AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
This promotion has ended; please review current/active promotions.
Starting today, American Express Membership Rewards collectors can convert points to Avianca LifeMiles and receive a 15% bonus now through December 7, 2022. Considering LifeMiles already offers some of the best redemption rates for Star Alliance award bookings, this presents an incredible opportunity.
LifeMiles notes that “the bonus miles and the transferred miles may be accrued in separate transactions.” However, this transfer bonus now shows on Amex's website. So, the transfer bonus should be hard-coded into the transfer.
15% Transfer Bonus Key Terms
- Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles and receive a 15% bonus miles.
- This bonus is available for point conversions initiated from November 16 to December 7, 2022.
- Points conversions are non-reversible/non-refundable.
- You can transfer up to 750,000 Amex Membership Rewards points at a time.
Avianca LifeMiles: The Good and the Bad
While a transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles isn’t uncommon, it's still exciting since it opens the door to some outstanding redemption value. That is, of course, provided you’re willing to deal with LifeMiles in the first place.
Put bluntly, LifeMiles is one of those loyalty programs that many have a love/hate relationship with. On the one hand, as a part of Star Alliance, it enables award bookings with a diverse set of partners — including ANA, United, and Lufthansa. Even better, LifeMiles offers some of the best redemption rates available.
On the other hand, the program is notorious for less-than-stellar customer service. Plus, its award search engine tends to show inconsistent (at best) award availability. As a result, many award travelers are reluctant to book with LifeMiles unless they’ve found a particularly optimum redemption.
Bottom line, if you need to make a Star Alliance award booking, you should absolutely check availability with LifeMiles. With few exceptions, if there’s availability, LifeMiles will provide the best redemption rate.
Lucrative Redemption Opportunities
U.S. Domestic Flights
One of the places that LifeMiles shines is in simple, everyday domestic economy redemptions. The LifeMiles award chart carves up the U.S. into several confusing regions. But, rather than trying to learn this award chart, just check the LifeMiles mileage price anytime you need to fly domestically.
LifeMiles awards start at just 6,500 miles each way. During this LifeMiles transfer bonus, you'll only need to transfer 6k Amex points to book these awards. Sexy? No. Practical? Absolutely.
Pricing “Quirks” to Europe
Another time LifeMiles doesn't follow its own award chart is on certain routes between the U.S. and Europe. For example, you can fly from New York to Zurich for just 16,500 miles each way. During this LifeMiles transfer bonus, you'll need to transfer just 15k Amex points to take advantage of this nice little pricing quirk.
Or, you can fly from New York to Frankfurt. This award should cost 30,000 LifeMiles per the award chart. But, for whatever reason, you can book it for just 24k LifeMiles. That requires just a 21k Amex point transfer during this LifeMiles transfer bonus.
And, as you'll see below, Chicago to London on United can price at just 17,500 LifeMiles each way. That's going to require a 16k Amex point transfer bonus one-way.
U.S. to Europe in United Business Class
One of our favorite LifeMiles sweet spots is for Star Alliance business class between the U.S. and Europe. With Avianca, this typically costs just 63,000 LifeMiles plus taxes and fees (which are often $5.60).
With a 15% bonus, Amex customers can book the same business class ticket using only 54k points. That’s less expensive than Aeroplan’s old business class award rate — which was our previous favorite option for U.S. to Europe bookings.
U.S. to Asia in ANA First Class
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is one of the flagship carriers of Japan. It’s well known for its incredible onboard soft product (customer service, dining, etc.), particularly in premium cabins.
Flying ANA first class from the United States to Japan usually costs 90,000 LifeMiles. But, with a 15% bonus, it’s possible to book this once-in-a-lifetime experience using only 77k Membership Rewards. That’s fewer miles than the 88,000 miles United requires for business class on the same flight!
Fly Lufthansa First Class
Lufthansa first class is one of the most aspirational award bookings you can make. Unfortunately, Lufthansa can impose hefty surcharges and withhold award availability until the last minute. So, booking it is quite a task.
With that said, if you’re dead-set on flying Lufthansa First, LifeMiles is one of the best places to book it. Not only does LifeMiles typically charge a reasonable 83,000 miles for U.S. to Western Europe itineraries, but it also doesn’t pass on carrier surcharges.
Through this promotion, it’s possible to book yourself in Lufthansa first class from the U.S. to Europe (or vice-versa) for only 71k Membership Rewards points and under $50 in taxes and fees. That’s a screamin’ deal.
Bottom Line
Through December 7, 2022, LifeMiles is offering a 15% bonus on all points converted from Amex Membership Rewards to LifeMiles. If you need to book a Star Alliance award ticket, this transfer bonus is a fantastic opportunity to save thousands of points. Otherwise, it's not worth transferring points speculatively.
Do you plan to transfer Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles during this 15% transfer bonus?
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Not very exciting promo, I will wait for the next ones. However I’m satisfited with Lifemiles, so far so good!
Nice Article. Lifemiles its a good program. Both Avianca and Copa have their own programs, but still linked to StarAlliance!!
The problem is that you will not be able to redeem any premium intercontinental awards soon.
Great news. Too bad I transfered some the day before this offer. Drats.
I feel for you, as I’ve had the same happen to me. Made a transfer and the very next day a nice bonus appears, as if they did it to taunt me personally. 😉
Lifemiles was not very generous in the bonus, but it is better than nothing.
I will not be taking them up on this offer. I would rather use my amex points for some other redemption partners.
Bigger question is when chase will offer similar point transfers
The unfortunate thing is that LH has drastically scaled down its first class services.
Generous promo, however in spite of this I’m not sure I would transfer Amex to Lifetime in the current climate.
Muy buena iniciativa, siempre intentando el crecimiento.
Nice to hear. Need to get some Lifemiles to extend my expiration date from a cancelled trip from the-year-of-the-covid.
Article says no limit to #of miles….but is there a minimum? don’t want to transfer too many miles.
Nice news!! Lifemiles is a cute rewards program!!!!
I love these transfer bonuses, though unfortunately I now have 160K-ish Lifemiles due to a canceled trip to NSI.
I know some see value in first class redemptions, but for me business class is the best. It provides all the space and amenities I need at a lower expenditure. I would like to see more focus on those rates, but appreciate the information nonetheless.
Any idea how long it typically takes for these transferred miles (and the 15% bonus) to post to your Avianca LifeMiles account?
I had heard that Avianca was bankrupt . I understand that this has already been solved?
I’m not sure about the bankruptcy status. Historically, airline bankruptcies have rarely affected their loyalty programs. I did book a ticket using LifeMiles on a United-operated itinerary in the past few days and didn’t have any issues. I spoke with United and was able to assign seats and confirmed the reservation was ticketed.
Probably a better deal to just buy them outright with the sale, no?
Good review of the pros and cons of using LifeMiles.
Just wait for the more attractive offers when the pandemic is finally behind us.
I saw the email come through from LIfeMiles, but I don’t see the bonus on the Amex side. Usually the bonus would show up in the process of transferring the points. Is it coming from LIfemiles after the transfer?
Yes, the bonus is added by LifeMiles.