Aug 17, 2013, 12:43 am
Last edit by: Tokyoite
Please do your homework before buying Lifemiles. It is what it is... for some that's useful, for others it's not.
Biggest complaints are about
- mixed class bookings are available but now many of the suitable connections dont show
- not being able to book anything that isn't available online (there are work-arounds, see screenshot method below)
- the quality of the call center (English speaking agents are scarce, you might get thrown in a loop with call transfers within their call center)
- no stopovers (>24H) or open jaws, but you can book one way awards
- no reservations on Certain subsidiaries of Star Alliance carriers (Lufthansa Cityline, Germanwings)
Problems with ticketing / lack of confirmation screen or email
- write down the confirmation number shown on the screen after confirming your purchase.
check here: http://serviciosenlinea.avianca.com/...doReserva.aspx
Sometimes, even if you cannot see the PNR, the record may have been created, so better to call them and give them flight details you were trying to book. They can find the PNR from those details.
- ticketing usually takes place within 10-15 min of booking
- but it may also take up to 2 days
- if miles have been deducted from your account and a temporary authorization has been placed on your CC, you're probably fine even if you did not see a confirmation screen
- if no e-ticket number is visible on checkmytrip.com after two days, you should contact LifeMiles. You can expedite the ticketing by emailing with your booking reference to: [email protected] after you have booked, especially if you have booked last minute flights, and need ticketing straight away
Screenshot method.
So, on a date you are looking for in the future, there is availability for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK. But not LAX-NRT-BKK.
It may be a case of the LM system not offering the through connection.
Take three screen shots - two 'available' screen shots for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK and the 'not available' screen for LAX-BKK.
Send them all off with a scan of your passport page (PDF) and LM will make the booking manually for you.
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sample email:
====
Email topic: Urgent request for booking Lifemiles Award
====
Dear Sirs,
I have tried several times, over several days, but the following itinerary does not show on the website.
Please see the three attached screenshots I took just now.
Please do the manual booking First Class/Business class for xx,000 miles. (*Know how many miles the whole award should cost-here, to avoid surprises once ticketed)
The availability is only 1 seat for this date, so please process this request urgently before it is gone.
Los Angeles (LAX) - Bangkok (BKK)
Saturday August 11th 2018
NH 175 connecting to NH 807
(*Provide the specific flight numbers you want, to avoid surprises once ticketed)
My passport copy (Number xxxx, expiry 20xx/xx/xx, Nationality xxx) is attached in this email.
LifeMiles Number: xxx
First Name: xxx
Last name: xxx
Date of Birth: Month, date, year
Gender: Male/Female
Email: xxxx
Phone Number: +1-xxxx
Regards,
XXX
=========
Biggest complaints are about
- mixed class bookings are available but now many of the suitable connections dont show
- not being able to book anything that isn't available online (there are work-arounds, see screenshot method below)
- the quality of the call center (English speaking agents are scarce, you might get thrown in a loop with call transfers within their call center)
- no stopovers (>24H) or open jaws, but you can book one way awards
- no reservations on Certain subsidiaries of Star Alliance carriers (Lufthansa Cityline, Germanwings)
Problems with ticketing / lack of confirmation screen or email
- write down the confirmation number shown on the screen after confirming your purchase.
check here: http://serviciosenlinea.avianca.com/...doReserva.aspx
Sometimes, even if you cannot see the PNR, the record may have been created, so better to call them and give them flight details you were trying to book. They can find the PNR from those details.
- ticketing usually takes place within 10-15 min of booking
- but it may also take up to 2 days
- if miles have been deducted from your account and a temporary authorization has been placed on your CC, you're probably fine even if you did not see a confirmation screen
- if no e-ticket number is visible on checkmytrip.com after two days, you should contact LifeMiles. You can expedite the ticketing by emailing with your booking reference to: [email protected] after you have booked, especially if you have booked last minute flights, and need ticketing straight away
Screenshot method.
So, on a date you are looking for in the future, there is availability for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK. But not LAX-NRT-BKK.
It may be a case of the LM system not offering the through connection.
Take three screen shots - two 'available' screen shots for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK and the 'not available' screen for LAX-BKK.
Send them all off with a scan of your passport page (PDF) and LM will make the booking manually for you.
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sample email:
====
Email topic: Urgent request for booking Lifemiles Award
====
Dear Sirs,
I have tried several times, over several days, but the following itinerary does not show on the website.
Please see the three attached screenshots I took just now.
Please do the manual booking First Class/Business class for xx,000 miles. (*Know how many miles the whole award should cost-here, to avoid surprises once ticketed)
The availability is only 1 seat for this date, so please process this request urgently before it is gone.
Los Angeles (LAX) - Bangkok (BKK)
Saturday August 11th 2018
NH 175 connecting to NH 807
(*Provide the specific flight numbers you want, to avoid surprises once ticketed)
My passport copy (Number xxxx, expiry 20xx/xx/xx, Nationality xxx) is attached in this email.
