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)
#1367
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
Strange update. So last night after 15 days of screenshot and several nudges and nothing, I tried booking it multi-city and got all the way to the last step when I realized it was charging piece by piece instead of for the whole journey so I just abandoned it and closed the browser window. The seats were gone though. Then, 2 hours later, I get the Travel Document email you usually get when the manual booking department processes your screenshot. So I called the next day to have it ticketed and was told that the booking was originally made online through the multi-city request on lifemiles.com and he wanted to charge me 90,000 miles, but he agreed to cancel the booking and remake it immediately with me on the phone, so he did and I got it ticketed for 75,000 LM. Not sure what to think of this....is this a workaround to get screenshots processed faster, or did I just get lucky?
I do notice however that if you get far enough along in booking on lifemiles.com it pulls the award inventory from the partner even if you have not ticketed it and abandon it without doing so.
I do notice however that if you get far enough along in booking on lifemiles.com it pulls the award inventory from the partner even if you have not ticketed it and abandon it without doing so.
#1368
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
14 hrs. I wanted that specific flight because of the Hello Kitty Jet, but this might be an interesting thing to try. Although I was under the impression that 23 hour connections were officially allowed but just wouldn't show up online and had to be booked manually.
#1369
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 139
Quick question. I had to manually call in to book a UA flight on LM several weeks ago. I was charged the award booking fee and have received my United PnR and even selected seats but the LM miles have yet to been deducted from my account...is that normal? I saw nothing on the Wiki...
#1370
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Quick question. I had to manually call in to book a UA flight on LM several weeks ago. I was charged the award booking fee and have received my United PnR and even selected seats but the LM miles have yet to been deducted from my account...is that normal? I saw nothing on the Wiki...
#1371
#1372
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
It's a good idea to make sure there is a ticket number against any bookings you might see on line via any 'manage booking' function. Without the ticket number the operating airline can cancel the reservation, without warning.
As long as there's a ticket number, when LM chooses to take out the miles doesn't really matter.
As long as there's a ticket number, when LM chooses to take out the miles doesn't really matter.
#1374
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
But most likely both tickets cancelled and your friend's account suspended. And probably forget about ever using the screenshot method again if they need it.
#1376
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
LM CS said keep the miles in the account because they will be deducted later and if they arenta there anymore the ticket will be cancelled. Presumably the second one will be cancelled as the miles for the first one will be deducted first.
#1377
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, AS MVP Gold 75K, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 219
LH F?
Are people recently seeing LH F with LM? I see it on UA and AC, a bunch of different flights, but nothing with LM. Any advice? Sorry if it’s been asked, but I though LH was one airline you could count on with LM...
#1378
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, AS MVP Gold 75K, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 219
Sorry, ignore—I see another dedicated thread to this.
#1379
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
Which thread? <7 days out there is plenty of F available, it just won't piece together anything too complex. Seeing as many as 6 seats fra-dtw next few days. bos/iad/ord/yvr also seem to be pretty open. saw a few seats muc-lax last few days as well.
#1380
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 261
Will I be charged a foreign transaction fee for the taxes and fees?