Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Looks like I will be testing out the 14 seat F cabin tomorrow when I fly TG601 HKG-BKK 28MAR ... I have never been in that config before so we'll see how it goes.

There is no 14 seat F cabin. Its 9 (equip code 747 = 747 All Series) or 10 (equip code 744 = Boeing 747-400).

The 14 seat cabin has been extinct for some time now.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

There is no 14 seat F cabin. Its 9 (equip code 747 = 747 All Series) or 10 (equip code 744 = Boeing 747-400).

The 14 seat cabin has been extinct for some time now.

Oh ok, I was relying on seatguru and that's what it showed me.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Oh ok, I was relying on seatguru and that's what it showed me.

well nobody should rely on seatguru

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Oh ok, I was relying on seatguru and that's what it showed me.

As mentioned...if you are flying TG, SeatGuru is utterly pointless, and I assume for many other airlines too.

 

[Rallo]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Well it has all gone pear shaped now , LM now tell me because of the cancelled flight from BKK-CDG and I am on the next days flight it is deemed a stopover and they refuse to reticket the second leg.

I thought I would post an update on my stopover saga.
Thanks to the effort of an agent for TG in their Sydney office LM agreed to reticket the flights, Thai did this for me without waiting for the waitlist request from LM I was lucky that their was availability on the next day.
Ticket numbers are present for all flights and lessson learnt , never assume with LM.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

well nobody should rely on seatguru

As mentioned...if you are flying TG, SeatGuru is utterly pointless, and I assume for many other airlines too.

You learn something new each day, I did, thanks

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Hi... has anyone experienced any problems buying a ticket for a friend? USDM audits accounts and freezes things if they suspect the ticket had been sold ... just wondering if LM is the same, or if they even care?

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Hi... has anyone experienced any problems buying a ticket for a friend? USDM audits accounts and freezes things if they suspect the ticket had been sold ... just wondering if LM is the same, or if they even care?

Wife and daughter have bought several for me.
Same surname probably allays any potential suspicion though.

 

[SingaporeDon]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

never a problem, even with different surnames.

 

[Cynicor]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Hi all,

New to this area of the forum, *A and purchasing miles is pretty foreign to me but I figured I should start somewhere. I'm *A Gold thanks to Aegean and a paid TG PER-CTS J return fare.

I've started reading the thread from both ends and will get around to completing it over then next couple of days hopefully, but just a quick couple of initial questions if I may?

1. Is there (in general) a good time to sign up, i.e. do they offer signing on bonuses at times that I can or should wait for?
2. Is it beneficial to have accounts for "family members" or can I do everything I want through one account only?
3. Is most of the information from 2012 in the early days of the thread still generally accurate or should I be just skimming it?
4. Do I need to buy some points initially to "qualify" for promotions etc? Is there any benefit to buying straight away without a promo?
5. Should I be asking anything else first?! I have no redemptions in mind currently, unless they can help me get to Nepal in ~Oct 2015...

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[zainman]

Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Hi all,

New to this area of the forum, *A and purchasing miles is pretty foreign to me but I figured I should start somewhere. I'm *A Gold thanks to Agean and a paid TG PER-CTS J return fare.

I've started reading the thread from both ends and will get around to completing it over then next couple of days hopefully, but just a quick couple of initial questions if I may?

1. Is there (in general) a good time to sign up, i.e. do they offer signing on bonuses at times that I can or should wait for?
2. Is it beneficial to have accounts for "family members" or can I do everything I want through one account only?
3. Is most of the information from 2012 in the early days of the thread still generally accurate or should I be just skimming it?
4. Do I need to buy some points initially to "qualify" for promotions etc? Is there any benefit to buying straight away without a promo?
5. Should I be asking anything else first?! I have no redemptions in mind currently, unless they can help me get to Nepal in ~Oct 2015...

Thanks in advance for your help.

