Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[matan100]

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

Hi all, bit of a newb question. I'm planning to get 2 F seats from SYD-TYO next year, but seems like only 1 at a time seems open. If I pull the trigger on the first ticket, is it likely that Thai will open up a second one soon after?

 

[bcworld]

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

Hi all, bit of a newb question. I'm planning to get 2 F seats from SYD-TYO next year, but seems like only 1 at a time seems open. If I pull the trigger on the first ticket, is it likely that Thai will open up a second one soon after?

TG certainly do release 2 F seats at a time so there are no guarantees. The BKK-TYO sector may be more problematic than the SYD-BKK. Do you have a date in mind because sometimes I think the mobile version of the KVSTool gives some clues about whether availability will open up...not sure.

 

[travelislife]

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

BKK-TYO is pretty much Thai's most 'protected' F route, i.e. they seem to release a lot less seats than other routes presumably cause they can actual sell them as revenue seats. If you are seeing 1 only I wouldn't think another would open up, you might have to wait until closer to the flight date.

 

[Keith009]

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

Hmm, I do need a trip to SIN in Oct but am hesitant to take advantage of the existing 2-for-1 promo for several reasons:
* Can't book SQ flights until T-14, hence no way to guage redemption availability until then
* LM's propensity to increase pricing with no advance notice
* Current available options - TG and BR (!) aren't available on desired dates. I'm attending a wedding and have very limited leave (talking out Fri, return Sun) so can't be overly flexible with dates or timeframes.

Looks like a commercial ticket may be a better option. :O

 

[burmans]

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

* LM's propensity to increase pricing with no advance notice

Its a year since LM increased prices and virtually every other big FF program has also increased prices (usually without notice). Why the downer on LM on this one?.

Don't get me wrong, devaluation is always a problem but LM are far from alone here!

 

[bcworld]

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

Hmm, I do need a trip to SIN in Oct but am hesitant to take advantage of the existing 2-for-1 promo for several reasons:
* Can't book SQ flights until T-14, hence no way to guage redemption availability until then
* LM's propensity to increase pricing with no advance notice
* Current available options - TG and BR (!) aren't available on desired dates. I'm attending a wedding and have very limited leave (talking out Fri, return Sun) so can't be overly flexible with dates or timeframes.

Looks like a commercial ticket may be a better option. :O

I agree with what Burmans said...it's time to let go of the no notice devaluation thing.

Why not buy the minimum required miles for your SIN trip e.g. about $600 worth? If it works out, it works out...if not, I'm SURE you'll use them another time Keith!

 

[Keith009]

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

I agree with what Burmans said...it's time to let go of the no notice devaluation thing.

Why not buy the minimum required miles for your SIN trip e.g. about $600 worth? If it works out, it works out...if not, I'm SURE you'll use them another time Keith!

Cause my OCD (well, more figuratively than literally) prevents me waiting till T-14 to book anything - if I can lock something in immediately then I wouldn't care about the devaluation. Same reason why I rarely take advantage of my staff travel entitlements - lack of certainty. It may work for others but it doesn't work for me. It's already sufficiently challenging for me not to have anything booked when flights enter system range.

 

[Keith009]

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

Its a year since LM increased prices and virtually every other big FF program has also increased prices (usually without notice). Why the downer on LM on this one?.

Don't get me wrong, devaluation is always a problem but LM are far from alone here!

Don't want to have miles I can't use. My approach to LM (or even AA) has always been to burn immediately upon purchase. I could purchase a bit extra to be on the safe side if the pricing goes up but that'll still leave me with a bit of miles I can't use.

With most other programs I'm usually earning by means other than purchasing miles outright so the outlay, whether actual or perceived, doesn't feel like I'm spending real money.

 

[burmans]

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

Don't want to have miles I can't use. My approach to LM (or even AA) has always been to burn immediately upon purchase. I could purchase a bit extra to be on the safe side if the pricing goes up but that'll still leave me with a bit of miles I can't use.

Or you could wait for their next promotion, they have already indicated they make good money out of this so pretty confident they will keep on having promos. I'm also not so sure they will devalue, they do make money out of this but won't want to kill the golden goose, if they devalue too much people wont buy.

Frankly the big devaluation last year should have been expected, I doubt they were making money as they were much cheaper than the other programs. Now they are but its still a competive market with AA/AS/US all having promos so they are unlikely to move too far from the market.

 

[Keith009]

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

Or you could wait for their next promotion, they have already indicated they make good money out of this so pretty confident they will keep on having promos. I'm also not so sure they will devalue, they do make money out of this but won't want to kill the golden goose, if they devalue too much people wont buy.
.

Might just do that, seeing that they seem to appear every 2-3 months.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

Might just do that, seeing that they seem to appear every 2-3 months.

having a few lifemiles in reserve if you to make an urgent trip to SIN (within T-14 days) might not be such a bad idea in any case?

 

[matan100]

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

TG certainly do release 2 F seats at a time so there are no guarantees. The BKK-TYO sector may be more problematic than the SYD-BKK. Do you have a date in mind because sometimes I think the mobile version of the KVSTool gives some clues about whether availability will open up...not sure.

Cheers, probably not worth the risk then. On a side note, has anyone had experience with say booking as TG in J class, waiting to T-14 and if SQ J availability opens up, calling up Lifemiles and changing the booking to SQ? Wondering if it's a worthwhile tactic or not.

 

[travelislife]

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

Cheers, probably not worth the risk then. On a side note, has anyone had experience with say booking as TG in J class, waiting to T-14 and if SQ J availability opens up, calling up Lifemiles and changing the booking to SQ? Wondering if it's a worthwhile tactic or not.

Have done it and it works easy enough, just have to pay the USD$150 change fee.

 

[bigsleep55]

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

I just logged in and when I go to buy miles it says I am "Joe Blogs" (fake name used) who has 11 million points AKA not me! Anyone else having this issue? All other aspects of my login are mine though.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

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

I just logged in and when I go to buy miles it says I am "Joe Blogs" (fake name used) who has 11 million points AKA not me! Anyone else having this issue? All other aspects of my login are mine though.

Nope

But I can feel a round the world first class holiday coming into the near future

 

[robd]

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

No such luck for me either

 

[bismarck]

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

I have the same issue.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly

 

[Glider_]

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

No suck luck for me either..


Bought a few points for myself just for kicks. I need to make some kind of arrangegment with my boss to work less so i can travel more!

 

[zainman]

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

I had 1500 points taken away! They have now returned...

 

[TheEmu]

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

I just logged in and when I go to buy miles it says I am "Joe Blogs" (fake name used) who has 11 million points AKA not me! Anyone else having this issue? All other aspects of my login are mine though.

Ditto.I temporarily forgot about buying more miles as I obviously didn't need any more than 11 million, 7 hundred and something thousand...