Jan 11, 2014, 10:36 am
Last edit by: TEDisgone
WARNING - The cancellation fee has been increased up to $200 for long haul premium awards as of Feb 2017 .
T&Cs here:
How to cancel a Lifemiles ticket:
Some agents have stated that the ticket can be cancelled even AFTER the flight dates, as long as the ticket is "open". Confirmed by FTers @ #334, 336, 371 and 445.
T&Cs here:
How to cancel a Lifemiles ticket:
- Lifemiles tickets cannot be canceled or changed online, you need to call the Avianca/TACA call center
(+1 800 284 2622)(number updated to +1 866 919 0081 as of February 2024). #2 for English, then enter your Lifemiles number, enter #3 for Lifemiles then #3 again for transactions. - The cancellation fee is variable, $50-200. The change-fee is $150. This is per passenger/ticket. If you cancel, you will not get back the $25 booking fee paid when the ticket was issued.
- The cancellation fee for Awards booked after 20th/2/2017: Award Tickets are reimbursable by paying a fee that varies depending on the redeemed route, the redemption channel and other circumstances, Accurate information of the reimbursement cost shall be informed at the time of redeeming the Award Ticket. If you cancel, you will not get back the $25 booking fee paid when the ticket was issued.
- You need to set-up a phone PIN to do any changes to tickets on lifemiles.com before or during the call. Do this before you call as doing this while calling can add a couple of minutes to the call
- Make sure your address and phone number are up to date in your lifemiles account. This will help immensely as spelling out everything letter-by-letter to the phone agent.
- Your credit card information is collected via an automated system on the phone and not by the agent. The system first asks you for your card number (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express), followed by the expiration month/year in MMYY format, then followed by the Security Code. Press * to correct mistakes in entering numbers.
- You need to enter/confirm credit card information for every ticket seperately. The process is simpler for remaining tickets as you only need to: first confirm the last 4 digits of the card (1 - Yes; 2 - No); followed by the expiration Month; followed by the expiration Year; followed by the Security code. For AMEX,(and sometimes for visa too ) the whole cared number has to be entered again
- Similarly if you have used credit cards before, the system keeps information about your credit cards, so even for the first ticket, the process is simpler as you only need to confirm the last four digits of credit card, then expiration month, then expiration year last two digits only followed by the security code
- Be prepared to spend between 20 minutes and 3 hours on the phone to get your changes / cancellation done, depending on the agent you get, or if you're really unlucky, you may spend days getting it sorted out.
- Avianca transactions may trigger fraud alerts on your credit card, you may need to contact your bank about this.
- Miles should be back in your account instantaneously, tax refund can take longer (2-3 weeks)
- Money paid for miles purchased as part of "more money/less miles" choice will NOT be refunded in cash but as miles.
- As soon as your flight is ticketed, the refund for a cash & miles booking will be only in miles
- BE PATIENT: some agents are very knowledgeable and fast, others take hours to get a simple cancellation done
- TAXES ARE REFUNDABLE: if an agent claims that taxes are non-refundable you may need to write an email to [email protected] to follow-up
- You should be able to see your cancellation receipts under "Your Lifemiles" - "Print receipts" (Only works with Internet Explorer!)
- NEW RULE - Ticket cannot be cancelled in the T-48 to T+24 window. Ticket can be cancelled after T+24 as long as ticket is valid, which is up to 365 days after issuance date (not travel date!)
Some agents have stated that the ticket can be cancelled even AFTER the flight dates, as long as the ticket is "open". Confirmed by FTers @ #334, 336, 371 and 445.
Cancellation of Lifemiles ticket
Jan 26, 2017, 5:44 am
#541
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: BA Gold, LH, SEN, RJ Platinum, ALL Diamond, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 643
Schedule change - 12h
One of my flights in the ticket got cancelled and I was rebooked into a flight that is leaving 12h later. I called the call center and asked for gull refund or alternative.
There is no alternative on that days and three agents I talked all did refuse to cancel free of charge. Is this a regular procedure with LM? I was the impression like on other Airlines that such a big schedule change should be considered to get free cancellation. What are you opinions/experiences?
There is no alternative on that days and three agents I talked all did refuse to cancel free of charge. Is this a regular procedure with LM? I was the impression like on other Airlines that such a big schedule change should be considered to get free cancellation. What are you opinions/experiences?
Jan 26, 2017, 9:36 am
#542
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
This is weird, they should offer a cancel free of charge. Try calling again [email protected] explaining the issue, something in writing is always best.
Jan 31, 2017, 9:51 pm
#543
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
with all the new executive orders flying in the US, I have second doubts about an upcoming non-essential trip to the US next week. any chance that Lifemiles has a no fee cancellation policy regarding award flights involving US destination?
Feb 2, 2017, 12:20 pm
#544
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
I had a similar issue today. My flight was canceled and moved onto a flight 22 hours before my original flight. Called in to cancel and the first agent claimed I need to pay the cancel fee, the second agent a spoke to agreed to "wave" the fee.
Feb 9, 2017, 6:42 pm
#546
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
Feb 9, 2017, 10:26 pm
#547
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Feb 9, 2017, 11:27 pm
#548
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
As originally posted by BacchusMarsh http://www.australianfrequentflyer.c...40866-177.html so please be sure to say thanks.
Last edited by Guvner067; Feb 10, 2017 at 3:02 am
Feb 10, 2017, 8:18 am
#551
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
This is a good lesson for all, change only if circumstances are dire. let the call center staff focus on other booking issues instead of constant change type calls.
Feb 14, 2017, 2:23 am
#553
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
The logic I see so far is that,
- cancel fee varies between F , J and Y redemptions.
- intra-region is USD 100/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F & J award)
- inter-region is USD 200/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F award. J is USD 100)
- Existing tickets are not affected (tickets still show USD 50/ticket).
- Call-center is still clueless and they still say USD 50/ticket
- cancel fee varies between F , J and Y redemptions.
- intra-region is USD 100/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F & J award)
- inter-region is USD 200/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F award. J is USD 100)
- Existing tickets are not affected (tickets still show USD 50/ticket).
- Call-center is still clueless and they still say USD 50/ticket
Feb 19, 2017, 8:43 pm
#554
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 505
The logic I see so far is that,
- cancel fee varies between F , J and Y redemptions.
- intra-region is USD 100/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F & J award)
- inter-region is USD 200/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F award. J is USD 100)
- Existing tickets are not affected (tickets still show USD 50/ticket).
- Call-center is still clueless and they still say USD 50/ticket
- cancel fee varies between F , J and Y redemptions.
- intra-region is USD 100/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F & J award)
- inter-region is USD 200/ticket/person to refund. as per the site (F award. J is USD 100)
- Existing tickets are not affected (tickets still show USD 50/ticket).
- Call-center is still clueless and they still say USD 50/ticket
"Limited Seats" J award it is US$40 for changes and US$30 for refunds
"All seats" J award it is US$25 for changes and US$30 for refunds
"Seats on sale" Y award it is US$75 for changes and US$30 for refunds
"Limited Seats" Y award it is US$60 for changes and US$30 for refunds
"All seats" Y award it is US$40 for changes and US$30 for refunds
