Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[alieninperth]

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

I'm not sure about the taxes as I haven't made a booking but I understand them to be reasonable. The booking fee is only if you make the booking over the phone; there is no fee when booked online. That being said, as other people have said on here, you need to book on the phone to get the stopover, so perhaps its a stopover fee?

I think you can book a stopover in each direction if you book as 2x OW. Again, others have commented on in greater detail within this thread.

 

[casanovawa]

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

Yeah i have read through most of the thread, just been a bit since i did, so need to go back and read it again... The low taxes as always are appealing....

 

[bcworld]

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

there is no fee when booked online

There is now! As of the last few days you will see - Redemption Fee $25.

 

[juddles]

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

G´day guys,

Hate to bring possible bad news, but today I talked to a mate who works in Avianca. He is NOT privvy to the inner workings of LifeMiles (joint Avianca/Taca FF program), but he has heard rumours. I suspect that they will tighten up the program a tad and redemptions may not be as lucrative in the future.

Please let me reiterate, these are rumours, but I sense that they beleive that they can tighten the awards a bit ( in plain-speak - up the points per flight required) without losing too many members.

Having said that, I am very happy with this promotion. I fly internationally, but I assume most members of the program are based in South America (as I am) and the redemption rates for Avianca flights are nowhere near as appealing as other *A flights. But perhaps the expansing popularity of this program now that they are *A redeemable is starting to have an effect.

 

[kpc]

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

This is just great:shock:...I've just topped up both our US Air accounts to 150K miles each with no firm plans for any new trips til Oct 2013 (probably will be 2x F return trips to Europe); and having set up 2 Avianca accounts 2 weeks ago, now this............decisions, decisions. My brain, bank account etc are saying "no" but the frequent flyer in me, says "consider it"!!...edit to add, maybe I should take into account the advise in the post above.

 

[anat0l]

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

This is just great:shock:...I've just topped up both our US Air accounts to 150K miles each with no firm plans for any new trips til Oct 2013 (probably will be 2x F return trips to Europe); and having set up 2 Avianca accounts 2 weeks ago, now this............decisions, decisions. My brain, bank account etc are saying "no" but the frequent flyer in me, says "consider it"!!...edit to add, maybe I should take into account the advise in the post above.

"No" beats "Consider it!". In order to have any competition, the opposing answer must be, "Yes!"


I suppose if you grab the points then book with them, Avianca can't really cancel your tickets. Whether they are entitled to cancel them and refund you everything, or they are entitled to demand that you pay the higher rate, is another thing, but I would not suspect either. I wouldn't also know what kind of recourse you may have, if any, if things get messed up as such. That said, it could happen with any airline FFP, so assuming the worst and staying away for that sake alone is not productive or healthy. Naturally, the shorter you have to wait between e-ticketing and executing the flights, your risk of anything adverse happens decreases considerably.

 

[casanovawa]

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

I guess it comes down to how far away you think you might use them as to the risk of buying and holding on to them or if other bonus offers will come up between now and when you plan to travel which will lower the risk...

The other thing is whether like US Air they will keep the redemption rates the same but up the price of buying the miles, in which case its best to buy up now, or whether they will keep the miles the same price but up the redemtpions in which case it is better to buy later and decide at that point whether its the best offer availabe on the market...

Just another thing to throw into the mix... I can't see myself travelling before about April next year as don't like Autumn/Winter in the Northern Hemisphere... So i guess buying now and booking now could still be a possibility and keep my USDM miles for another occasion??

 

[auriga]

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

I am just a bit unhappy about the lack of SQ awards at present using Lifemiles. Hopefully that will change soon.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

G´day guys,

Hate to bring possible bad news, but today I talked to a mate who works in Avianca. He is NOT privvy to the inner workings of LifeMiles (joint Avianca/Taca FF program), but he has heard rumours. I suspect that they will tighten up the program a tad and redemptions may not be as lucrative in the future.

Please let me reiterate, these are rumours, but I sense that they beleive that they can tighten the awards a bit ( in plain-speak - up the points per flight required) without losing too many members.

You suspect, or he suspects?

