Avianca LifeMiles Changes Redemption Rates

This week, Avianca LifeMiles softly introduced a drawstring of grant redemption terms changes, affecting flights from the US to Europe and North Asia.

In this circular of changes, immoderate pricing increased, portion surprisingly, immoderate pricing decreased arsenic well.

Let’s instrumentality a look astatine what these changes entail.

Avianca LifeMiles Changes Redemption Rates

For the longest time, Avianca LifeMiles hasn’t introduced changes successful its grant pricing, contempt offering among the astir favourable grant pricing and generous “buy points” bonuses successful the industry.

But arsenic precocious flagged by One Mile astatine a Time, LifeMiles has introduced a fistful of changes, mostly affecting flights from the US to Europe and North Asia.

So what changed?

Based connected our searches, a one-way grant betwixt the US and Europe present costs arsenic follows:

• 35,000–39,000 LifeMiles successful system (from 30,000 LifeMiles oregon a 17–30% increase)
• 69,000 LifeMiles successful concern people (from 63,000 LifeMiles oregon an 10–11% increase)
• 120,000 LifeMiles successful First Class (from 87,000 LifeMiles oregon a 38% increase)

This means a one-way United formation from Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR) present costs 39,000 LifeMiles successful system and 69,000 LifeMiles successful concern class.

More painfully, a one-way Lufthansa First Class formation from Boston (BOS) to Frankfurt (FRA) present costs 120,000 LifeMiles; however, it’s astatine slightest little than the 130,000 LifeMiles fig initially reported by different websites.

Interestingly, determination look to beryllium aberrations successful this expected US transatlantic devaluation, wherever grant costs person remained the aforesaid oregon really decreased.

For example, New York (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) and Geneva (GVA) connected Swiss successful concern people costs 55,000 LifeMiles and 60,000 LifeMiles, respectively, portion system costs 27,500 LifeMiles and 30,000 LifeMiles, respectively.

Furthermore, arsenic pointed retired by Frequent Miler, Newark (EWR) to London (LHR) connected United costs lone 22,500 LifeMiles successful system and 45,000 LifeMiles successful concern class.

Now, these look to beryllium exceptions, since based connected each our searches, transatlantic formation grant costs person increased. These see Newark (EWR) to Shannon (SNN) successful Ireland, which is astir equidistant to the aforementioned Newark to London route.

Meanwhile, determination besides are devaluations connected awards betwixt the US and North Asia.

For instance, ANA First Class present costs 120,000 LifeMiles, which is up from 90,000 LifeMiles, corresponding to a 33% increase.

Thankfully, not everything is atrocious news, arsenic galore regions person seemingly been spared from this drawstring of devaluations. Canada is one.

For example, a one-way formation from Toronto (YYZ) to Zurich (ZRH) connected Swiss inactive costs 30,000 LifeMiles successful system and 63,000 miles successful concern class. Hopefully it remains this way.

LifeMiles Is Still a Competitive Program

While this circular of devaluations is unfortunate, particularly since it came without warning, the information remains that Avianca LifeMiles is simply a competitory programme for Star Alliance grant redemptions.

For instance, transatlantic concern people flights outgo 60,000–70,000 points with Aeroplan oregon 50,000 miles (or little with Promo Rewards) with Air France KLM Flying Blue.

Plus, it helps that, arsenic mentioned, LifeMiles offers immoderate of the astir generous “buy points” bonuses successful the manufacture – going arsenic precocious arsenic a 170% bonus.

Previously, 1 fashionable attack for buying LifeMiles was to acquisition points during a sale, and past redeem them for Lufthansa First Class, fixed that the grant pricing was truthful bully and the miles were truthful cheap.

For example, buying 87,000 LifeMiles during a 160% bonus lawsuit would outgo $1,105, and now, buying 120,000 miles costs astir $1,524 during a 160% bonus event. That’s inactive a large woody for a one-way formation successful First Class, though it stings that it’ll outgo much than it utilized to.

As a reminder, Avianca LifeMiles is besides a transportation spouse of respective US recognition paper programs, namely:

• American Express US Membership Rewards
• Brex Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Citi ThankYou Rewards

Recently, Cardless besides launched the avianca lifemiles American Express® Card and the avianca lifemiles American Express® Elite Card successful the US.

Conclusion

Avianca LifeMiles has devalued the pricing of astir US transatlantic awards, with increases of arsenic overmuch arsenic 38% for First Class seats.

While astir prices person gone up, determination look to beryllium aberrations, whereby pricing has either stayed the aforesaid oregon really decreased.

Award prices person reportedly gone up to North Asia too, with ANA First Class to Japan present costing 120,000 LifeMiles from 90,000 LifeMiles previously.

Avianca LifeMiles hasn’t accrued its grant pricing for the longest time, truthful whether this is conscionable a sensation of what’s to travel remains to beryllium seen.

If determination are further terms movements, we’ll beryllium definite to study present connected the website.