1. By sign-up bonuses do you mean like bonus miles etc simply for joining Lifemiles? I don't think that's ever been offered so I would join ASAP. The next 100% purchase bonus could be next month.
2. You can do everything you want from one account but never hurts to have extra ones in case you need more miles (to get around purchase limits)
3. I don't know what specific information you are referring to from 2012 so sorry can't answer that.
4. I wouldn't buy without a promo. No benefit unless you really want to redeem something straight away and then you can buy little and do a miles + cash booking (effectively purchasing miles at 1.5cpm)
5. Have a search for availability to Nepal on United.com or ANA or even Lifemiles.com

My advice is to never purchase miles without first having a redemption in mind and checking for availability.

Enjoy LM

 

[prozac]

Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Thanks for asking these questions Cynicor...just the sort of information I would like to know as well.

 

[Cynicor]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

1. By sign-up bonuses do you mean like bonus miles etc simply for joining Lifemiles? I don't think that's ever been offered so I would join ASAP. The next 100% purchase bonus could be next month.
2. You can do everything you want from one account but never hurts to have extra ones in case you need more miles (to get around purchase limits)
3. I don't know what specific information you are referring to from 2012 so sorry can't answer that.
4. I wouldn't buy without a promo. No benefit unless you really want to redeem something straight away and then you can buy little and do a miles + cash booking (effectively purchasing miles at 1.5cpm)
5. Have a search for availability to Nepal on United.com or ANA or even Lifemiles.com

My advice is to never purchase miles without first having a redemption in mind and checking for availability.

Enjoy LM

Thanks for the prompt answers, and for not just saying "read the thread". 10/54 pages down and realising that there isn't too much to know (considering the length of the thing).

Your answers are spot on for interpretation/mind-reading
1. was about sign-up bonuses/promos etc. Thanks.
2. Purchase limits/bonus limits was a thought. My brother will open an account too then...
3. Just the thread starts in 2012, so it was a more "have there been substantial changes to the program to make it not worth reading old info" type question.
4. Thanks. Makes sense, just making sure that you didn't need to have a prior purchase to be eligible or something.
5. Will do. Is the booking window ~330days generally?

Thanks again for the answers.

 

[zainman]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Thanks for the prompt answers, and for not just saying "read the thread". 10/54 pages down and realising that there isn't too much to know (considering the length of the thing).

Your answers are spot on for interpretation/mind-reading
1. was about sign-up bonuses/promos etc. Thanks.
2. Purchase limits/bonus limits was a thought. My brother will open an account too then...
3. Just the thread starts in 2012, so it was a more "have there been substantial changes to the program to make it not worth reading old info" type question.
4. Thanks. Makes sense, just making sure that you didn't need to have a prior purchase to be eligible or something.
5. Will do. Is the booking window ~330days generally?

Thanks again for the answers.

Just know that LM can devalue that program AT ANY GIVEN TIME without prior notification (and they have). So don't "hoard" these miles. Purchase and burn.

Lots of tricks around to minimise points cost and make these miles even more valuable but I suggest going over to FT to read about those.

You are most welcome!

 

[Rallo]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

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[vitagen]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Hi all,

New to this area of the forum, *A and purchasing miles is pretty foreign to me but I figured I should start somewhere. I'm *A Gold thanks to Agean and a paid TG PER-CTS J return fare.

I've started reading the thread from both ends and will get around to completing it over then next couple of days hopefully, but just a quick couple of initial questions if I may?

1. Is there (in general) a good time to sign up, i.e. do they offer signing on bonuses at times that I can or should wait for?
2. Is it beneficial to have accounts for "family members" or can I do everything I want through one account only?
3. Is most of the information from 2012 in the early days of the thread still generally accurate or should I be just skimming it?
4. Do I need to buy some points initially to "qualify" for promotions etc? Is there any benefit to buying straight away without a promo?
5. Should I be asking anything else first?! I have no redemptions in mind currently, unless they can help me get to Nepal in ~Oct 2015...

