Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[incumbent]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

So now SYD-BKK-HKG on TG F is 50K?

Sounds like a positive change to me

OK, comparing it to my booking Oct. 2014 for Feb. 2015 I still can't see it, but maybe there was another change in the meantime.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

OK, comparing it to my booking Oct. 2014 for Feb. 2015 I still can't see it, but maybe there was another change in the meantime.

How can you see it without using screenshot?

 

[incumbent]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I'm saying I thought SYD-BKK-HKG was the same as SYD-BKK-KIX at 50K until now, so I don't see what has changed.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I'm saying I thought SYD-BKK-HKG was the same as SYD-BKK-KIX at 50K until now, so I don't see what has changed.

Ah ok, I don't think HKG used to be part of North Asia on the LM list but they make changes all the time, it's really hard to follow.

 

[incumbent]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Ah ok, I don't think HKG used to be part of North Asia on the LM list but they make changes all the time, it's really hard to follow.

Pretty sure it was, just as part of "China". So I'm still struggling to see an F route from Australia that has got cheaper.

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

So now SYD-BKK-HKG on TG F is 50K?

Sounds like a positive change to me

Wasnt it 40k in F to Nth Asia before?

 

[anna2103]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Wasnt it 40k in F to Nth Asia before?

No 50 k since the last round of changes

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Pretty sure it was, just as part of "China". So I'm still struggling to see an F route from Australia that has got cheaper.

I think Honky and Macao just get offended when they are considered part of China. Even tho officially it is, politically they are both special administrative region.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Glad to report the screenshots system works even better. Submitted another request around 10pm last night, no reply email but received a call from LM USA this morning around 10am taking my CC details and confirming the reservation in 5 minutes, without doing any conference calls in Spanish or using their annoying automated payment system. E-ticket landed in my email 10 minutes after the phone call.

All in all very fast and efficient service. I know most dislike the screenshots system but the way I see it is the less people using it the more seats left for the rest of us

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Glad to report the screenshots system works even better. Submitted another request around 10pm last night, no reply email but received a call from LM USA this morning around 10am taking my CC details and confirming the reservation in 5 minutes, without doing any conference calls in Spanish or using their annoying automated payment system. E-ticket landed in my email 10 minutes after the phone call.

All in all very fast and efficient service. I know most dislike the screenshots system but the way I see it is the less people using it the more seats left for the rest of us

They are getting better at it. Which confirms my theory that LM wanted this glitch to stay and encourage us to do the screen shots so they can review the routing.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

They are getting better at it. Which confirms my theory that LM wanted this glitch to stay and encourage us to do the screen shots so they can review the routing.

Agree but looking at the positive, still plenty of value left in the programme for Aussies, especially with the addition of ANA ex SYD and AC ex BNE.

 

[Foreigner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I haven't had serious look at Avianca miles but wonder how many miles are required for trip from SYD to Gothenburg in Sweden, travelling in J, return.

- What would be cost of buying the miles

- What routing, shortest as possible

Will appreciate feedback.

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I haven't had serious look at Avianca miles but wonder how many miles are required for trip from SYD to Gothenburg in Sweden, travelling in J, return.

- What would be cost of buying the miles

- What routing, shortest as possible

Will appreciate feedback.

Quickest routing probably TG to OSL or ARN and then SK domestic to Gothenburg. A much more comfortable way would be ANA to HND and then SK to CPH then Gothenburg.

 

[LuisT]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I did this routing last year and did GOT-ARN-BKK-SYD. Was 38,500 miles and ~$830 (using flexible payment). I'm pretty sure this was the only option offered when I booked, but as smit0847 points out ANA would probably be a more comfortable way (though slightly longer I would guess).

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Quickest routing probably TG to OSL or ARN and then SK domestic to Gothenburg. A much more comfortable way would be ANA to HND and then SK to CPH then Gothenburg.

Well TG OSL and ARN flights are operated by 77W, whereas I think SK still has plenty of slopey J seats around...not sure. But quite probable you'd be looking at a night flight on a slope. Also I think SK flies out of NRT.

 

[tania73]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Does anyone know what the current status is of LH releasing F award seats from Europe to Asia to Lifemiles customers?

On another matter - am trying to work out whether to take advantage of AA Cyber Monday sale or wait for a possible Lifemiles Cybersale like they did last year. Apart from the obvious risk of LM not having a sale, any thoughts of which program is better value (noting that we don't know what the bonus will be)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Does anyone know what the current status is of LH releasing F award seats from Europe to Asia to Lifemiles customers?

As far as i know LH F is completely blocked for LM redemptions. Happy to be wrong on that though

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Does anyone know what the current status is of LH releasing F award seats from Europe to Asia to Lifemiles customers?

On another matter - am trying to work out whether to take advantage of AA Cyber Monday sale or wait for a possible Lifemiles Cybersale like they did last year. Apart from the obvious risk of LM not having a sale, any thoughts of which program is better value (noting that we don't know what the bonus will be)

AA may have a major devaluation coming soon. So unless you already have a redemption in mind I wouldn't bank on it.

Based on anecdotal evidence, the chances of LM having another sale in Dec is very high, especially given that they have more lucrative sales lately, obviously people aren't buying LM as much as they used to (The IT glitch, recent devaluation, rising USD...etc may all be the contributing factor that LM is not selling as well as it used to be. So my guess would be, not only there will be a sale, it will be very lucrative and we may see bonuses up to 150% like the one in Sept.

 

[tania73]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

AA may have a major devaluation coming soon. So unless you already have a redemption in mind I wouldn't bank on it.

Based on anecdotal evidence, the chances of LM having another sale in Dec is very high, especially given that they have more lucrative sales lately, obviously people aren't buying LM as much as they used to (The IT glitch, recent devaluation, rising USD...etc may all be the contributing factor that LM is not selling as well as it used to be. So my guess would be, not only there will be a sale, it will be very lucrative and we may see bonuses up to 150% like the one in Sept.

So if Lm do a 150% bonus - will that be cheaper than the current AA bonus, assuming you buy the max amount of AA miles (125k which gets you a bonus of 75k)

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

So if Lm do a 150% bonus - will that be cheaper than the current AA bonus, assuming you buy the max amount of AA miles (125k which gets you a bonus of 75k)

Let's not assume 150%, that's my guess only. But safe to say 120% at 1.5 cents each, which they've in last 2 sales, compare to AA which is 2 cents each.

Depending where you wanna go and what class of travel you want, the value will be different. But just bear in mind that LM is 25% cheaper than AA to buy, so the mileage redemption for AA must be 25% lower than the equivalent LM to make it cheaper.

Eg. SE Asia, AA charges 35k in J which LM charges 40k. Seemingly LM is more expensive, but if you convert to dollar term, AA is 35000 x 0.02 = $700. LM is 40000 x 0.015 = $600. You don't need a PhD in math to figure out which is cheaper.

Of course it also depend on which airline you want and availability. So the equation is not that simple. But to me, I prefer LM as you don't have to buy that many miles since most of its bonus is not tiered, so you only need to buy what you need (this has changed last sale that LM becomes that it became tiered. But to get 120% you only need to buy 10000 miles from memory which isn't that much).