Avianca, the flag carrier of Colombia, is the country’s oldest airline and a proud member of the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance. Founded over a century ago, Avianca initially operated a single route within Colombia. Over time, it has grown into the nation’s largest carrier and one of the leading airlines in Latin America. Avianca’s frequent flyer program, Avianca Life Miles, is renowned for offering some of the best-priced award redemptions within the Star Alliance network. However, these advantages are tempered by the program’s reputation for challenging customer service. For those with patience, persistence, and a good understanding of the program, Life Miles can unlock incredible travel opportunities.
In 2012, Avianca joined the Star Alliance, solidifying its position on the global stage. Today, the airline operates several subsidiaries across Central and South America, including:
- Avianca Costa Rica
- Avianca Ecuador
- Avianca El Salvador
- Avianca Express Americas
- Avianca Guatemala
- Avianca Honduras
- Avianca Cargo
- TACA Peru
Photo Credit: Avianca Lifemiles: The Ultimate Guide for Indians
LifeMiles Elite Status
Avianca offers four tiers of elite status, with qualification based on a combination of total LifeMiles earned and miles flown on Avianca. You earn 1 qualifying mile for every LifeMile earned on Avianca flights. However, when flying with partner airlines, you only receive 1 qualifying mile for every 2 LifeMiles earned.
You also earn Status Points according to your Elite Status level, as detailed below:
- Red Plus: 1 LifeMile per dollar spent
- Silver: 3 LifeMiles per dollar spent
- Gold: 4 LifeMiles per dollar spent
- Diamond: 6 LifeMiles per dollar spent
LifeMiles Red Plus
- Achieve/Maintain: 6,000 miles (minimum of 1,000 miles with Avianca)
- Star Alliance Equivalent: Silver
As the first step on the elite status ladder, members receive:
- Priority airport check-in
- 20% LifeMiles bonus on eligible flights
- Miles expire after 24 months instead of 12 months
- Priority phone service
- Elite membership maternity leave
LifeMiles Silver
- Achieve/Maintain: 12,000 miles (minimum of 6,000 miles with Avianca)
- Star Alliance Equivalent: Silver
In addition to the benefits of Red Plus, Silver status offers:
- Courtesy upgrades to Business Class at the airport (on selected routes)
- 40% discount on access to Avianca-owned VIP lounges
- 25% LifeMiles bonus on eligible flights
- Group B priority boarding
- Priority baggage handling
- An additional allowance of 1 piece/23kg bag in Economy
- Same-day earlier flights within Colombia
- Pre-selection of seats
- Access to Avianca Plus/preferential seats at check-in
LifeMiles Gold
- Achieve/Maintain: 24,000 miles (minimum of 12,000 miles with Avianca)
- Star Alliance Equivalent: Gold
As the second-highest tier, Gold members enjoy:
- Courtesy upgrades to Business Class from 48 hours prior (on selected routes)
- Access to Avianca and partner airline/Star Alliance lounges (+1 guest)
- 75% LifeMiles bonus on eligible flights
- Additional allowance of 2 pieces/23kg bags in Economy and 1 piece/23kg bag in Business Class
- Access to Avianca Plus/preferential seats at booking
- Live chat support
LifeMiles Diamond
- Achieve/Maintain: 40,000 miles (minimum of 20,000 miles with Avianca)
- Star Alliance Equivalent: Gold
Top-level Diamond members enjoy several exclusive benefits:
- 2x LifeMiles upgrade certificates
- Access to the Diamond VIP Lounge in Bogotá (+1 guest)
- 100% bonus LifeMiles on eligible flights
- Group A priority boarding
- Pre-selection of any seat at booking
- Rollover of up to 16,000 LifeMiles
- Waiver of LifeMiles redemption fees
How to Earn LifeMiles
In India, while there aren’t many diverse options to top up or earn LifeMiles, there are still some effective ways to boost your LifeMiles balance. Let’s explore the available options.
