includes Lufthansa flights.
Is there a 3-digit ticket number for Lufthansa?
No. The number 220 is Lufthansa’s three-digit IATA airline accounting code and forms the beginning of a Lufthansa-issued 13-digit ticket number. It is not a complete passenger ticket number by itself.
Can an LH flight number be operated by another airline?
Yes. Lufthansa has codeshare agreements in which another airline operates a flight sold under an LH flight number. Check your itinerary for an “operated by” label to identify the airline actually flying the aircraft.
Do I need the flight number or booking reference to check in?
Lufthansa’s online check-in can accept a booking reference or ticket number for eligible itineraries. A flight number is mainly used to identify and track the flight rather than your individual reservation. Codeshare flights operated by another airline may require you to check in with the operating carrier.
Conclusion
Your Lufthansa flight number, ticket number, and booking reference each serve a different purpose. The flight number identifies the scheduled service and should be paired with your travel date when checking status. The ticket number identifies the issued travel document, while the six-character booking reference identifies your reservation.
Also check who actually operates the flight and who issued the ticket. A flight carrying an LH number may be operated by a partner, and only Lufthansa-issued tickets normally use the 220 ticket prefix. Keeping your itinerary, e-ticket receipt, booking code, and baggage receipt handy makes check-in, schedule changes, mileage claims, refunds, and disruption handling much easier.
Sources
- IATA — Lufthansa member listing — confirms Lufthansa’s LH airline designator and 220 airline accounting code.
- Lufthansa Help & Contact — confirms the six-character booking-code and 13-digit ticket-number formats.
- Lufthansa Timetable & Flight Status — official current flight-status lookup and schedule information.
- Lufthansa Online Check-in Information — explains Lufthansa online check-in and codeshare flights operated by another airline.
- Lufthansa U.S. Customer Service Plan — provides the conditions for the U.S. 24-hour reservation-cancellation policy.
- Lufthansa Baggage Irregularities — explains delayed-baggage reporting, PIR/reference numbers, and the importance of retaining baggage receipts and boarding passes.