Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[prozac]

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

Signed up last week and now a 2 for 1 deal on miles.

So many cheap J fares... Amazing.

Pity I have no leave available and no pending trips to book for

Would love to use my new found knowledge straight away!

Is my understanding correct that you can purchase up to 75,000 miles? i.e. My 75k and LM bonus 75k = 150,000 miles

 

[boomy]

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

Is my understanding correct that you can purchase up to 75,000 miles? i.e. My 75k and LM bonus 75k = 150,000 miles

You are correct.

 

[tallboy]

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

Hello,

I am searching on LM for a flight for my +1 from CPH to MEL in early July. I can currently see some availability in J class CPH-FRA-BKK-MEL, which would utilise LH from CPH-FRA and then TG's A380 service from FRA-BKK, followed by B777 BKK-MEL.

The slight problem is that involves an earlier flight departure from CPH than preferred. I am nonetheless tempted to grab this while I can, but then wondering if I hold out perhaps the direct CPH-BKK flight (B777) will open up, or perhaps even availability on SQ, although I understand from recent discussions here that may not be available until a couple of weeks before the flight.

I guess one option is to book what I can see now and then look for other options later, with a view to booking a second ticket closer to flight date and then cancelling the original ticket if justified.

Then again perhaps the A380 sector now available would justify the earlier departure time over the B777? I have no recent experience with TG.

Any advice from those more experienced with the LM program?

Thanks,

tb

 

[JessicaTam]

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

After the advice from this thread I have now booked a flight with TG in F from BKK to MXP in October. Seat 2A on a B744 as 1A is blocked for now.

 

[legroom]

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

Hello,

I am searching on LM for a flight for my +1 from CPH to MEL in early July. I can currently see some availability in J class CPH-FRA-BKK-MEL, which would utilise LH from CPH-FRA and then TG's A380 service from FRA-BKK, followed by B777 BKK-MEL.

The slight problem is that involves an earlier flight departure from CPH than preferred. I am nonetheless tempted to grab this while I can, but then wondering if I hold out perhaps the direct CPH-BKK flight (B777) will open up, or perhaps even availability on SQ, although I understand from recent discussions here that may not be available until a couple of weeks before the flight.

I guess one option is to book what I can see now and then look for other options later, with a view to booking a second ticket closer to flight date and then cancelling the original ticket if justified.

Then again perhaps the A380 sector now available would justify the earlier departure time over the B777? I have no recent experience with TG.

Any advice from those more experienced with the LM program?

Thanks,

tb

A bird in hand ....

1) While I was stitching up a complete itinerary, one leg in J disappeared to be replaced by Y;

2) While I was waiting for the return flight, my preferred outbound disappeared so I have to book one day earlier - costing me a day's work

For me, I would now grab what I see when I see it, ready to cop penalty / change fees as they are not as irritating as missing out on a day' work or a J seat or preferred departure time etc...

My 2c

 

[legroom]

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

Two contrasting views on whether someone should jump in with the current 2-for-1 offer of LMs.

AustBT seems to suggest it is a golden opportunity ".... now is the time to buy.... don't delay...." while another held a more cautious / considered view "... you should never hoard points..."

I am inclined to agree with the latter view.

 

[burmans]

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

Two contrasting views on whether someone should jump in with the current 2-for-1 offer of LMs.

AustBT seems to suggest it is a golden opportunity ".... now is the time to buy.... don't delay...." while another held a more cautious / considered view "... you should never hoard points..."

I am inclined to agree with the latter view.

except the latter view is not actually that you should not buy miles but rather that you should only buy 40% of what you need!

 

[anat0l]

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

Two contrasting views on whether someone should jump in with the current 2-for-1 offer of LMs.

AustBT seems to suggest it is a golden opportunity ".... now is the time to buy.... don't delay...." while another held a more cautious / considered view "... you should never hoard points..."

I am inclined to agree with the latter view.

I fail to see the real big differences in both, or rather why one may be invalid or so.

