Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[Kangol]

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

As MEL_Traveller said. You have to live life a little on the edge for this (have "backup" or "cover" flights which you can cancel if you don't find anything). Of course, we'll see how long in the new year we can continue to do this, as the Lufthansa Group seeks to tighten their approach to allowing Star Alliance redemptions on their F products (both LH and LX).

Thanks, for some reason I get USDM and LM mixed up - US DM certainly have specified that LH F is unavailable for award redemption.

Are you able to change the connection ports (and hence metal) on an AVLM redemption easily if you keep the same origin-destination?
Would be potentially planning to visit the FRA FCT with new LH F, but I figure it is better to book a guaranteed F ticket (eg FRA-BKK-SYD all on TG F) then if availability opens up to change it to LH ex-FRA.. if nothing comes up you still have your original non-LH F option.

Or is it also possible to book a J redemption and upfare to F without having to trump up more lifemiles (cash only)?

 

[anat0l]

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

Thanks, for some reason I get USDM and LM mixed up - US DM certainly have specified that LH F is unavailable for award redemption.

Are you able to change the connection ports (and hence metal) on an AVLM redemption easily if you keep the same origin-destination?
Would be potentially planning to visit the FRA FCT with new LH F, but I figure it is better to book a guaranteed F ticket (eg FRA-BKK-SYD all on TG F) then if availability opens up to change it to LH ex-FRA.. if nothing comes up you still have your original non-LH F option.

Or is it also possible to book a J redemption and upfare to F without having to trump up more lifemiles (cash only)?

Without the personal experience myself, the "easiest" way seems to be having your backup booked and ready to go. Once you're within 14 days of departure, search for your LH F option and, if you find it, book that. Then, cancel the other booking once you're all in place.

This requires you to have enough points for both redemptions (the cover and the F booking). You could cancel your cover then go for the F booking, but you'd be hoping that the cancelled points get redeposited quickly (in some cases, this has happened), so you don't lose your F available seat in the interim.

Cancellation costs USD 50 and must be done by calling AV LM, the only part that requires any interaction with them over the telephone.

As far as I know, booking a J redemption then attempting to upgrade to F with cash is not possible (AFAIK LH do not offer such cash upgrades, especially not on redemptions). If you want to change your redemption with AV LM, there will be a fee (plus the miles difference, unless they are absentminded) and I suspect you'll need to call them to do this.

 

[phantompharter]

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

Hi All,
Hopefully some of you out there have some more experience with the routing I am interested in.

I have been searching for GUM-YVR from the 9 July this year - and am finding very little availability.
I have been able to find one flight from GUM-NRT-SFO-SEA from which we could then train to YVR.

I have also tried many other North American cities with very little luck.
What was strange was when I searched GUM-SFO I was able to find one flight earlier in the week, but not on the 9th when the one to SEA was available? What gives?

Could anyone suggest some tips for helping with some creative routing options in the US? I would be willing to then try to find a connecting flight from another city in the US to YVR if it would mean we could fly GUM to North America in Business on the long haul leg.

Or is it that the period I am interested in just has very little availability on all flights?

Also is UA the only option from GUM?

 

[anat0l]

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

Also is UA the only option from GUM?

I can answer this one.

OZ also fly to GUM, to/from ICN.

 

[smit0847]

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

I can answer this one.

OZ also fly to GUM, to/from ICN.

No they don't. You might be thinking OZ to ROR?

BR and UA are the only carriers that fly to/from GUM I believe. Try forcing BR as the selected carrier to YVR (or SEA). BR only fly from GUM twice a week leaving Wednesday morning and (I think?) Saturday or Sunday morning.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

might be thinking of Saipan where OZ fly

 

[anat0l]

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

No they don't. You might be thinking OZ to ROR?

Whoops - you're dead right (both the error and what I was thinking). Trying to remember too many of these carriers who go to these various small islands!

 

[sandeepn]

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

Never had any luck by forcing BR for the gummy bear. In the past, Maple Syrup could be used for the TPAC portion, but don't see that any more. It seems that UA might be the only option.

 

[timon]

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

It is possible to force BR from LAX/SFO to GUM, however it only has a 45minute connection in Taipei.

 

[Kangol]

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

Without the personal experience myself, the "easiest" way seems to be having your backup booked and ready to go. Once you're within 14 days of departure, search for your LH F option and, if you find it, book that. Then, cancel the other booking once you're all in place.

This requires you to have enough points for both redemptions (the cover and the F booking). You could cancel your cover then go for the F booking, but you'd be hoping that the cancelled points get redeposited quickly (in some cases, this has happened), so you don't lose your F available seat in the interim.

Cancellation costs USD 50 and must be done by calling AV LM, the only part that requires any interaction with them over the telephone.

As far as I know, booking a J redemption then attempting to upgrade to F with cash is not possible (AFAIK LH do not offer such cash upgrades, especially not on redemptions). If you want to change your redemption with AV LM, there will be a fee (plus the miles difference, unless they are absentminded) and I suspect you'll need to call them to do this.

Thanks, I should have been clearer - I was referring to both AA- and QFF-type ways of changing awards. ie. QFF method of changing a JASA to FASA with cash only (no points), or the AA method of changing from J to F sAAver by paying the mileage difference plus tax difference if applicable. When the latter is done on the phone, it is a streamlined process where you only need the mileage difference in your account for this to happen. On your AA statement it will technically come up as a mileage refund of the original award then a deduction of the new one but for all intents and purposes, you are not doing the "cancel the first, book the second with miles in the bank in case the miles from the first one don't get refunded in time" method.

