511 United Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,500 Avianca LifeMiles 511 United Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,500 Avianca LifeMiles

511 United Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,500 Avianca LifeMiles

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Update: A LifeMiles devaluation on February 7, 2025 all but killed off this 6,500-mile award rate. The only route where we are still seeing this rate is between Cleveland (CLE) and New York LaGuardia (LGA). We are gathering data for an update of this post with a list of United routes bookable at 7,500 LifeMiles.

Avianca LifeMiles is regularly overlooked as a mileage program. But between reasonable redemptions and easy ways to accumulate LifeMiles, ignoring this undervalued program could mean paying a lot more than you should for flights. One of the best uses of LifeMiles is booking United flights within North America. On certain routes, you can book United award flights for just 6,500 LifeMiles each way.

Let's explore this particular sweet spot, showing you 511 routes where we've found this excellent award rate. We'll also review the many LifeMiles transfer partners and other ways to earn LifeMiles.

How to Find United Award Flights for 6,500 LifeMiles

LifeMiles no longer publishes an award chart — at least publicly. On the old LifeMiles award chart, the United States was broken into three regions. Flights within the same region price at just 7,500 LifeMiles. And yet, we at AwardWallet found 511 United routes available for just 6,500 LifeMiles, including routes like San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN):

United itinerary from SFO to SAN.
Credit: Avianca LifeMiles

Eligible routes even include short-haul international flights, such as Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Montreal (YUL).

United itinerary from IAD to YUL.
Credit: Avianca LifeMiles

The similarity between all the routes we found: The distance is 500 miles or less between the origin and destination. This distance cutoff is pretty clear when you review the United award routes from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) that we found for 6,500 LifeMiles:

Non-stop United routes within 500 miles of ORD.
Non-stop United routes within 500 miles of ORD. Credit: Great Circle Mapper

You can even get this 6,500-LifeMiles award rate even if you have to connect — and even if you end up flying more than 500 miles total. The wildest example we could find was from San Francisco (SFO) to Las Vegas (LAS). If you fly nonstop, this route only covers 414 miles. However, you can connect through Denver, the flight distance is a whopping 1,595 miles. And yet, you can still book it for 6,500 LifeMiles.

United itinerary from SFO to LAS via DEN.
Credit: Avianca LifeMiles

The biggest “catch” to this incredible award rate is that United needs to release award availability — and, of late, it's been stingy about that. That means you probably won't be able to use this LifeMiles sweet spot during peak travel dates. In other words, that's bad news for visits to your family at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

List of United Award Routes Available for 6,500 LifeMiles

Without further ado, here are all 511 United routes we found for just 6,500 LifeMiles each way. Note that we only included connecting routes if we didn't find a nonstop option at the same price. You can filter and/or sort the table to find the routes most relevant for you.