The latter view which you have excerpted, of course, is true...you should never hoard points. Points are not like shares which generate money the more you have. They are more like stock goods: you acquire it and hope to dispense of them as quickly and as profitably as possible. The longer you hold stock, the more risk you take in being unable to optimally divest of it.

For the newbies, essentially make sure you have an idea of a travel goal in mind before you buy. If you can optimally buy then burn in reasonable succession, you'll be doing the best by yourself.

I guess the only real exception to the hoarding principles is when the points offered is very cheap and you have a few travel plans in the pipeline. That still doesn't divest the risk that your points could be devalued (it softens it a bit because your initial investment doesn't degrade as much as if those points were purchased at a higher or standard rate)... but the risk of devaluations should not really scare anyone away from taking advantage of these redemptions, unless they have in principle objections against these programmes (for whatever reason).

 

[boomy]

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

Just finished booking 5 one way J flights for December. I have to say I really like the website, very easy to use and the points + pay option is great!

 

[JessicaTam]

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

Just finished booking 5 one way J flights for December. I have to say I really like the website, very easy to use and the points + pay option is great!

Really? Does that mean you like the HH website too?

I find the LM site quite laborious. If only there were a back button so I didn't have to re-enter complete booking details for every variation.

 

[prozac]

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

Really? Does that mean you like the HH website too?

I find the LM site quite laborious. If only there were a back button so I didn't have to re-enter complete booking details for every variation.

And slow, don't forget slow.

+1 for the back button.

 

[boomy]

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

Really? Does that mean you like the HH website too?

I find the LM site quite laborious. If only there were a back button so I didn't have to re-enter complete booking details for every variation.

Back button will be a nice addition but it's still much better then dealing with call centre agents. In my case I knew exactly which flights I need so the booking process was relatively smooth.
Regarding HH booking, I'm using the iPhone app and so far had no problems with it.

 

[markis10]

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

Back button will be a nice addition but it's still much better then dealing with call centre agents. In my case I knew exactly which flights I need so the booking process was relatively smooth.
Regarding HH booking, I'm using the iPhone app and so far had no problems with it.

I agree, and at least its online, unlike US DM. I think they were heading down the path at one stage, their online system does have ASP as the only Aussie entrant.

 

[appaz]

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

Hi All,
I've booked plenty of awards with USDM but none with LM (yet)

just wondering if i can still use united.com for searching routes? i've tried using the LM website but it's soooo clunky :/

Can I search for a route then just ring them or does it have to be done online?

 

[markis10]

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

Hi All,
I've booked plenty of awards with USDM but none with LM (yet)

just wondering if i can still use united.com for searching routes? i've tried using the LM website but it's soooo clunky :/

Can I search for a route then just ring them or does it have to be done online?

Its a case of WYSIWYG with Lifemiles, if its not bookable online its not bookable AFAIK

 

[appaz]

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

Its a case of WYSIWYG with Lifemiles, if its not bookable online its not bookable AFAIK

ok thanks, i'll have a play around with this clunky website

 

[appaz]

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

can I put together my own individual legs to make a route or only origin and destination?

 

[Alanslegal]

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

can I put together my own individual legs to make a route or only origin and destination?

Just origin and destination, and whatever their search engine throws up, is whats bookable.

 

[bcworld]

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

can I put together my own individual legs to make a route or only origin and destination?

As before, what the website shows is what you can book. You cannot call and say, I need to travel from A - D, I've found A-B, B-C and C-D (like you would with US)...they won't book it.

You can use the multicity function on the website but is limited and your itinerary will cost significantly more.

 

[appaz]

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

As before, what the website shows is what you can book. You cannot call and say, I need to travel from A - D, I've found A-B, B-C and C-D (like you would with US)...they won't book it.

You can use the multicity function on the website but is limited and your itinerary will cost significantly more.

thanks for the help, i'll have a play around

i have read about Guam and the US being the same zone, this intrigues me with the current double points offer