 

[markis10]

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

I am just a bit unhappy about the lack of SQ awards at present using Lifemiles. Hopefully that will change soon.

I am sitting on the balcony at present hoping to spot a flying pig, which is a more likely scenario than SQ increasing said inventory IMHO.

 

[bcworld]

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

I am sitting on the balcony at present hoping to spot a flying pig, which is a more likely scenario than SQ increasing said inventory IMHO.

The inventory is there...it's just hidden on the front end of the website. Of course as you would reasonably expect...it's just the same old regional A330 and 773/772 cabins that the vast majority (LH excepted) of other Star carriers have access to.

 

[bcworld]

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

...and now time to buy some more miles and get the return trip and next years holiday flights!

And now just booked the return leg MEL-EDI. MEL-FRA on TG including A380. 34k + $784 (C class).

 

[futaris]

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

The inventory is there...it's just hidden on the front end of the website.

Indeed. You just have to enable cmbSocAe SQ... And it doesn't appear to always work.

 

[bcworld]

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

Indeed. You just have to enable cmbSocAe SQ... And it doesn't appear to always work.

I found I could make it match up with ANA...but I didn't spend hours playing with it so you could be right.

 

[kpc]

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

My brain, bank account etc are saying "no" but the frequent flyer in me, says "consider it"!!...edit to add, maybe I should take into account the advise in the post above.

Naturally, the shorter you have to wait between e-ticketing and executing the flights, your risk of anything adverse happens decreases considerably.

I guess it comes down to how far away you think you might use them as to the risk of buying and holding on to them or if other bonus offers will come up between now and when you plan to travel which will lower the risk...

The other thing is whether like US Air they will keep the redemption rates the same but up the price of buying the miles, in which case its best to buy up now, or whether they will keep the miles the same price but up the redemtpions in which case it is better to buy later and decide at that point whether its the best offer availabe on the market...

Just another thing to throw into the mix... I can't see myself travelling before about April next year as don't like Autumn/Winter in the Northern Hemisphere... So i guess buying now and booking now could still be a possibility and keep my USDM miles for another occasion??

The blog Avianca LifeMiles offering a 100% bonus on purchased miles through September 28, 2012 - One Mile at a Time suggests:

I’ll be doing more investigating, though off the bat this appears to be a fantastic deal if you have a use for the miles. This isn’t a currency I’d hoard, though, since I wouldn’t be surprised to see an award chart devaluation or the introduction of fuel surcharges.

Good advise, me thinks! The impression from my online reading is that these are miles you want to book flights with as soon as you buy them, and preferably fly within a reasonably short time frame as the unanimous opinion (correct or not) is that the progarm will be "enhanced" when Avianca realise how generous the program is....
If you haven't already seen it, the full Ts and Cs for this promo are listed here:
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/tra/pro/proofeinf.aspx?D=DOF24

Note that promo "Applies only to members enrolled in the program prior to September 3[SUP]rd[/SUP], 2012"

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

The program is no more generous than BMI Diamond club which was run for many years as a successful operation (the airline failed , not Diamond club).

 

[bcworld]

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

The program is no more generous than BMI Diamond club which was run for many years as a successful operation (the airline failed , not Diamond club).

...and the 2 redemptions I've booked today have probably cost in total about 5% more than they would've done with US Dividend Miles. However my USDM are being saved for itineraries that require more creative routings / options that the LM online engine isn't likely to offer.

 

[kpc]

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

Syd-Kul via Bkk on TG in J class return, using maximum cash, minimum points, and then buying the minimum points under the current promo comes to USD959.04. Hmmmm.....

 

[bcworld]

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

Syd-Kul via Bkk on TG in J class return, using maximum cash, minimum points, and then buying the minimum points under the current promo comes to USD959.04. Hmmmm.....

I think you've got your sums wrong. I make that $540 for the miles (36k) + $847.22 in cash/tax/fee - Total about $1400.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

I think you've got your sums wrong. I make that $540 for the miles (36k) + $847.22 in cash/tax/fee - Total about $1400.

indeed his sums are wildly wrong. Yours are correct. As i have said before, to Asia bargain on around $1300 with promo, $1800 without.