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The LifeMiles program is a favorite among points and miles enthusiasts thanks to the ability to book flights on United, ANA, SWISS, and more — often at better rates than you'll find in other programs. If you're serious about points and miles, this isn't a program you should overlook.
You can earn LifeMiles by transferring points from partners like American Express and Bilt Rewards. Alternatively, Avianca offers two co-branded credit cards for U.S.-based applicants through Cardless (backed by Amex): the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card and the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card.
Each Avianca card has a limited-time offer, and you can earn up to 100,000 LifeMiles by applying for one of these cards. Here are the details on these card offers and how to apply.
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Overview of the Avianca Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses
Avianca's credit cards feature elevated sign-up bonuses. Here's a look at the offers on the table:
- Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card: Earn up to up to 100,000 lifemiles - 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days plus an additional 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 in the first 365 days. Based on AwardWallet user redemption data, the full bonus is worth approximately $2,850 toward award travel.
- Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card: Earn 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. The bonus is worth more than $1,100 toward award travel.
- 3x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on travel and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
- 2x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on groceries and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
Related: Avianca LifeMiles Program: Overview and Sweet Spots
Earn Up to 100K Miles With the Avianca American Express Elite Card
The Avianca American Express Elite Card is issued by Cardless and has a healthy list of benefits to go along with its $249 annual fee. Let's look at what you'll have access to as a cardholder.
- 3x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on travel and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
Avianca American Express Elite Card highlights
- Complimentary LifeMiles Silver status for as long as you keep your card open. This includes:
- Lounge access.
- Premium seat selection and select upgrade options.
- Additional checked bag.
- 30% bonus miles.
- Priority check-in and boarding.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Free subscription to LifeMiles+ Lite, which includes:
- 500 bonus miles per month (6,000 per year).
- 10% miles back on Star Alliance flight redemptions.
- Up to 25% redemption discount on Avianca flights.
- Up to 40% more miles on LifeMiles hotels and LifeMiles cars.
- Up to 10% discount on LifeMiles rental cars.
Avianca American Express Elite Card earning rates
The Avianca American Express Elite Card offers a couple of categories in which you can earn bonus LifeMiles on purchases:
- 3x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on travel and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
And because you have a LifeMiles+ subscription, you can earn double the number of miles you earn each statement cycle — up to 1,000 miles per month.
The subscription to LifeMiles+ and the large welcome offer make this card a solid option for bulking up your LifeMiles balance. Since these miles can be redeemed for a high value, the sign-up bonus can stretch pretty far when booking Star Alliance flights.
Earn 50K Miles With the Avianca American Express Card
The Avianca American Express Card has a smaller sign-up bonus and fewer benefits, but what the card offers is still more than reasonable considering its $99 annual fee.
- 2x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on groceries and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
Avianca American Express Card highlights
- Complimentary LifeMiles Silver status for as long as you keep your card open.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Avianca American Express Card earning rates
The Avianca American Express Card features similar but slightly less rewarding bonus categories than its more premium stablemate.
- 2x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
- 2x on groceries and restaurants
- 1x on everything else
Who Is Eligible To Earn a Sign-up Bonus on an Avianca Credit Card?
If you're considering applying for one of these cards while there's a limited-time offer, be sure to note that Cardless has a one-card-per-lifetime limit. It's possible that this restrictive rule will change at some point in the future, but consider the pros and cons of applying before you click submit; you may not be able to get another Cardless card in the future.
Related: A Beginner's Guide to Building a Credit Card Application Strategy
Our Take
It's hard to deny the value you can unlock with Avianca LifeMiles; earning up to 100,000 of them just by applying for a co-branded card and meeting the minimum spending requirements is the icing on the cake.
In our opinion, the Avianca American Express Elite Card is the more attractive option of the two, but the one that's right for you depends on what awards you foresee yourself booking and what latitude you have to meet the minimum spending requirements.
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