Flying Avianca Flights
Flying on Avianca-operated flights is the primary way to earn LifeMiles. The number of miles you earn depends on the fare class you purchase and the amount spent. If you hold Avianca elite status, you’ll receive bonus LifeMiles based on your status level. Additionally, purchasing extra services like seat selection, lounge access, and upgrades will earn you 5 LifeMiles per dollar spent.
However, it’s important to note that the Basic fare, which is the cheapest option, does not earn any LifeMiles.
Flying with Star Alliance Partner Airlines
Unlike Avianca’s revenue-based earning model, LifeMiles earned with Star Alliance partner airlines are based on the distance flown and fare class. Each partner airline has its earning structure.
Flying with Other Partners
Beyond the Star Alliance, Avianca has partnerships with GOL, Iberia, and EasyFly. You can earn and redeem LifeMiles with GOL and Iberia, but note that any miles earned do not count towards elite status. While award redemptions are not available with EasyFly, you can still earn LifeMiles on Avianca codeshare flights operated by EasyFly.
Hotel Transfer Partners
- You can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to Avianca LifeMiles at a 3:1 ratio.
- Additionally, All accor points can be transferred to Avianca LifeMiles at a 2:1 ratio.
However, we do not recommend transferring ALL Accor points, as each Accor point is valued at approximately ₹1.8. In contrast, transferring Marriott Bonvoy points is a better option since you won’t lose much value, making it a suitable choice for value seekers.
Banking Transfer Partners
In India, the sole banking transfer partner for LifeMiles is HDFC Bank. If you hold any of the following cards—
- HDFC Infinia (2:1)
- Diners Club Black (2:1)
- Regalia Gold (2:1)
While this ratio may not be ideal, it can be a valuable option for reducing cash expenses by enabling you to book redemption flights through LifeMiles.
LifeMiles Hotels
LifeMiles Hotels, operated by Booking.com, is a hotel booking portal where you can earn or redeem LifeMiles. The number of points earned on paid hotel stays varies depending on the property and the date of your stay. You can accumulate a substantial amount of LifeMiles on hotel stays you were already planning. Additionally, LifeMiles Hotels often runs promotions that offer bonus miles on booked stays.
Buying LifeMiles
Generally, buying miles is not recommended due to the high cost, and it usually only makes sense to top off your mileage balance for an award redemption. However, LifeMiles is an exception, as it often offers significant discounts during sales. LifeMiles has provided bonuses of up to 200% on purchased miles during promotional periods. With such substantial discounts, it can be financially advantageous to buy miles for immediate award redemptions.
LifeMiles purchases are processed through points.com, allowing you to earn additional points when using a credit card that offers bonuses on international transactions, such as the Axis Reserve Olympus, or Amec Platinum Charge cards.
LifeMiles Plus
LifeMiles Plus is a subscription plan designed for earning LifeMiles, available in different tiers: Lite, Basic, Pro, and Max. The Basic plan is particularly appealing, requiring a minimum spend of $300 ($50/month with a minimum commitment of 6 months) in exchange for 12,000 LifeMiles. This option serves as a great alternative to purchasing points during promotions. You can also use your Axis Atlas card to earn accelerated reward points in the airline category.
One of the standout benefits of this subscription is that it entitles you to free flight cancellations and a flat 10% Miles Back on any redemption bookings, which can be a lifesaver in many situations.
Family Pooling
Avianca allows only its Elite members to participate in family pooling. This feature is beneficial if you hold any of the previously mentioned Elite statuses. As an Elite member, you can add up to one non-Elite adult member aged 18 and older, as well as up to five children, to your family pool.
Please do note that the above award chart may be different from the current miles requirement in certain sectors, as LifeMiles has recently gone through a no-notice devaluation.
Avianca allows you to use your LifeMiles to upgrade to a higher cabin when flying on Avianca-operated flights. The number of LifeMiles required for an upgrade to business class varies based on the flight’s origin and destination. When booking an award flight with Avianca, you can choose from different fare levels within that class of service. Remember that adding extra options, such as checked baggage or seat selection, will increase the number of miles needed for the award.