I also was wishfully thinking that because you only need 40% of the Lifemiles in order to make a booking (and just pay for the rest with cash), you can do a similar thing to change and upfare to F (pay for the mileage difference at time of change).

Funny how you aren't able to make changes to bookings that don't involve cancelling your original award and booking a second one - unless you can, am happy to be enlightened by anyone who can comment on that?

 

[phantompharter]

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

BR and UA are the only carriers that fly to/from GUM I believe. Try forcing BR as the selected carrier to YVR (or SEA). BR only fly from GUM twice a week leaving Wednesday morning and (I think?) Saturday or Sunday morning.

Thanks but no luck forcing BR on the way there... I tried YVR, SEA and SFO to no luck.

I have found quite a few flights that would work if (and only if!) the system would show them as available in the one way search. Oh well - I will keep looking.

 

[phantompharter]

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

It is possible to force BR from LAX/SFO to GUM, however it only has a 45minute connection in Taipei.

Bingo! Got that one. Thanks.

Haha - now I just need to figure out how to get to North America!!

Also, slightly off topic, what is the best program to use for positioning flights in the US? Ie YVR-SFO for example

 

[Flashback]

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

Bingo! Got that one. Thanks.

Haha - now I just need to figure out how to get to North America!!

Also, slightly off topic, what is the best program to use for positioning flights in the US? Ie YVR-SFO for example

Cash.. should only be £100 return or so.

 

[seritonin]

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

Bingo! Got that one. Thanks.

Haha - now I just need to figure out how to get to North America!!

Also, slightly off topic, what is the best program to use for positioning flights in the US? Ie YVR-SFO for example

Just my two cents, have a look at Alaska mileageplan for QF either J or Y+

I would use avios for short intra us flights and miles&more for transcontinental us flights...

 

[phantompharter]

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

Just my two cents, have a look at Alaska mileageplan for QF either J or Y+

I would use avios for short intra us flights and miles&more for transcontinental us flights...

Alaska for GUM to North America? Or just within North America?

Moot point either way as I have no mileageplan / avios / miles and more... and only 5000 QFF.
I will search about those plans and see if i can purchase their miles.
Thanks.

 

[seritonin]

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

Alaska for GUM to North America? Or just within North America?

Moot point either way as I have no mileageplan / avios / miles and more... and only 5000 QFF.
I will search about those plans and see if i can purchase their miles.
Thanks.

Alaska for AUS- USA on Qantas...I didn't realised you are leaving from GUM as well. I figured you are only doing YVR- GUM one way.
UA is probably your best bet..flew them NGO-GUM with GUM crew (i.e old Continental) , best service I've had in a long time... It's an old 737 but cabin crew are so attentive and friendly!
Do yourself a favour and try the pizza at California Pizza when you are in Guam, great pizza with good old American friendly service ...

 

[phantompharter]

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

In the land of LM, could you simply change your reservation to a higher class or reroute etc rather than cancel and rebook in such circumstances ? I know it's USD100 more but it's well worth it from my perspective for peace of mind, speaking as someone who needs everything confirmed / locked in stone a million years out to satisfy my OCDness. We've got ZRH-BKK-SYD booked but would like to change this to ex-CDG at the earliest opportunity - I assume they will simply allow me to pay the USD150 to change even though this is a reroute rather than a 'simple' date/time change? Would rather not risk the 0.01% chance of miles not returning to the account in time.

I was trying to find T&Cs that define what's a 'change' over circumstances where a cancel/rebook is necessary but have not had much luck. But inferring from the fee differential, it seems they'd prefer people to make changes rather than cancel/rebook so I'd be surprised if they push back too much on change requests (system limitations notwithstanding).

I just got off the phone with a LM CSA which went for a while. I asked about what would classify as a change or cancellation.
My n=1 is that if you want to change class on the same itinerary you would need to cancel and rebook.
If you wished to change routing then as long as departure and destination ports stay the same (but routing in between changes time or flights) then your change will be accepted. But if you wish to change starting or finishing port then you will need to cancel an rebook.

Either way as the cancellation fee is cheaper than the change fee, it would seem the better option would be to rebook and then cancel. And if you don't have enough miles then ring up to put the reservation on hold for 24hrs (will cost USD50 service charge) which will allow you to cancel with lower risk of missing out on availability.

 

[robcuk]

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

Awesome, I thought that you couldn't use AVLM to book LH F - what was your entire routing, out of interest - given that AV don't book mixed class itineraries?

Sorry for the late reply - our internet line has only just been repaired and I was watching the cricket yesterday.

So we had a route booked in J on CA but while I was on holiday I started to check LH routes that have had a good history of availability in award seats opening up, by luck about 14 days out FRA - KIX opened up. KIX - BKK had existing availability in F open on TG so it was just a case go booking two itineraries.

SHMBO had plenty of miles in her account so I booked the LH trip first, cancelled the CA trip and then booked the TG F trip when the miles reappeared in my account which was immediately.

Impressions of LH were fantastic, just have to try there other F seats now! Could have spent all day in the FCT eating and drinking.

 

[vitagen]

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

Did you take the Porsche for a ride?

 

[robcuk]

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

Did you take the Porsche for a ride?

I did and that was superb. Had the keys to a brand new 911s convertible. Felt strange just being handed the the keys with no background check or any tuition especially with all the traction controls. Drove a little over the 150km budget mostly on the autobahn - managed a top speed of 260ish but can't say for sure as I was concentrating like hell!!!