In December I explained Why You Want to Get Started With the AviancaTaca LifeMiles Program Right Now.
LifeMiles is one of the best programs in the Star Alliance. There are some frustrations, like inability to book flights in more than one class of service on an award. But they sell miles cheap, their award chart is reasonable, they offer one-way awards, and the website is decent. Plus there are no fuel surcharges.
I consider the better non-U.S. programs a great hedge and refuge against the risks of revenue-based frequent flyer redemption changes.
And the AviancaTaca LifeMiles program regularly offers 100% bonuses on purchased miles and then lets you effectively buy miles even cheaper with their cash ad points awards (where you need just 40% of the miles required for a given award ticket).
Now, through February 20th, they’re offering a 100% bonus on transferred miles.
I think I’m excited to receive ‘the double’ — which apparently is two happy women?
Transfers are made in 1000 mile increments, up to a maximum of 75,000 miles, at a cost of 1.5 cents per mile.
Perhaps it’s AviancaTaca LifeMiles — rather than US Airways Dividend Miles — that has become ‘the official consolidator of Star Alliance premium cabin inventory’…?
This is like $800 bucks for roundtrip in business to Europe, if you already have your miles from the December promo. Unfortunately, we just burned ours on a redemption (economy) where we could have gotten business for just a couple hundred bucks more.
hi
question. isnt that the same price for buying and sharing?
so why share if you can just buy the miles at the same price?
dp
@dp that is the same price as buying when they are offering a 100% bonus on purchases, which they are not doing right now
they have an inconsistency, their promo page says 75000 maximum transfer, while their internal page says 50000 max transfer. Additionally, if one tries, it’ll only allow one to transfer 49000 max. pretty lame IT.
@Nicholas – not quite… LIFEMILES biz to Europe is actually 55k oneway. Thus its about $800 for a one-way ticket, or 1600 for a roundtrip to europe.
also depends how one spends them…. using cash and miles reduces the cost to about 1.35 cents per mile overall on average (when one factors in that miles purchases during cash plus miles awards is 1.275 cents per mile).
I am trying to do a quick calculation on the cost of buying a ticket if you a start with zero miles. What is the cost of buying miles with Avianca if I need a few thousand to start off?
Also, how quickly do bought miles/transferred miles post?
Can someone explain, lot of the time i see availabilty on united.com on a date but same date lifemiles shows no availability. Is there a way around it, like calling them or its just the way it is
Gary – How is their availability on their Star Alliance partners? Will I ever get a chance to actually use the miles?
@Tom, Lifemiles’s Star inventory is different from UA. it doesnt have same access, sometimes more limited, but sometimes more available too. one caveat is that it can’t be used on Lufthansa Cityline / Regional flights somehow – minor glitch. but then again, US Air can’t redeem on many UA Express flights. so no program is perfect.
Lifemiles also has advantage of no late booking fees. only a flat $25 booking for any award, even if last minute.
@Eric F-D, transferring, not purchasing only produces 1 new mile, not 2, thanks for the correction