Thanks in advance for your help.

My 2c as follows..

1. There is no harm in opening accounts for you/partner/family. As when promos come on they are only valid for members who opened the account prior to the announcement of the promo.

2. There is a cap for the promo. Handy to have more than one account in your control. Especially where there is a 100% share promo but not a 100% buy promo.

3. They are reasonably accurate with the following noteworthy changes. SQ flights in and out of Aus is restricted to about 14 days before travelling but seems to work well on long haul travel ex SIN. My example is I managed to book SIN-LHR on their premium J product almost a year out. Devaluation may occur without notice!

4. There is no need to do this, the promos are never actually targetted to specific members and FFA!

5. EVA air has really good availability almost a year out. You still can't do mixed class bookings. Website is still cough. Cheap way to get decent *A for longhaul. Calling them up will not give you additional availability than what is online.

My question to you... How much did it cost to get your *A G ? Did you find it easy to get your 19k EQM?

 

[Cynicor]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

My 2c as follows..
...
5. EVA air has really good availability almost a year out. You still can't do mixed class bookings. Website is still cough. Cheap way to get decent *A for longhaul. Calling them up will not give you additional availability than what is online.

My question to you... How much did it cost to get your *A G ? Did you find it easy to get your 19k EQM?

Thanks for all the other answers.

To your question, I was going to Sapporo anyway, and Thai were the cheapest at the time and I wanted a BKK stopover. But it was around $3500 and the flight timings were perfect for me!

Actually ended up with too many pts- I have just under 27K now. Wonder what to do with them!

 

[zainman]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Thanks for all the other answers.

To your question, I was going to Sapporo anyway, and Thai were the cheapest at the time and I wanted a BKK stopover. But it was around $3500 and the flight timings were perfect for me!

Actually ended up with too many pts- I have just under 27K now. Wonder what to do with them!

You don't credit anymore flights to Aegean now do you? Once you get *G you credit back to your preferred program?

 

[TheEmu]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Thanks for the prompt answers, and for not just saying "read the thread". 10/54 pages down and realising that there isn't too much to know (considering the length of the thing).

Your answers are spot on for interpretation/mind-reading
1. was about sign-up bonuses/promos etc. Thanks.
2. Purchase limits/bonus limits was a thought. My brother will open an account too then...
3. Just the thread starts in 2012, so it was a more "have there been substantial changes to the program to make it not worth reading old info" type question.
4. Thanks. Makes sense, just making sure that you didn't need to have a prior purchase to be eligible or something.
5. Will do. Is the booking window ~330days generally?

Thanks again for the answers.

My experience concurs with everything that zainman and vitagen have said.
We have 4 accounts in the family for share bonus offers.
Miles posting to the account (including bonus) has been quite rapid. In December I bought Miles and booked flights within about a 3 hour period.
TG ticketing was equally rapid. Flights booked were 3 & 5 weeks out.
The website is rubbish and quite frustrating at times but worth the hassle for Miles/$ (IMHO).
If you can't get the destinations you want on the website, you can't get them...what you see is what you get.

 

[hossein_au]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

My experience concurs with everything that zainman and vitagen have said.
We have 4 accounts in the family for share bonus offers.
Miles posting to the account (including bonus) has been quite rapid. In December I bought Miles and booked flights within about a 3 hour period.
TG ticketing was equally rapid. Flights booked were 3 & 5 weeks out.
The website is rubbish and quite frustrating at times but worth the hassle for Miles/$ (IMHO).
If you can't get the destinations you want on the website, you can't get them...what you see is what you get.

Has anyone noticed that the question was posted on the "USDM" thread, but all answers refer to LifeMiles?? To answer the actual question, there is only a few more hours left in the life of USDM as an Star Alliance member, so no point in reading this very long thread. May I suggest the OP start reading the LifeMiles thread.