Avianca Adds 1,000 LifeMiles for Every 1,000 LifeMiles on Member-to-Member Transfers
Anya Kartashova February 12, 2018
Members of LifeMiles, Avianca’s frequent-flyer program, can receive double miles from direct member-to-member transfers.
LifeMiles will add 1,000 miles to your account for every 1,000 miles transferred from a friend’s or a family member’s account between Feb. 5 and Feb. 12. It’s possible to transfer up to 75,000 LifeMiles per calendar year (excluding additional bonuses). Transferred miles do not count toward elite status qualification.
Keep in mind that member transfers are not free. It costs $15 plus tax to transfer 1,000 LifeMiles. Granted, you will receive 2,000 miles in your account, but at a cost. Transferring the maximum annual allowance of 75,000 miles will cost $1,125 plus tax.
LifeMiles program is a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest. However, unless you already collect Avianca miles or have transferred miles from one of the transferable programs before, this promo won’t be that useful. ThankYou Points transfer to Avianca 1-to-1. Starpoints can be transferred to Avianca at a rate of 1-1 as well, with a 5,000-mile bonus or every 20,000 points transferred.
Avianca is a Star Alliance airline partner, and LifeMiles program has a few sweet spots. For example, short-haul economy flights on United Airlines can be booked for just 7,500 miles one way, and business class flights between the United States and Europe require just 63,000 LifeMiles one way, including flights operated by Lufthansa.
As always, it is not recommended to buy or transfer miles without a specific redemption in mind. Devaluation risk is present at all times, and paying for miles might not be a good investment over time. However, if you are eyeing a specific award flight, this promo can be useful, even with the additional cost of transfers.
Will you find value in Avianca’s 2X miles member-to-member transfer promo?
You’re Reading
I'm not much of a math guy, it often takes me far too long to figure out the equation...maybe someone else can. Let's say you bought during their current 140% sale. You max that out...then transfer those points to yourself (or set up a dummy account in your sister's name or whatever) and max this promo out. What would that bring the cost per mile down to?