Avianca LifeMiles – Bookings and Discussion

[LA10]

I can find quite a few NH and TG economy to/from Australia, but not J in May/June next year, even though the united website shows J availability.

 

[PatMcrotch]

I can find quite a few NH and TG economy to/from Australia, but not J in May/June next year, even though the united website shows J availability.

Better availability for NH close in.

 

[bernardblack]

Eva adjusted their schedule in the last day or so, so for March when I'm flying BNE is now 4/wk on a 787-10 and daylight southbound with a short turnaround. This affected my AMS-xTPE-BNE which was booked with a short evening layover in TPE before the redeye TPE-BNE. Eva rebooked me the next morning but of course that broke the itinerary and it needed to be reticketed.

I had to hold for well over an hour and speak to three different agents in different departments at Avianca's US call centre, but they finally fixed and reticketed it. I had heard LifeMiles was really difficult with this stuff and to expect to lose the booking altogether, so this is not too bad all told.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Eva adjusted their schedule in the last day or so, so for March when I'm flying BNE is now 4/wk on a 787-10 and daylight southbound with a short turnaround. This affected my AMS-xTPE-BNE which was booked with a short evening layover in TPE before the redeye TPE-BNE. Eva rebooked me the next morning but of course that broke the itinerary and it needed to be reticketed.

I had to hold for well over an hour and speak to three different agents in different departments at Avianca's US call centre, but they finally fixed and reticketed it. I had heard LifeMiles was really difficult with this stuff and to expect to lose the booking altogether, so this is not too bad all told.

No no! LM agents are actually very competent!

The two difficulties with LM are a) availability and b) their limited web capability to cobble together trips.

If you have navigated a) and b) the rest is fairly straightforward, and the agents know their stuff.

 

[repete]

Amazingly I've redeemed quite a number of LM points for my parents over the last 24hrs or so!

Now I'm trying to remember... is there ever a ticketing issue with these redemptions, (e.g. like Qantas's ticketing problems I've endured over the past year on multi city tickets?) It's just that despite completing payment via Amex last night via a special link I was sent in the LIfemiles chat function (for two of the four redemptions made, the other two were just processed through the site itself at the time), nothing is yet showing on the Amex account, not even pending? The itineraries do seem to be showing up with ticket numbers when booking codes are entered online so seems ok, just want to be sure Thanks.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Amazingly I've redeemed quite a number of LM points for my parents over the last 24hrs or so!

Now I'm trying to remember... is there ever a ticketing issue with these redemptions, (e.g. like Qantas's ticketing problems I've endured over the past year on multi city tickets?) It's just that despite completing payment via Amex last night via a special link I was sent in the LIfemiles chat function (for two of the four redemptions made, the other two were just processed through the site itself at the time), nothing is yet showing on the Amex account, not even pending? The itineraries do seem to be showing up with ticket numbers when booking codes are entered online so seems ok, just want to be sure Thanks.

Strange that the amounts haven’t shown as pending in Amex.

If that doesn’t change in the next 24 hours I would call LM to confirm they have received payment. It’s possible the ticket was issued without the payment being processed properly. Once they get around to it they could cancel the ticket, so better to pre-empt that.

 

[repete]

Thanks - will do!

 

[bernardblack]

EWR-LHR, United Polaris, March 2023: 60k LifeMiles.

And I bought 1000 LifeMiles during the recent promo where they were discounted less than usual, but you get 10% back on the next redemption. So if that works as advertised, sometime in the next two weeks I should get a rebate of 6k LifeMiles, for a net cost of 54k LifeMiles and ~USD53.

 

[repete]

Well, eventually the charges showed up on Amex - I ended up calling to check after two days of still not seeing them and the agent said he could see them, they were just going through the full checking process! Funny to feel so relieved to see charges appear on a credit card statement

Anyhow, the good news was I've redeemed over 400k points to get my parents to Sthn Africa (via SIN), then from there to AMS, then home from Budapest to BNE via Tapei. Mostly in business (aside from BNE to SIN) and overall pleased to have it all come together.
Now to hope it all comes off next June! Thanks all.

 

[LA10]

Managed to book SYD to TYO on NH for may 23.

 

[Finale]

Lifemiles got me home a couple of times last minute this year, BKK-HND-SYD (40k). A bit longer to fly but I was perfectly fine with it especially when I was desperate. Decided to stop there for a few days next week which costed 36k points more for BKK-NRT after all 20+ SQ waitlisted flights couldn't be confirmed. Could not find anything at all except ANA to SYD.

The news says Japanese tourists cannot find plane tickets because the Thais have booked them all up until next year. I still managed to get the seat. Gotta love LM and ANA. I need to stop leaving the country without a return ticket.

 

[Cynicor]

Any idea if ANA release 2 (award) seats for business? I assume I’m just booking too late; but if it’s a fools errand to search every route and date then I won’t bother continuing!

 

[drron]

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[MaxLaughton]

Gradually putting together a Japan trip with the extremely limited availability at the moment - seats.aero is a godsend - and got one of the legs, HND-SYD, last night.

This is my first time actually booking via the Lifemiles site rather than the screenshot method; should I be getting any sort of confirmation email with ticketing details other than the 'You've redeemed Lifemiles!' one with a six-digit reservation code? I put the code into CheckMyTrip and it shows up, it just seems to have extremely limited details and I want to be sure it's all gone through correctly.

 

[levelnine]

Managed to book SYD to TYO on NH for may 23.

Well done! You must have got the only seat that month. Can't see any more SYD-TYO for May 23.

 

[Finale]

Gradually putting together a Japan trip with the extremely limited availability at the moment - seats.aero is a godsend - and got one of the legs, HND-SYD, last night.

This is my first time actually booking via the Lifemiles site rather than the screenshot method; should I be getting any sort of confirmation email with ticketing details other than the 'You've redeemed Lifemiles!' one with a six-digit reservation code? I put the code into CheckMyTrip and it shows up, it just seems to have extremely limited details and I want to be sure it's all gone through correctly.

I didn't get any other email either. Manage my booking on ANA site doesn't tell you the eticket number as well. As long as checkmytrip is showing eticket number, it's all good. I didn't have any issue on the 3 ANA flights booked using Lifemiles this year.

 

[kpc]

I have never received an eticket from Lifemiles. Just send them an email with your booking reference and they will send you the etickets.

 

[bernardblack]

EWR-LHR, United Polaris, March 2023: 60k LifeMiles.

And I bought 1000 LifeMiles during the recent promo where they were discounted less than usual, but you get 10% back on the next redemption. So if that works as advertised, sometime in the next two weeks I should get a rebate of 6k LifeMiles, for a net cost of 54k LifeMiles and ~USD53.

I had to follow-up when the time elapsed and I didn't get my 6k rebate, and they asked for the original invite email as evidence then went into radio silence for nearly two weeks, but as of this morning, I got my points rebate.

So: EWR-LHR, United Polaris, March 2023: net 54k LifeMiles plus USD53.

 

[arctan]

Anyone know how long does Avianca credit life mile to my account? I just bought some early today (5 hours ago).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Anyone know how long does Avianca credit life mile to my account? I just bought some early today (5 hours ago).

It’s usually pretty quick, but can take overnight. Your miles expiration date should also update at the same time.

If you’ve heard nothing by 48 hours I’d contact lifemiles support.