OriginDestinationTotal Flight DistanceConnecting Airport (if applicable)
ABQYVR1692SFO
ABQYYC1245DEN
ACVSFO249
ALBDCA341EWR
ALBDCA1328ORD
ALBIAD323
ALBYOW471EWR
ATLYOW1072EWR
ATLYUL1020IAD
ATLYUL1073EWR
ATLYUL1349ORD
ATLYYZ1040ORD
ATLYYZ1089EWR
ATWORD160
AUSIAH140
AUSMSY442
AUSYYC1671DEN
BDLIAD323
BDLYYZ1215ORD
BFLSFO238
BHMYYZ1019ORD
BILDEN454
BNAORD408
BNAYUL1026IAD
BNAYUL1073EWR
BNAYYZ1089EWR
BOIYVR1321SFO
BOSBUF480EWR
BOSBUF693IAD
BOSEWR200
BOSIAD410
BOSITH371EWR
BOSYUL1606ORD
BTRIAH252
BTVEWR266
BUFEWR280
BUFIAD282
BUFORD471
BURSFO326
BWIYYZ1054ORD
CAEIAD401
CAKORD342
CHAORD500
CHSYUL1504ORD
CIDORD195
CLEDCA308
CLEEWR401
CLEIAD287
CLELGA514IAD
CLELGA1045ORD
CLEORD315
CLEPHL480EWR
CLEPHL989ORD
CLEYUL1058ORD
CLTIAD321
CLTYYZ1033ORD
CMHEWR460
CMHIAD298
CMHORD295
CMHYUL1038ORD
CRPIAH201
CRWORD415
CVGIAD386
CVGORD264
DAYIAD366
DAYORD239
DCAALB341EWR
DCAALB1328ORD
DCACLE599EWR
DCACLE924ORD
DCAEWR198
DCAITH369EWR
DCASYR392EWR
DCASYR1212ORD
DCAYOW1260ORD
DCAYYZ1044ORD
DENASE124
DENBIL454
DENDRO249
DENGJT211
DENJAC405
DENOMA470
DENYUL1628ORD
DENYVR1110
DENYYZ1310
DFWIAH224
DFWSAT414IAH
DFWYOW1451ORD
DFWYUL1544ORD
DFWYYC1537DEN
DFWYYZ1235ORD
DRODEN249
DSMORD297
DTWEWR485
DTWIAD382
DTWORD233
EGEDEN120
EUGSFO451
EWRBOS200
EWRBTV266
EWRBUF280
EWRBWI1334ORD
EWRCLE401
EWRCMH460
EWRDCA198
EWRDTW485
EWRGSO443
EWRIAD210
EWRITH171
EWRORF283
EWRPIT318
EWRPVD159
EWRRDU415
EWRRIC276
EWRROC245
EWRSYR194
EWRYOW328
EWRYQB443
EWRYUL329
EWRYYZ346
FATLAX208
FATONT521SFO
FATSFO158
FLLYYZ1246IAD
FSDORD460
FWAORD156
GRBORD174
GRRORD136
GSOEWR443
GSOIAD670EWR
GSOIAD1174ORD
GSOYYZ1023ORD
GSPIAD803EWR
GSPIAD820EWR
GSPIAD1163ORD
GSPRIC869EWR
GSPRIC1216ORD
IADALB323
IADBDL323
IADBOS410
IADBTV440
IADBUF282
IADCAE401
IADCLE287
IADCLT321
IADCMH298
IADCVG386
IADDAY366
IADDTW382
IADEWR210
IADGSO654EWR
IADGSO670LGA
IADGSP803EWR
IADGSP820LGA
IADLGA227
IADORF157
IADPHL290EWR
IADPHL306LGA
IADPHL1261ORD
IADPIT183
IADPWM491
IADRDU225
IADROC288
IADSDF450
IADYOW448
IADYUL486
IADYYZ345
IAHAUS140
IAHBRO308
IAHBTR252
IAHDFW224
IAHJAN350
IAHLBB456
IAHLIT374
IAHMAF428
IAHMEM468
IAHMFE316
IAHMOB425
IAHMSY304
IAHOKC395
IAHPNS486
IAHSAT190
IAHYUL1668ORD
IAHYYZ1278
INDGRR313ORD
INDORD177
INDYQB1084EWR
ITHEWR171
ITHYUL501EWR
JACDEN405
JANIAH350
JAXYYZ1299ORD
LASLAX236
LASONT776SFO
LASONT1441DEN
LASSAN345LAX
LASSAN859SFO
LASSAN1476DEN
LASSFO413
LASYVR1212SFO
LASYYC1523DEN
LAXFAT208
LAXLAS236
LAXPHX369
LAXRNO391
LAXSAN109
LAXSBA88
LAXSBP155
LAXSFO337
LAXSMF372
LAXYVR1079
LAXYYC1205
LBBDEN455
LBBIAH456
LGACLE514IAD
LGACLE1045ORD
LGAIAD227
LGARIC327IAD
LGARIC1369ORD
LGAYUL1474ORD
LGAYYZ1165ORD
LITIAH374
MAFIAH1422DEN
MBSORD221
MCIORD401
MCIYOW1053ORD
MCIYVR1640DEN
MCIYYC1428DEN
MCOYOW1264EWR
MCOYUL1245IAD
MCOYUL1266EWR
MDTEWR139
MDTYYZ485EWR
MEMIAH468
MFEIAH316
MFRSFO329
MFRYVR1128SFO
MIAYYZ1266IAD
MKEIND244ORD
MKEIND1362EWR
MKEYUL1051EWR
MKEYYZ502ORD
MLIORD139
MOBIAH425
MRYSFO77
MRYYYC1094SFO
MSNORD108
MSNYYZ1141EWR
MSPORD333
MSPYUL1076ORD
MSPYYC1576DEN
MSPYYZ1249IAD
MSYIAH304
MSYYYZ1272ORD
MTJDEN196
OKCIAH395
OMADEN470
OMAORD414
ONTFAT521SFO
ONTLAS776SFO
ONTLAS1441DEN
