Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[Flashback]

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

I had the same problem.So before buying or redeeming awards I ring amex to have the charge authorised before the purchase and then it goes through.

You'd like to think so.. but in my previous dealings with AMEX that's never made a difference!

 

[BobbyFlyer]

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

I almost always AMEX with no problems. Had an issue once and switched to VISA but otherwise seems to work OK for me.

 

[quokka77]

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

+1. First purchase I had to use a visa as Amex was rejected. 2nd purchase went through ok on Amex. Points plus co-pay was able to pay with Amex. It's LifeMiles, there are a lot of unexplained glitches, but it seems to work.

Just selected seats for my upcoming SYD ICN LAX J return flights next week: had to phone in (Asiana) but the nice lady managed to find me what I wanted (window seats, away from the galley and WC). Got a couple of tight connections (1 hour 10min in ICN, followed by 3 hour connection in LAX (flying on to LAS) but hand luggage only, so I've got my fingers crossed I make them all ok.

 

[smit0847]

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

I presume you cant use Lifemiles to book Silk Air flights (with an SQ flight no) as Silk Air is not a member of *A?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

I presume you cant use Lifemiles to book Silk Air flights (with an SQ flight no) as Silk Air is not a member of *A?

That's right you can't book codeshares

 

[drron]

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

I've been able to book a RGN-SIN award.SQ flight number but I believe it is operated by Silk air.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

I've been able to book a RGN-SIN award.SQ flight number but I believe it is operated by Silk air.

SQ operate to RGN now

 

[diningdecadence]

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

hi all,

does anyone have experience with Lufthansa?

i can see availability through LM for DFW-MUC, but the united.com & awardtravelr availability for IAH-MUC doesn't show (this is for later in the year so isn't to do with the t14 days thing)

is it because you can't book LH A380? (the dfw flight is an A330, the iah flight an A380)

 

[bcworld]

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

hi all,

does anyone have experience with Lufthansa?

i can see availability through LM for DFW-MUC, but the united.com & awardtravelr availability for IAH-MUC doesn't show (this is for later in the year so isn't to do with the t14 days thing)

is it because you can't book LH A380? (the dfw flight is an A330, the iah flight an A380)

There's no aircraft restriction...and if we're talking J don't make the assumption that the A380 is the flagship! The LH A380 features pretty poor slopey seats whereas some of the A330s are fitted with better full flats...I think the MUC A330s generally are.

 

[dajop]

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

That's right you can't book codeshares

The only exception to this rule is (or was, not sure if still the case) where there is no Silkair code on the flight, even though they operate the flight on behalf of SQ. This is very rare, and is restricted to BWN, where sometimes the same flight is operated by SQ on a 772 and other times by MI on an A320, but never sold by MI.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

hi all,

does anyone have experience with Lufthansa?

i can see availability through LM for DFW-MUC, but the united.com & awardtravelr availability for IAH-MUC doesn't show (this is for later in the year so isn't to do with the t14 days thing)

is it because you can't book LH A380? (the dfw flight is an A330, the iah flight an A380)

it is only first class that is subject to booking restrictions - ie booking LH F is available only within 14 days of departure.

business class as bcworld points out is not restricted. It might just be that the flight you are looking at on the day is not available.

 

[FlightGeek]

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

Actually there are some cities in C1 where you can already find and book LH F availability for the second half of the year with LM.

 

[FlyerChrisK]

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

Since the bloggers have well-publicized it, have you looked at YVR/YUL-MUC?

 

[Glider_]

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

I've just signed up to LifeMiles, but am having trouble with the website to view available flights. When I start the Air Tickets page to input departure and arrival airports, the form will not recognise anything I type, whether it be whole city name or 3-letter airport code. This happens about 9/10 times, with both the 'multi-city' and 'return' option, and using all airline options or just Thai.

Has anyone else had this problem, and how did you get around it? I have tried in both Firefox and Chrome.

 

[quokka77]

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

Be patient and the site should recognize your codes after 10 seconds or so (producing a drop down you can click on).

 

[Glider_]

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

Great thanks, you're right.



*edit, still dodgy for multi-city

 

[Happy Trails]

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

Selecting the destination city first can help it along. I sometimes have the same problem with EF.

 

[Rallo]

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

bcworld in the USDM thread advised of availability in Dec on the Dreamliner to LAX , if anyone is heading to the states and has miles Dec 6 was showing availability last night for four in J on Dec 6th , pity I have blown my points. :evil:

 

[thehound]

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

Hello Australian LM members - late last year I took the plunge and bought LM points for the first time with a view to using them for 2 business class awards to Canada (YVR). When I bought the points it would not accept my AmEX card (can't remember the error message) so I tired again with VISA which went through (followed closely by a call from my bank's fraud department). Anyway - I am about to try an book the 2 tickets over in the next couple of weeks (the minute the booking window opens) and I would really like to use AmEx (so the trip qualifies for coverage under the travel insurance offered by my particular AmEx product) but I am concerned that my card will be rejected. (I did call AmEx after the initial rejection last year and they claim they did not see the transaction so it was rejected before it even got to OZ).

Can anyone here offer any insight into getting LM to accept AmEx cards - since this will be my first ever booking I am hoping to avoid using the call centre.

Which Amex card's insurance are you relying on? If you're going to be using points + pay you might want to double check you'll be eligible for the insurance, since only part of the cost of the tickets will be paid for by Amex (since your points were paid for with Visa).

 

[prozac]

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

Which Amex card's insurance are you relying on? If you're going to be using points + pay you might want to double check you'll be eligible for the insurance, since only part of the cost of the tickets will be paid for by Amex (since your points were paid for with Visa).

:shock: I hope not as I have used just such a scenario myself. The points could have been warehoused inside LM or SQ or any FF scheme prior and Amex are not to know this nor how they were earned.
In my case I transferred points from Altitude (Westpac) and paid taxes etc using Westpac Black amex. Car hire, accommodation etc paid using Westpac Black MC. The insurances are offered under the Black card combo so I would expect as all travel having been paid on the either of the black combo the insurance would be effective.