Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[bcworld]

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

It's already 1st Sep in Colombia isn't it

They don't have a track record of releasing their promos on the first of the month so it's hardly relevant!

 

[bcworld]

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

Not sure if anyone would be affected by this:

THAI W14 Scandinavia Operation Changes | Airline Route

The key thing is that the removal of business class with it being sold only as premium economy and economy. It seems award bookings, eg LM have been downgraded from business straight to economy from what I read.

 

[Alanslegal]

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

Wow... such a long route in Y or Y+ .... ewwwww

 

[bcworld]

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

Wow... such a long route in Y or Y+ .... ewwwww

Well Y+ is actually business class seating with economy catering etc...so not really a problem (in fact, on TG...will you even notice the difference!), but if you're holding an I class booking on US or LM you are likely downgraded to X, which is really the problem!

 

[Limewood]

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

From what I understand I can buy up to 150k Avianca Life Miles miles and wife can do the same, then she can transfer to me so we could make one booking?.

What is the general opinion is this Life Miles a better deal HKG to Europe than other programs like AS, AA?.

Is that shown on booking a true indication of available flights?.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

From what I understand I can buy up to 150k Avianca Life Miles miles and wife can do the same, then she can transfer to me so we could make one booking?.

What is the general opinion is this Life Miles a better deal HKG to Europe than other programs like AS, AA?.

Is that shown on booking a true indication of available flights?.

What you see on the Avianca booking page is what you get. The call centre works from the same system... they won't be able to find anything other that what you can.

You can buy up to 150K per year, however - you only need 40% of the miles to redeem an award. The rest you can pay with cash - at a rate similar to the 2-4-1 pricing. (It varies slightly, but not by too much. There is a sweet spot which you can determine from the booking page by selecting 'more money'.)

 

[Alanslegal]

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

Well Y+ is actually business class seating with economy catering etc...so not really a problem (in fact, on TG...will you even notice the difference!), but if you're holding an I class booking on US or LM you are likely downgraded to X, which is really the problem!

Oh ok, then Y+ not too bad after all. Yes involuntary downgrade to X now that is the problem.

 

[Limewood]

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

What you see on the Avianca booking page is what you get. The call centre works from the same system... they won't be able to find anything other that what you can.

You can buy up to 150K per year, however - you only need 40% of the miles to redeem an award. The rest you can pay with cash - at a rate similar to the 2-4-1 pricing. (It varies slightly, but not by too much. There is a sweet spot which you can determine from the booking page by selecting 'more money'.)

Excellent thank you.

Thinking of 2 x J return from HKG to CDG or MIL or FCO June 2014 (very flexible) what would be best sweet spot?.

Do they have 2 for 1 deals very often?.

 

[Nizar]

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

Excellent thank you.

Thinking of 2 x J return from HKG to CDG or MIL or FCO June 2014 (very flexible) what would be best sweet spot?.

Do they have 2 for 1 deals very often?.

2 for 1 deals are usually every two months, though sometimes they run a 2 for 1 on transfers promo instead.
Cost from memory for return per person in J is 150,000 points so for two people you'd need 120,000 (40% of 300,000).
During a promo that would cost you only US$1,800. Without a promo US$3,600. Plus another cash payment of 60%*300,000*0.01576 which is US$2,837. Plus taxes/fees. Booking fee is US$25 per person. Taxes vary but usually not more than US$100-150 per person from what I have seen.

So you'd be looking at approx US$6.5k for two people to Europe return in J without a promo. And probably around US$5k with a promo.

The only airline you could easily find availability on through my experience is TG. Maybe TG combined with TK. Some Chinese airlines also have decent availability. But yeh TG is the one which is easiest to get bookings on IME.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

2 for 1 deals are usually every two months, though sometimes they run a 2 for 1 on transfers promo instead.
Cost from memory for return per person in J is 150,000 points so for two people you'd need 120,000 (40% of 300,000).
During a promo that would cost you only US$1,800. Without a promo US$3,600. Plus another cash payment of 60%*300,000*0.01576 which is US$2,837. Plus taxes/fees. Booking fee is US$25 per person. Taxes vary but usually not more than US$100-150 per person from what I have seen.

So you'd be looking at approx US$6.5k for two people to Europe return in J without a promo. And probably around US$5k with a promo.

The only airline you could easily find availability on through my experience is TG. Maybe TG combined with TK. Some Chinese airlines also have decent availability. But yeh TG is the one which is easiest to get bookings on IME.

I would take Air China (A330 and 77W) any day over Thai. Air China has full flat beds compared to angled beds on many TG flights, and the service offering on TG is no longer worth the angled beds.

Air China's service offering is a little unpolished, but the food is ok and the beds are very comfortable indeed (and long if you are a tall pax - no need to side sleep as you would with TGs flat offering)

 

[tallboy]

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

Hello all,

I am seeing zero availability on SQ MEL to Europe within the 14 day window the past week or so ~ looking for a ticket for my spouse about 2 weeks from now. I know such availability is not guaranteed but any suggestions on alternate ways to bring it up? (I am looking for 1 seat MEL-FRA or MEL-ZRH about 2 weeks from now, and have just been searching that route one way nominating First then dropping down to Business once the results come up).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

tb

Feedback of (very) recent experience:

Well, we got lucky, it seems. A search this morning (exactly 14 days out) showed availability in business class on 3 pairings involving SQ to fly MEL-SIN-ZRH-xx_ (final destination in central Europe). Needless to say, I purchased almost immediately. The two SQ flights are on 388, the final connecting flight on Swiss metal, all in business.

I had just about given up hope of getting my wife flights all the way through and was starting to plan for train journeys from Paris or perhaps FRA, and probably flying out of MEL with TG, then this popped up. Extremely fortunate, as availability was only showing for that exact day. I just used the SmartSearch option.

It might be coincidence but most of my other searches have been late in the day, perhaps best to try mornings for SQ inventory?

Fed back as a data point for others.

tb

 

[casanovawa]

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

Ok, just a quick question, I am wanting to cancel a lifemile redemption, so what's the best way to do it, call them up or can it be done online???

And you will get the miles back, plus the cash component will come back as miles as well is it??? And is it at a 1.5 cent per mile rate??

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

Ok, just a quick question, I am wanting to cancel a lifemile redemption, so what's the best way to do it, call them up or can it be done online???

And you will get the miles back, plus the cash component will come back as miles as well is it??? And is it at a 1.5 cent per mile rate??

check the wiki here: Cancellation of Lifemiles ticket - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[ketsuzei]

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

Just got EF alerts about the change of aircraft for TG475 and TG476, just in case anyone wants/needs to go in and assign seats in J... showing as the 77W at the moment for what little that's worth with TG.

 

[bcworld]

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

Just got EF alerts about the change of aircraft for TG475 and TG476, just in case anyone wants/needs to go in and assign seats in J... showing as the 77W at the moment for what little that's worth with TG.

Yup, now showing the downgrade via manage booking...77W cabin as you say.

 

[bcworld]

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

It's on 2x1 2-30 September!

 

[Nizar]

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

It's on 2x1 2-30 September!

You made my day !!!!
Just when I had given up hope !!!

 

[hummel]

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

It's on 2x1 2-30 September!

And just like that my bank account takes a hit!

 

[Wozz]

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

Yup, now showing the downgrade via manage booking...77W cabin as you say.

Yep my booking for jan 15 on Thai website has been changed to J for the BKK - SYD leg on 773. Seat selection showing full flat bed which is better than expected.

 

[JessicaTam]

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

Link for the buy 2x1 here.