ONTPHX1013SFO
ONTPHX1415DEN
ONTRNO555SFO
ONTRNO1616DEN
ONTSAN809SFO
ONTSBA625SFO
ONTSBP553SFO
ONTSFO363
ONTSMF449SFO
ONTYVR1162SFO
ONTYYC1713DEN
ORDATW160
ORDBNA408
ORDBUF471
ORDCAK342
ORDCHA500
ORDCID195
ORDCLE315
ORDCMH295
ORDCVG264
ORDDAY239
ORDDSM297
ORDDTW233
ORDFNT223
ORDFSD460
ORDGRB174
ORDGRR136
ORDIND177
ORDLEX323
ORDLNK464
ORDMCI401
ORDMSN108
ORDMSP333
ORDOMA414
ORDPIT409
ORDSBN84
ORDSDF286
ORDSGF438
ORDSTL258
ORDTVC223
ORDYOW1043EWR
ORDYUL1045EWR
ORDYUL1059LGA
ORDYUL1073IAD
ORDYUL1095DCA
ORDYVR1755
ORDYYC1379
ORDYYZ435
ORFEWR283
PDXYYC1567SFO
PHLBUF360EWR
PHLBUF1146ORD
PHLCLE480EWR
PHLCLE989ORD
PHLCMH539EWR
PHLCMH969ORD
PHLIAD306EWR
PHLIAD1261ORD
PHLYUL409EWR
PHLYUL1418ORD
PHLYYZ425EWR
PHLYYZ1110ORD
PHXLAX369
PHXONT1013SFO
PHXONT1415DEN
PHXYVR1449SFO
PHXYYC1224
PITEWR318
PITIAD183
PITMKE1040EWR
PITORD409
PITYUL1153ORD
PNSIAH486
PSPLAX109
PSPONT783SFO
PSPSFO420
PSPYVR1219SFO
PVDDCA357EWR
PVDIAD370EWR
PVDIAD386EWR
PVDIAD1431ORD
PVDYUL489EWR
PWMIAD491
RDMSFO462
RDUEWR415
RDUIAD225
RDUYUL1388ORD
RDUYYZ1080ORD
RICDTW762EWR
RICEWR276
RNOSFO192
ROCEWR245
ROCIAD288
SANLAS345LAX
SANLAS859SFO
SANLAS1476DEN
SANLAX109
SANONT809SFO
SANSFO446
SANYVR1188LAX
SANYVR1245SFO
SATDFW414IAH
SATDFW1433DEN
SATIAH190
SATMSY494IAH
SBALAX88
SBAONT625SFO
SBASAN197LAX
SBASAN707SFO
SBASFO262
SBNORD84
SBPLAX155
SBPONT553SFO
SBPSFO190
SCEIAD1112ORD
SDFIAD450
SDFORD286
SEAYYC1695SFO
SFOACV249
SFOBFL238
SFOBUR326
SFOEUG451
SFOFAT158
SFOLAS413
SFOLAX337
SFOMFR329
SFOMRY77
SFOONT363
SFOPSP420
SFORDM462
SFORNO192
SFOSAN446
SFOSBA262
SFOSBP190
SFOSMF86
SFOSNA371
SFOYYC1018
SGFORD438
SLCYVR1396SFO
SLCYYC1615SFO
SMFLAX372
SMFONT449SFO
SMFSFO86
SNASFO371
SNAYVR1171SFO
STLORD258
STLYYC1663DEN
TPAYYZ1155IAD
TULYOW1236ORD
TYSIAD419
TYSORD474
XNAIAH438
YEGDEN1017
YEGDFW1657DEN
YEGLAS1643DEN
YHZMCI1698EWR
YOWDEN1536ORD
YOWEWR328
YOWMCI1053ORD
YOWMCO1264EWR
YOWORD1043EWR
YOWORD1058EWR
YQBCVG1009EWR
YQBEWR443
YQBIND1084EWR
YQBORD1173EWR
YULATL1020IAD
YULATL1073EWR
YULBNA1073EWR
YULCHS1504ORD
YULCLE1058ORD
YULDFW1544ORD
YULEWR329
YULIAD486
YULITH501EWR
YULLGA1474ORD
YULMCI1145ORD
YULMCO1245IAD
YULMCO1266EWR
YULMSY1581ORD
YULORD1045EWR
YULORD1059EWR
YULORD1073IAD
YULORD1095IAD
YULPHL409EWR
YULPHL1418ORD
YULPVD489EWR
YULRDU1388ORD
YVRABQ1692SFO
YVRBUR1125SFO
YVRDEN1110
YVRLAS1212SFO
YVRLAX1079
YVRMCI1640DEN
YVRONT1162SFO
YVRPHX1449SFO
YVRPHX1709DEN
YVRPSP1219SFO
YVRSAN1188LAX
YVRSAN1245SFO
YVRSLC1396SFO
YVRSNA1171SFO
YYCAUS1671DEN
YYCDFW1537DEN
YYCLAS1523DEN
YYCLAX1205
YYCMCI1428DEN
YYCORD1379
YYCPHX1497DEN
YYCPSC1637SFO
YYCPSP1670DEN
YYCSEA1695SFO
YYCSFO1018
YYCSLC1615SFO
YYCSTL1663DEN
YYZATL1040ORD
YYZATL1089EWR
YYZBDL1215ORD
YYZBHM1019ORD
YYZBNA1089EWR
YYZBWI1054ORD
YYZCAE1100ORD
YYZCLT1033ORD
YYZCMH304
YYZDCA1044ORD
YYZDEN1310
YYZDFW1235ORD
YYZEWR346
YYZFLL1246IAD
YYZGSO1023ORD
YYZIAD345
YYZIAH1278
YYZJAX1164EWR
YYZLGA1165ORD
YYZMDT485EWR
YYZMIA1266IAD
YYZMKE502ORD
YYZMSP1249IAD
YYZORD435
YYZORF1149ORD
YYZPBI1204IAD
YYZPHL425EWR
YYZPHL1110ORD
YYZRDU1080ORD
YYZRSW1237IAD
YYZSAT1423
YYZSAV1052EWR
YYZSTL1214EWR
YYZTPA1155IAD
YYZTUL1019ORD

