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The avianca lifemiles American Express® Card might not be on your radar, but perhaps it should be. If you want an easy way to earn Avianca LifeMiles to use on Star Alliance redemptions, this is a great card to have at your disposal. While the earning potential isn't anything to write home about, its primary benefit — Silver elite status — offers real value for a low annual fee.
Here's everything you should know about the avianca American Express Card.
Page Contents
- avianca American Express Card Pros
- avianca American Express Card Cons
- avianca American Express Card Welcome Bonus
- avianca American Express Card Benefits
- avianca American Express Card Earning Rates
- Redeeming Points With the avianca American Express Card
- Application Restrictions
- Cards That Compete With the avianca American Express Card
- Final Thoughts
- Earn 2x miles on avianca or lifemiles purchases
- Earn 2x miles on groceries and restaurant purchases
- Earn 1x on all other eligible purchases
- Receive avianca lifemiles Silver Elite status
- No foreign transaction fees (See Rates & Fees)
- *See Offer Terms
- 2x miles on avianca or lifemiles purchases
- 2x miles on groceries and restaurant purchases
- 1x on all other eligible purchases
avianca American Express Card Pros
- Automatic Silver elite status
- Low annual fee
- Solid redemption opportunities
avianca American Express Card Cons
- Limited benefits
- Lackluster earning potential
avianca American Express Card Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can earn 40,000 Welcome bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
It might not sound like much, but AwardWallet users redeem LifeMiles at 2.85¢ apiece on average. Here's how that breaks down:
- Short-haul economy flights: 1.72¢ apiece
- Long-haul economy flights: 1.8¢ apiece
- Short-haul business flights: 2.99¢ apiece
- Long-haul business flights: 3.92¢ apiece
Based on the average redemption rate, this welcome bonus is worth around $1,140. However, if you frequently book long-haul business class flights, that welcome bonus could be worth $1,564. Not bad for a card that charges a $99 annual fee.
avianca American Express Card Benefits
Unfortunately, the avianca American Express Card is relatively light on benefits. Most of its perks are wrapped into automatic Silver elite status.
Avianca Silver elite status
As a cardholder, you receive automatic Silver elite status, the second of four Avianca elite status tiers: Red Plus, Silver, Gold, and Diamond.
Silver elite status comes with the following benefits:
- 2 Avianca VIP lounge entries per year
- 1 Avianca VIP lounge entry for a travel companion per year
- 6 upgrades to business class in the Americas per year*
- 2 upgrades to business class on domestic flights per year*
- Free economy seat selection*
- 10% discount on carry-on baggage when you purchase a basic fare
- One additional checked bag of up to 23 kg*
- 20% bonus miles
- Same-day flight change for flights within Colombia*
- Priority call center service
- Priority airport check-in and baggage handling
- Group B priority boarding
- 5% discount on award redemptions
*Not valid on basic or light fares
Avianca LifeMiles Silver elite status provides several meaningful benefits. The additional checked bag, free seat selection, and entries to VIP lounges can upgrade your travel experience. However, many perks are not valid on basic or light fares, so be sure to book eligible fare classes to receive them.
Silver elite status also translates to Star Alliance Silver status, which grants you perks like access to the priority reservations waitlist and priority standby on Star Alliance flights. However, you'll need to work your way to Avianca Gold status to reach Star Alliance Gold if you want access to Star Alliance lounges and other premium perks.
avianca American Express Card Earning Rates
As a cardholder, you'll earn the following on your purchases:
- 2x miles on avianca or lifemiles purchases
- 2x miles on groceries and restaurant purchases
- 1x on all other eligible purchases
This is a bit lackluster compared to other cards. After all, you'll earn 2X miles on every single purchase with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and you can transfer those miles at a 1:1 ratio to Avianca LifeMiles. So, the avianca American Express Card shouldn't be your daily spend card.
However, you won't be charged any foreign transaction fees, so it's a good card to use abroad. And since Cardless issues the card, you'll receive a virtual card number on approval, allowing you to use it instantly.
Related: Credit Cards Offering Instant Card Numbers So You Can Start Spending Immediately
Redeeming Points With the avianca American Express Card
Avianca offers some phenomenal redemption opportunities, both on its own metal and on Star Alliance partners.
Redeem LifeMiles for Avianca flights
Thanks to frequent LifeMiles award sales, you can score flights for just a few thousand miles. These sales happen at least once a month, giving travelers frequent opportunities to save. Even outside of sales, Avianca redemptions can be very affordable.
