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
Jun 22, 2015, 12:47 pm
#436
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 224
This post finally made me call them. Just cancelled 2 reservations, 4 pax for travel back in April. At the end of the call, I could play my credit card number like a piano on the keyboard 
Agent confirmed the T-48 and T+24 deadlines but also confirmed that you can cancel after the T+24 as long as the ticket is valid. I asked if I book travel in August, can I cancel in October. She said yes, but not T-48 and T+24. I guess this is the new part.
Agent confirmed the T-48 and T+24 deadlines but also confirmed that you can cancel after the T+24 as long as the ticket is valid. I asked if I book travel in August, can I cancel in October. She said yes, but not T-48 and T+24. I guess this is the new part.
Jul 3, 2015, 11:23 am
#437
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LGA
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 147
Miles not instantly redeposited?
I just called to cancel an award and despite everything proceeding fine, I don't have the miles back in my account (in the past it's been instant). I also looked up my reservation online and it appears that the ticket is not yet cancelled on the operating carriers' websites.
I feel like this may have happened to me just once in the past where it took several hours or overnight for them to actually cancel the ticket. But I think even in that case the miles were redeposited instantly.
Anyone experience anything similar? Thoughts?
I feel like this may have happened to me just once in the past where it took several hours or overnight for them to actually cancel the ticket. But I think even in that case the miles were redeposited instantly.
Anyone experience anything similar? Thoughts?
Jul 4, 2015, 7:02 am
#438
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
I just called to cancel an award and despite everything proceeding fine, I don't have the miles back in my account (in the past it's been instant). I also looked up my reservation online and it appears that the ticket is not yet cancelled on the operating carriers' websites.
I feel like this may have happened to me just once in the past where it took several hours or overnight for them to actually cancel the ticket. But I think even in that case the miles were redeposited instantly.
Anyone experience anything similar? Thoughts?
I feel like this may have happened to me just once in the past where it took several hours or overnight for them to actually cancel the ticket. But I think even in that case the miles were redeposited instantly.
Anyone experience anything similar? Thoughts?
Jul 4, 2015, 7:58 am
#439
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LGA
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 147
Update
Just a quick update... called back a few hours later and another agent confirmed the booking had never been cancelled, so we had to go through the process again and she cancelled it. Mile refund, like usual, was instant and ticket now shows cancelled when managing my booking.
Bottom line is if you don't get your miles instantly refunded, it might be worth calling again to make sure the ticket actually is cancelled.
Bottom line is if you don't get your miles instantly refunded, it might be worth calling again to make sure the ticket actually is cancelled.
Jul 5, 2015, 5:01 am
#440
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
Jul 27, 2015, 11:03 pm
#442
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Called at 12.50 am EST
Took exactly 12 minutes and 12 seconds to complete the process, including entering a new credit card number twice.
Miles back in the account towards the end of the call, before call even ended.
OP, if you press 2 for English, 3 for Lifemiles, you are asked for your Lifemiles number. Then press 3 for transactions and the agent who comes online will do the refund for you straightaway
Last edited by SingaporeDon; Jul 27, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Jul 29, 2015, 3:55 am
#443
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Datapoint.
Called at 12.50 am EST
Took exactly 12 minutes and 12 seconds to complete the process, including entering a new credit card number twice.
Miles back in the account towards the end of the call, before call even ended.
OP, if you press 2 for English, 3 for Lifemiles, you are asked for your Lifemiles number. Then press 3 for transactions and the agent who comes online will do the refund for you straightaway
Called at 12.50 am EST
Took exactly 12 minutes and 12 seconds to complete the process, including entering a new credit card number twice.
Miles back in the account towards the end of the call, before call even ended.
OP, if you press 2 for English, 3 for Lifemiles, you are asked for your Lifemiles number. Then press 3 for transactions and the agent who comes online will do the refund for you straightaway
after another 15 minutes on hold call was answered again - with the same response! It seems that if there is a long call queue then calls are diverted back to a general number after about 15 minutes. I was advised to call again in three hours time. Given that would be 2am in Europe I just gave up. When I called the UK number this morning I was told the LifeMiles team only works from about 3pm UK time. Obviously it's just the same call centre as for US etc.
Boy LifeMiles knows how to try my patience!
Aug 4, 2015, 8:18 am
#444
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Success at last! Called at about 09h30 EST and the transaction (2 tickets which obviously takes longer than 1) was completed in just over 16 minutes.
Despite my keying in 2, 3, LM#, 3, again the agent who came on line (pretty much immediately) had to transfer me to the LifeMiles department . 
Fortunately this time that department also picked up right away. But I had to give my LM number again. Weird.
Fortunately this time that department also picked up right away. But I had to give my LM number again. Weird.
Aug 6, 2015, 6:56 am
#445
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Another cancellation after flight departure
Just want to add another data point on cancellation after flight departure.
With all my problems getting through I fell into the 48 hour period prior to departure and was told I would have to wait until 24 hours after departure to cancel. So that T-48 to T+24 window when it's not possible to cancel has been reconfirmed.
Eventually I cancelled 5 days after booked departure. I had taken the trouble to have myself offloaded from the flight. (I was automatically checked in by LX.) Not sure if that mattered at all.
Worth noting that the agent required the ticket numbers to do the cancellation as he can't raise the booking using the booking reference number once the flight date has passed. So have them to hand to speed up the process.
With all my problems getting through I fell into the 48 hour period prior to departure and was told I would have to wait until 24 hours after departure to cancel. So that T-48 to T+24 window when it's not possible to cancel has been reconfirmed.
Eventually I cancelled 5 days after booked departure. I had taken the trouble to have myself offloaded from the flight. (I was automatically checked in by LX.) Not sure if that mattered at all.
Worth noting that the agent required the ticket numbers to do the cancellation as he can't raise the booking using the booking reference number once the flight date has passed. So have them to hand to speed up the process.
Aug 18, 2015, 8:22 pm
#449
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: All of 'em
Posts: 438
This post finally made me call them. Just cancelled 2 reservations, 4 pax for travel back in April. At the end of the call, I could play my credit card number like a piano on the keyboard
Agent confirmed the T-48 and T+24 deadlines but also confirmed that you can cancel after the T+24 as long as the ticket is valid. I asked if I book travel in August, can I cancel in October. She said yes, but not T-48 and T+24. I guess this is the new part.
Agent confirmed the T-48 and T+24 deadlines but also confirmed that you can cancel after the T+24 as long as the ticket is valid. I asked if I book travel in August, can I cancel in October. She said yes, but not T-48 and T+24. I guess this is the new part.
It's 100% to work?
Aug 21, 2015, 4:04 am
#450
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838