LifeMiles
Life is a collection of miles
At a Glance
LifeMiles is the loyalty program of Avianca, Colombia's flagship carrier and a Star Alliance member. The program is popular among points enthusiasts for its competitive award pricing and lack of fuel surcharges on partner awards. LifeMiles often offers better value than United MileagePlus for Star Alliance redemptions. The program frequently runs promotions offering bonus miles on purchased miles, making it possible to "buy" award flights at discounted cash-equivalent rates. LifeMiles has a distance-based award chart with no fuel surcharges on partner bookings. LifeMiles is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points with instant 1:1 transfers.
Sweet Spots — Best Redemptions
| Route / Property | Points | Book With | Cabin/Type | Value / Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic US in Economy on a Partner | 10,000 | — | economy | united_states |
| US to South America in Business | 22,500 | — | business | south_america |
| US to Europe in Economy | 32,500 | — | economy | europe |
| US to Europe in Business | 65,000 | — | business | europe |
| US East Coast to Colombia on Avianca Economy | 7,000 | — | economy | south_america |
| Business Class US to Australia | 100,000 | — | business | australia_nz |
| Long-Haul US to Asia Business Class | 55,000 | — | business | asia |
| US West Coast to Central/Eastern Europe Business | 80,000 | — | business | europe |
| Longer US Domestic Flights Economy | 15,000 | — | economy | united_states |
| Iberia Non-Alliance Partner Awards Economy | 30,000 | — | economy | europe |
| Mixed-Cabin Awards with Flexible Leg Pricing | 50,000 | — | business | transpacific |
| North Asia Business Class from Mainland US | 75,000 | — | business | asia |
Transfer Partners
Earn via 6 bank points programs
| Source Program | Ratio | Transfer Time | Source Value |
|---|---|---|---|
brex_rewards | 3:2 | instant | — |
| 1:1 | instant | 1.3 cpp | |
| 1:1 | instant | 1.45 cpp | |
| 1:1 | 3-5 days | 1.5 cpp | |
| 1:1 | up to 2 weeks | 1.7 cpp | |
| 1:1 | 1-2 days | 2 cpp |
Program Ratings
Recent Changes & News
Devaluations announced in 2024 and 2025 increased pricing across routes. Business class to Europe now costs 80,000 miles (up from lower rates). Pacific routes pricing increased. Despite devaluations, LifeMiles remains competitive vs Aeroplan on many routes due to lack of fuel surcharges.
LifeMiles+ subscription offers four tiers with 10% rebate on Star Alliance awards and waived change/cancellation fees (for Basic+ tiers). Extended 24-month expiration for miles while subscribed. Basic tier typically best value at approximately $20/month.
LifeMiles can be redeemed on Iberia flights despite different alliance membership. This non-obvious redemption option provides additional sweet spots, particularly transatlantic economy awards at 30,000 miles.
FAQs
How do I transfer LifeMiles to another person?
You can transfer LifeMiles to another person for $15 per 1,000 miles, which is expensive. A better option is creating a Family Pool to share miles for free with up to seven people, though this requires elite status. Holding the Avianca LifeMiles Elite card grants complimentary Star Alliance Silver status.
What is LifeMiles+ and is it worth it?
LifeMiles+ is a paid subscription offering 10-25% discount on Avianca flights and 10% off Star Alliance awards. Crucially, it waives change and cancellation fees on award bookings and extends points expiration to 24 months. For frequent redeemers, the "Basic" tier is typically the best value, especially given the high standard cancellation fees ($150 for changes, $50-200 for cancellations).
Can I transfer United miles to Avianca miles?
You cannot directly transfer United miles to Avianca, but both belong to Star Alliance. You can book United flights through Avianca LifeMiles and vice versa. The advantage is that LifeMiles often offers better pricing and no fuel surcharges compared to United MileagePlus.
What is the difference between Aeroplan and LifeMiles?
Air Canada Aeroplan offers better domestic North American availability and supports complex multi-city itineraries with stopovers. LifeMiles excels at premium cabin pricing to Europe and Asia, mixed-cabin awards, and has no fuel surcharges. For simple point-to-point travel, especially long-haul business class, LifeMiles often has lower costs than Aeroplan.
How long do LifeMiles expire?
LifeMiles expire after 12 months of inactivity. Earning activity (flights, credit card purchases) resets the clock. Transferring miles from other programs does NOT extend expiration. With a LifeMiles+ subscription, expiration extends to 24 months.
Why is award availability inconsistent on LifeMiles?
LifeMiles has access to the same Star Alliance award space as United and Aeroplan, but displays it differently. The booking site is known for being buggy. Recommendation always search using ExpertFlyer or compare with United/Aeroplan before transferring points. Try different search filters ("Smart Search" vs "Star Alliance" vs specific airline names).