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
#466
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: AA EXP LT GLD 1MM, BA GLD, NH/UA*G, Hyatt Dia, Marr Tit LT PLT, IHG Spire,HH Dia, MGM NOIR,Hertz PC
Posts: 10,571
26 calls from me to Avianca LM to issue a ticket that errored out.
Call breaks up everytime they try to connect and they refuse to call back. Wrote an email now.
Effin hell!!
Call breaks up everytime they try to connect and they refuse to call back. Wrote an email now.
Effin hell!!
#467
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,376
I sympathize. If only US and BD were still in *A... or if AV let you do ticket cancellations online...
#468
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
I am surprised. I had emailed them screenshots of award booking that was erroring out, and they responsed by emails as well as called me back several times - and this happened a couple of times in during the last three/four months. May be I was just lucky!
#469
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
I've never been at the phone for more than 15 minutes! ^ ^ ^
#470
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: SPG Platinum, Marriott LT Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Platinum Pro, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 215
You think Lifemiles is bad?
It took Singapore Airlines 3+ months to refund my miles + charges, during this time my miles completely disappear and i had no access to it. After maybe 5-10 emails/calls to Singapore Airlines (and 3+ months), they finally processed the cancellation fee and refunded the miles.
And this is supposed to be one of the best airlines.
It took Singapore Airlines 3+ months to refund my miles + charges, during this time my miles completely disappear and i had no access to it. After maybe 5-10 emails/calls to Singapore Airlines (and 3+ months), they finally processed the cancellation fee and refunded the miles.
And this is supposed to be one of the best airlines.
#471
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,103
Against my better judgment decided to call in to cancel a ticket instead of just going to a local office. They can't even find the ticket to cancel. Have given PNR, ticket number, routing. Nothing. This will be fun...
update #1: 20 minutes in. My fault for using the phonetic alphabet. Apparently KILO means 0 in Aviancan. At least the reservation is now found.
update #1: 20 minutes in. My fault for using the phonetic alphabet. Apparently KILO means 0 in Aviancan. At least the reservation is now found.
#472
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: DUD
Programs: NZ*E, QF Gold
Posts: 107
I sent an email last night asking them to call me(in New Zealand) to cancel 2 tickets on the same PNR, got a call at 9am NZ time,total time spent on phone 8 minutes n miles instantly back in account
#473
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Georgia, USA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Silver, AV
Posts: 126
Tax refund?
Just wanted to report on my experience in cancelling two LifeMile award itineraries. I called the call center, they verified my basic details and first itinerary booking reference number. I was on hold for about 8 minutes before a LM rep came on. He verified the various ticket details, I went through the automated system and entered my LM phone pin and my credit card info. For the second itinerary, I just had to just verify the card info already in their system, and then re-enter the expiration date and security code. The phone pin was not required again. The miles are already back in my account. I watched as my credit card's automated alerts came in my email, while I was still on the phone. (I have it set up so that I get an email alert of any transaction where the card is not physically present.)
The entire call took exactly 21m12s according to my phone. I called around 10:30 pm US East Coast time. My first time using the call center and automated phone system, and it was painless.
The entire call took exactly 21m12s according to my phone. I called around 10:30 pm US East Coast time. My first time using the call center and automated phone system, and it was painless.
#474
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Yes refunded to the credit card used. Usually does not take that long.
#475
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Georgia, USA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Silver, AV
Posts: 126
"In regard to your case, we have validate that the request for refund of the applicable taxes for the bookings [x] and [y] has been successfully submitted; however, the estimated timeframe to complete this process is from 2 to 3 month.
If the period of time previously notified is completed and you do not receive the money corresponding to the applicable taxes, we strongly recommend you to get in contact with the issuing bank of your card.
It is important to remind you that the applicable taxes will be back to same credit card used to purchased the tickets.
If you have another inquiry, do not hesitate to contact us back."
2-3 months! And if not then, I should contact my credit card? And tell them what exactly?
#476
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
Just successfully cancelled for the first time, a LM award. Process took 10m 25 seconds So am extremely happy with that and the points are back into my account. Whether they refund the taxes in the next three months I don't really care and won't chase them - its only US$32.xx anyway.
#478
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,208
Just successfully cancelled for the first time, a LM award. Process took 10m 25 seconds So am extremely happy with that and the points are back into my account. Whether they refund the taxes in the next three months I don't really care and won't chase them - its only US$32.xx anyway.
#479
#480
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,837