Flying Partner Airlines
As a member of the Star Alliance, LifeMiles can be redeemed for award flights with all partner airlines. One significant advantage is that LifeMiles does not impose carrier fees on partner award redemptions, unlike most other airline programs. This can lead to substantial savings, so even if the mileage costs are higher, avoiding these hefty fees can offset the difference. While many airline programs have shifted to dynamic award pricing, LifeMiles maintains a fixed award chart, allowing you to see how many miles are needed for specific awards.
Additionally, LifeMiles can be used to upgrade paid flights on Star Alliance Airlines for certain fare classes. The upgrade chart for each partner can be found on the individual partner pages on the LifeMiles website.
Additional Fees
Award Booking Fee
There is no fee for booking an Avianca award ticket; however, partner redemptions incur a $25 fee per ticket when booked online. If you book through Avianca’s sales office or call centre, a booking fee will apply, varying based on the route.
Modification and Cancellation Fee
Award redemptions can be cancelled or changed, but you must call an Avianca call centre to make any adjustments or cancellations for a LifeMiles award ticket, as this cannot be done online. The fees for changes or cancellations range from $30 to $200 per ticket.
Infant Fee
Children between 10 days and 24 months can travel as lap infants. For children aged 2 to 11 years, discounts of up to 90% are available, depending on the class of travel and whether they have assigned seats.
photo credit: LifeMiles Expiry
Sweet Spots
Airline Advantages
Air India Business Class
You can fly the longest route from India in Business Class which is BLR to SFO for only 90,000 LifeMiles and a $75 tax with Air India.
Lufthansa First Class
You can fly Lufthansa’s A380 First Class from BLR to FRA for only 80,000 LifeMiles and $34 tax and Business Class only for 45,000 LifeMiles.
ANA Business Class
You can fly to Japan with ANA’s Business class from Delhi at the DEL – HND route for only 48,000 LifeMiles and $27 tax. Not only that, you can travel the same route in Economy for only 30,000 LifeMiles.
Ethiopian Airlines Business Class
You can travel from India to Ethiopia for just 40,420 LifeMiles in Business Class on the BOM-ADD route. If you want to extend your trip to Tanzania, you can book Business Class for an additional 14,580 LifeMiles. In Economy Class, the same routes can be booked for 22,050 LifeMiles and 7,950 LifeMiles, respectively.
Mix Cabin Booking
When travelling in long-haul business or first class, you may encounter mixed-cabin awards through LifeMiles in several scenarios:
- Shorter routes: Airlines may not offer first class on shorter segments, requiring passengers to connect in business or economy class.
- Award availability: There may be no award space available in your preferred cabin.
While most loyalty programs set the award rate based on the highest cabin class used, LifeMiles adopts a different approach. It prices each leg of the journey separately according to the booked class of service, often resulting in discounted rates for mixed-cabin tickets.
Additionally, even if there is award availability for your entire journey, you might prefer not to use extra miles for a shorter connecting flight. In such cases, you can choose economy class and save some of your miles for future use.
PhotoCredit: LifeMiles Expiry
LifeMiles Expiry
LifeMiles has a hard expiry policy of 12 months, meaning that once the miles expire, they cannot be recovered, even with a penalty. This is one of the shortest expiry periods among loyalty programs. However, you can easily keep your miles active by engaging in qualifying activities in your account, such as earning LifeMiles through various methods mentioned earlier. Though Elite members do enjoy a 24-month expiry of LifeMiles.
How to Contact LifeMiles
You can contact LifeMiles US customer support by calling +1 800 284 2622. Alternatively, you can reach them via email at support@lifemiles.com.
Bottomline
Avianca LifeMiles is a frequent flyer program that has established itself as a valuable option in the award travel landscape. It offers great value and flexibility for its members. Although there may be some challenges with customer service and certain quirks to navigating, many travellers find that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. With a bit of research and planning, you can maximize the potential of this program. Despite a recent silent devaluation, the available sweet spots make it a strong contender among preferred frequent flyer programs for many.