LifeMiles Number: xxx
First Name: xxx
Last name: xxx
Date of Birth: Month, date, year
Gender: Male/Female
Email: xxxx
Phone Number: +1-xxxx
Regards,
XXX
=========
Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware (old legacy thread)
Jul 17, 2018, 6:16 pm
#946
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Jul 30, 2018, 11:30 pm
#947
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
Do i need to have miles in my account when i send a request via email to book? Or i can add miles after confirming the reservation via email at the time of payment? Please advise. Thank you.
Aug 2, 2018, 10:31 am
#948
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
You dont need miles in your account to send the email, but you will need miles in your account to book the ticket (only 40% of the total is enough to book via miles and cash) . However, I havent heard of any method to "add miles" that is instantaneous or doable within the standard 48 hour limit between them making the booking and you having to call/them call you to get it ticketed. How do you plan to add miles? Transfer from hotel programs? Buy miles?
Aug 2, 2018, 4:58 pm
#949
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
You dont need miles in your account to send the email, but you will need miles in your account to book the ticket (only 40% of the total is enough to book via miles and cash) . However, I havent heard of any method to "add miles" that is instantaneous or doable within the standard 48 hour limit between them making the booking and you having to call/them call you to get it ticketed. How do you plan to add miles? Transfer from hotel programs? Buy miles?
Aug 3, 2018, 8:28 am
#950
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Aug 3, 2018, 10:55 am
#951
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SJO
Programs: Avianca LifeMiles. Hilton (G), Meliá (G), Radisson (G). National Car (EE), Hertz (PC), Avis (PC)
Posts: 188
Do you think the "screenshot method" works to present a case of good seat availability in a flight?
I'm trying to book two seats for SJO-SJU RT (via PTY) on CM, but on the outbound flight only shows ONE seat available, but if I try to book separately (SJO-PTY / PTY-SJU), there is no limit, plenty of seats available on both segments on the same class.
I'm trying to book two seats for SJO-SJU RT (via PTY) on CM, but on the outbound flight only shows ONE seat available, but if I try to book separately (SJO-PTY / PTY-SJU), there is no limit, plenty of seats available on both segments on the same class.
Aug 14, 2018, 4:06 pm
#952
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Ugh. I can book a SEA-NRT-XXX connecting flight in NH J just fine, but not SEA-NRT by itself, the process stops and says "contact support" when I select my miles and money.
Aug 17, 2018, 10:50 pm
#953
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
wheather buy lf miles
Lifemiles new promotion in China website,buy 1 get additionally 140%.I heard about that lifemiles have many redemption problems on most of carriers (ana ca ..) ,then it’s vauleable to get the promotion?I want to redeem ana and south africa airways.If anyone could give me some advices?
Aug 18, 2018, 1:31 am
#954
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Lifemiles new promotion in China website,buy 1 get additionally 140%.I heard about that lifemiles have many redemption problems on most of carriers (ana ca ..) ,then it’s vauleable to get the promotion?I want to redeem ana and south africa airways.If anyone could give me some advices?
The answer to your questions is a big 'maybe'. It might be a valuable promotion, but as you say, LifeMiles is not an easy program to deal with. There are excellent burn rates, but trying to (a) find seats and (b) book seats can be a problem. Some flights don't show at all, some carriers can't be booked, and in many cases, itineraries that involve a connecting flight won't show at all and have to be booked manually. 'Booking manually' is not as easy as calling the call centre - it involves finding availability on individual sectors, taking screenshots of all those flights, sending them to Lifemiles, and then waiting for them to make the booking and call you for payment. Calling Lifemiles, with the time difference, can be problematic.
If you can look past all those things, LM can represent excellent value for money. But it's not an easy program like say United for redeeming miles.
Aug 18, 2018, 11:48 pm
#955
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Internet
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan
Posts: 714
South African Airways isn't bookable with LifeMiles. Don't buy LifeMiles for this purpose.
Lifemiles new promotion in China website,buy 1 get additionally 140%.I heard about that lifemiles have many redemption problems on most of carriers (ana ca ..) ,then it’s vauleable to get the promotion?I want to redeem ana and south africa airways.If anyone could give me some advices?
Aug 19, 2018, 10:47 pm
#956
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
Aug 20, 2018, 4:23 pm
#957
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
I ran into this issue and tried many times. called lifemiles and the CSR asked me to switch to Chrome from firefox I used...I tried Chrome and still ran into the same error. what is the solution here? thanks.
Aug 20, 2018, 4:29 pm
#958
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
You send screenshots of what you were trying to book to the email address in your screenshot. You will need to include all passenger details / photo of your passport details page(s).
Aug 20, 2018, 5:30 pm
#959
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
thanks....need to email them for manual booking...so I don't need to provide my credit card info in the email?
Aug 20, 2018, 6:02 pm
#960
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Not at this stage. Lifemiles will create the booking for you (it can take several days for them to do this) and send you a copy of the itinerary. They include a number to call, and call times. You complete the booking by phoning them with your credit card, and choosing any mix of miles/cash you want to use.