Lufthansa says the integration “is only the first partnership” enabled by Yilu – which was founded by Lufthansa and its Innovation Hub. The group says the long-term goal of the company is to consolidate the travel and mobility services from a variety of partners, such as hotels and other airlines, into one platform.lufthansa b2b

The Yilu team is training the platform’s “intelligent recommendation logic” to display personalized and contextualised partner offers, according to Lufthansa. The aim is to create user flows that minimise development and maintenance time for partner companies wanting to integrate their services with the platform.

Dr Christian Langer, VP of digital strategy at Lufthansa Group, said:

“With Yilu, we are for the first time founding a start-up that targets the entire fragmented landscape of travel and mobility providers and tries to consolidate it with technology. The aim is to smartly link up all services in order to improve the travel experience – even beyond flying.”

Mark Meusch, CEO of Yilu, added:

“At Yilu we are currently concentrating on the technological groundwork. We are working on the core, namely the platform technology, integrated user flows, and expansion of the partner network. The next step is to add a recommendation engine. This is a long-term undertaking. Yet the first results show that we are on the right path.”

Lufthansa says it hopes to sign up further partners for the platform over the coming year. lufthansa b2b

Lufthansa’s B2B services are designed to support businesses and corporate travel needs. They offer a range of solutions that cater to various business travel demands, including:

1. Lufthansa Group Business: This platform serves as a hub for corporate clients, travel agencies, and event planners. It provides tailored offers for companies looking to optimize their business travel, with benefits such as discounted corporate fares, flexible ticketing, and special corporate programs like PartnerPlusBenefit, which is a corporate bonus program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
2. PartnerPlusBenefit: This is a corporate loyalty program where companies can earn points on every flight with Lufthansa and its partners. Points can be redeemed for various rewards, such as free flights, upgrades, and other travel-related benefits. It’s designed to help businesses reduce their travel expenses while offering perks for frequent travelers.
3. Lufthansa Corporate Fares: Through corporate agreements, businesses can secure lower fares for their employees’ travel needs. These agreements provide flexibility in terms of booking changes, cancellations, and other conditions that are essential for business travelers.
4. Meetings & Events: Lufthansa offers special rates and services for companies hosting meetings, events, and conferences. This includes negotiated discounts on group flights, streamlined group booking processes, and assistance with event planning.
5. Lufthansa eXperts: This platform is specifically for travel agents and industry professionals. It offers tools and resources for booking flights, managing customer itineraries, and accessing special fares for their clients.
6. Lufthansa Cargo: For businesses with shipping needs, Lufthansa Cargo provides comprehensive air freight services. Their B2B offerings in this area are robust, supporting logistics and supply chains across various industries.

These B2B services help Lufthansa build strong relationships with corporate clients by offering specialized solutions that meet the unique demands of business travel and logistics.