And keep in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive list. If you're flying a route that's served by United and is under 500 miles between origin and destination, check to see if award flights are available for 6,500 LifeMiles.

Remember that not all routes under 500 miles in distance are available for 6,500 LifeMiles. For example, the route from Atlanta (ATL) to Jacksonville (JAX) clocks in at 270 miles. However, this route costs 7,500 LifeMiles. Not bad, but not quite as good of a deal.

United itinerary from ATL to JAX.
Credit: Avianca LifeMiles

How to Accumulate LifeMiles

LifeMiles are one of the easiest mileage currencies to collect — even if you don't fly Avianca or credit Star Alliance flights to LifeMiles. That's because you can transfer points to LifeMiles from most transferrable point programs, including:

From
To
Transfer Ratio
Min.Transfer
Average Time
1,000:1,000
-
Immediate
100:100
1,000
Immediate
1,000:1,000
-
Immediate
1,000:1,000
2,000
Unknown
3:2
500
Immediate
HSBC Rewards
United States
1,250:1,000
-
Unknown

Even better, you can transfer points to LifeMiles with a transfer bonus quite regularly. Taking advantage of these can reduce your cost even further. Taking advantage of these can reduce your costs even further. For example, if there's a 30% transfer bonus to LifeMiles, you'd only need to transfer 5,000 points to get 6,500 LifeMiles.

If you've exhausted your transfer options — or want to save your transferable points for higher-value redemptions — you can often buy LifeMiles with a bonus. The lowest price at which LifeMiles has ever sold miles is 1.2 cents per mile. However, promotions selling miles for around 1.3 cents each are much more common. At this purchase rate, you can buy 6,500 LifeMiles for just $84.50. Just keep in mind that you often need to buy much larger amounts to get the optimal purchase price.

You can also earn LifeMiles through hotel bookings, transfer LifeMiles between members with a bonus, or even buy LifeMiles a month at a time through Club LifeMiles. Or, if you want to fully immerse yourself in the world of LifeMiles, you can apply for one of Avianca's credit cards for U.S. applicants.

Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card
Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card
Annual Fee$99
Welcome Bonus Earn 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
  • 2x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
  • 2x on groceries and restaurants
  • 1x on everything else
Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card
Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card
Annual Fee$249
Welcome Bonus Earn up to 100,000 lifemiles. Earn 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.
  • 3x on all avianca airlines and lifemiles purchases
  • 2x on travel and restaurants
  • 1x on everything else

Downsides of Using LifeMiles

One downside of this mileage deal is that LifeMiles isn't the easiest program to deal with. LifeMiles often doesn't show all flights with award availability in search results — particularly when you're looking for premium cabins. And LifeMiles customer service has a reputation for being rather difficult to deal with.

With that said, United award flights generally show up in the LifeMiles award search results. Plus, if you can book online and don't need to change or cancel your flight, you should have no trouble.

Aerial photo of a United Airlines 737.
Credit: Chris Leipelt/Unsplash

Bottom Line

Travelers shouldn't overlook secondary award programs like Avianca LifeMiles when searching for award flights. Especially at the last minute, United can charge up to double the mileage cost for the same United award flight bookable through a partner like LifeMiles or Aeroplan. If keeping up with all of the options sounds too difficult, we recommend using a tool like Point.me or Seats.aero to help you find the cheapest award flight booking option.

Did you know you could book United award flights for just 6,500 LifeMiles? Will this change your redemption strategy?

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