Avianca’s loyalty program, LifeMiles, has at all times held a singular place for factors and miles fanatics. The South American service has lengthy been one of many best-value methods to guide business- and first-class flights on Star Alliance companions akin to Lufthansa, United Airways and Swiss on the lowest charges. Avianca has retained a smart award chart whereas different packages have moved to dynamic pricing — however the low charges come at a price.
LifeMiles is equally well-known for its poor IT infrastructure and phone assist, so making modifications or canceling an Avianca or associate flight has change into a degree of rivalry between some TPG staffers and the loyalty program.
Nevertheless, it appears the service is implementing optimistic modifications to Avianca LifeMiles to enhance the general model.
Along with launching two new Avianca-branded bank cards in the USA, LifeMiles has additionally unveiled a brand new loyalty subscription service named LifeMiles+. What is that this, and is it value the associated fee?
Associated: Find out how to guide Lufthansa top quality with factors and miles
What’s Avianca’s LifeMiles+ subscription?
Lifemiles+ has 4 totally different membership choices:
| Lite | Primary | Professional | Max | |
| Month-to-month bonus LifeMiles | 500 | 2,000 | 4,500 | 10,000 |
| Double month-to-month LifeMiles on purchases for Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Categorical Card members | As much as 1,000 miles | As much as 2,000 miles | As much as 4,500 miles | As much as 10,000 miles |
| Worth per 30 days (common) | $20 | $50 | $100 | $200 |
| Worth per 30 days for Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Categorical Card members | Free | $30 | $80 | $180 |
All LifeMiles+ members may also take pleasure in a ten% low cost on Star Alliance redemptions (posted inside 15 days after reserving) and as much as a direct 25% low cost on LifeMiles redemptions flying Avianca.
Primary, Professional and Max members can take pleasure in no change or cancellation charges on award tickets.
The discounted charge for cardholders is for the brand new LifeMiles-branded bank card from Cardless, the Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Categorical Card*. This card provides:
- A welcome bonus of as much as 100,000 bonus miles — 60,000 miles awarded after $4,500 spent within the first 90 days and a further 40,000 miles after $25,000 spent within the first 12 months.
- Earn 3 LifeMiles per greenback spent on Avianca purchases, 2 LifeMiles per greenback spent on eating and non-Avianca journey, and 1 LifeMile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
- LifeMiles+ Lite membership, with a reduced charge for the opposite tiers within the subscription program.
- LifeMiles Silver standing for so long as you might have the cardboard, which additionally grants you Star Alliance Silver standing.
- Annual payment: $249 (see charges and costs).
The lower-annual-fee Avianca LifeMiles American Categorical Card* provides a bonus of as much as 40,000 LifeMiles after you spend $3,000 with the cardboard within the first 90 days, however doesn’t present any LifeMiles+ advantages.
For those who determine to affix LifeMiles+, you might be dedicated to a minimal six-month subscription.
The data for these bank cards have been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Is Avianca’s LifeMiles+ subscription value it?
That is an fascinating provide from Avianca and probably very profitable for some Star Alliance fanatics.
It’s value noting that LifeMiles ceaselessly sells miles with large bonuses, bringing the acquisition charge to below 1.3 cents per mile. For those who have been trying to increase your LifeMiles steadiness with out the bank card by paying $200 per 30 days to earn 10,000 additional miles and wouldn’t use the opposite advantages, you’d be higher off buying LifeMiles in bulk throughout one of many frequent bonus provides.
This system additionally runs mileage gross sales sometimes when sure redemption charges are diminished.
For anybody who shouldn’t be enthusiastic about making use of for the Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Categorical Card, doesn’t fly Avianca and solely redeems LifeMiles for a few Star Alliance flights every year, paying a month-to-month subscription payment in all probability doesn’t make sense.
Nevertheless, should you often guide Star Alliance redemptions and would get loads of worth from the shortage of change and cancellation charges, maximizing this service and boosting your mileage steadiness might be straightforward.
For anybody trying to apply for the Elite Amex card and touring often on Avianca (maybe to go to household or mates), that is a gorgeous provide to earn extra miles, and to avoid wasting each miles and cash on redemptions.
However what use is the advantage of free change and cancellation if it’s troublesome to make a change on-line or by telephone?
LifeMiles Chief Working Officer Luis Coreas spoke with View from the Wing about this system’s actions to enhance customer support, together with decreasing name middle wait occasions, growing the variety of skilled brokers obtainable 24 hours per day to resolve complicated issues, and simplifying the refund course of.
So, in idea, this perk must be useful.
Backside line
Regardless of its frustrations, LifeMiles is an underrated airline loyalty program with attractively low Star Alliance redemptions worldwide with low taxes and costs.
As a switch associate of most main bank card currencies, LifeMiles are additionally straightforward to buy for as little as 1.3 cents throughout frequent promotional gross sales.
For those who’ve ever considered dipping your toe into the world of LifeMiles, with guarantees of improved customer support, now is a good time to do it. Whether or not you apply for the brand new Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Categorical Card or not, and even should you aren’t flying with Avianca, you may simply increase your mileage steadiness and save miles and money in your subsequent redemption with this distinctive LifeMiles+ subscription providing.