For instance, if you find yourself in Colombia, you can typically find domestic routes for under 3,000 LifeMiles each way. Fly from Medellin (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG) for a beach weekend for just 2,790 LifeMiles, plus $11.70 in taxes and fees (or less if you have a LifeMiles+ membership).
International flights aren't much more expensive. You can take a six-hour flight from New York (JFK) to Bogota (BOG) for just 11,570 LifeMiles, plus $49 in taxes and fees. That means you could easily take a trip to Colombia using the miles earned from just your welcome bonus.
Even if Colombia isn't your final destination, Avianca offers impressive connectivity throughout Latin America. Fly from Chicago (ORD) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) with a layover in Bogota (BOG) for just 28,130 LifeMiles each way, plus $34 in taxes and fees.
Redeem LifeMiles for Star Alliance flights
Latin America has a lot to offer. However, if you want to visit a destination somewhere else in the world, LifeMiles are still useful.
You can book short-haul United economy awards for just a handful of miles. Fly from New York (EWR) to Washington D.C. (IAD) for just 10,000 LifeMiles — or 9k miles with a LifeMiles+ membership. This is comparable to what United charges for this route, but LifeMiles is a much more accessible transfer partner. If you don't already have United MileagePlus miles to use, booking through LifeMiles is a good alternative.
However, you can also find great value in redeeming your LifeMiles for partner awards on international flights. Book a United flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne (MEL) for just 60,000 LifeMiles each way.
Or, leverage your welcome bonus to fly nonstop to Europe on partners like Swiss Airlines for just 35,000 LifeMiles each way.
Related: Unpublished LifeMiles Award Chart and 11 of the Best Sweet Spots for Star Alliance Awards
Application Restrictions
Cardless previously had a “one card per lifetime” rule. This incredibly restrictive rule meant you could only have one card issued by Cardless in your lifetime, regardless of the brand. However, Cardless did away with this rule, likely because it now issues several airline cards and the entire Bilt lineup.
Now, you are subject to the following application restrictions:
- Each application must be submitted 60 days after your most recent Cardless card approval.
- Each application must be submitted 45 days after a recent Cardless card decline.
- Only one Cardless card per brand.
- You cannot already have the same card.
So, you cannot have both the avianca American Express Card and the avianca American Express Elite Card. However, you could theoretically apply for the avianca American Express Card and a new Bilt card as long as you wait between applications.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the avianca American Express Card
If the avianca American Express Card isn't the right card for you, don't worry. There are plenty of other options that might be a better fit, including:
- If you want more premium benefits, consider the avianca lifemiles American Express® Elite Card. In addition to Silver elite status, you'll receive a complimentary LifeMiles+ subscription, which allows you to get up to a 25% discount on Avianca award redemptions. You'll also get 10% miles back on Star Alliance redemptions. However, it charges a higher $249 annual fee.
- If you prefer a transferable point currency, the Citi Strata Premier® Card is an excellent option. It offers a comparable $95 annual fee, and access to 15 airline transfer partners, including Avianca. The earning potential is also better — you'll earn 3X Citi ThankYou Points on air travel with any airline, compared to the avianca American Express Card that earns 2X on only Avianca flights.
- If you favor a different Star Alliance airline, the Aeroplan® Credit Card could be equally valuable. As a new cardmember, you'll receive automatic Aeroplan 25K status through the following calendar year. Keep your status by spending $15,000 on your card each year. Plus, you'll get a variety of travel benefits and protections, ranging from a free checked bag on Aeroplan flights to baggage delay insurance. Air Canada Aeroplan offers a great way to book Star Alliance redemptions.
$249Rates & Fees
- Earn 3x miles on avianca or lifemiles purchases
- Earn 2x miles on restaurant and other travel purchases
- Earn 1x on all other eligible purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
$95Rates & Fees
- 3x points directly with Air Canada
- 3x points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3x points at grocery stores
- 1x point on all other purchases
Final Thoughts
It's not every day that you can get automatic elite status as a benefit of a card with a sub-$100 annual fee. Even if you aren't an Avianca loyalist, the avianca American Express Card can make a lot of sense, offering cardholders an option to book high-value Star Alliance redemptions.
However, several point currencies offer 1:1 transfers to Avianca LifeMiles, including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points, and Wells Fargo Rewards. So, you don't necessarily need a co-branded credit card to earn enough LifeMiles for your next redemption.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: avianca lifemiles American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), avianca lifemiles American Express® Elite Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), and Aeroplan® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
