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)
#286
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
I've also booked a pair of AC J seats that didn't even show on Aeroplan, and they came through confirmed and ticketed too.
#287
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 40
thanks, very strange but if its valid then thats all that matters.
#289
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Brisbane
Programs: QF gold, HH Diamond, VA plat, Aegean Gold
Posts: 684
More problems
My joyful experience today:
I made an award redemption today. When I went to pay for it, it said the transaction could not be processed, however it still debited the miles from my account anyway, I have not received the confirmation email either
The itinerary was on Thai Airways
I do not have any reservation number as it told me it did not process. I have sent an email to them but of course cannot make the booking again as the miles are now gone. And because I have no reference number cannot ring Thai airways about it either!!
Any similar experiences, and results or advice?
I made an award redemption today. When I went to pay for it, it said the transaction could not be processed, however it still debited the miles from my account anyway, I have not received the confirmation email either
The itinerary was on Thai Airways
I do not have any reservation number as it told me it did not process. I have sent an email to them but of course cannot make the booking again as the miles are now gone. And because I have no reference number cannot ring Thai airways about it either!!
Any similar experiences, and results or advice?
#290
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
Now BR seems not even to come up any longer for LAX or JFK routes while a few weeks ago it would show for almost every day of the week.
#291
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Melbourne
Programs: Velocity Gold
Posts: 1,069
My joyful experience today:
I made an award redemption today. When I went to pay for it, it said the transaction could not be processed, however it still debited the miles from my account anyway, I have not received the confirmation email either
The itinerary was on Thai Airways
I do not have any reservation number as it told me it did not process. I have sent an email to them but of course cannot make the booking again as the miles are now gone. And because I have no reference number cannot ring Thai airways about it either!!
Any similar experiences, and results or advice?
I made an award redemption today. When I went to pay for it, it said the transaction could not be processed, however it still debited the miles from my account anyway, I have not received the confirmation email either
The itinerary was on Thai Airways
I do not have any reservation number as it told me it did not process. I have sent an email to them but of course cannot make the booking again as the miles are now gone. And because I have no reference number cannot ring Thai airways about it either!!
Any similar experiences, and results or advice?
#292
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,125
I see occasional TK F awards. But they aren't bookable as TK doesn't offer F (anymore). Must be a glitch.
#294
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back to Europe
Programs: FB Plat for Life & Marriott lifetime Platinum
Posts: 236
ANA award booking process with LM
Hi,
I just snapped a HND-FRA first class award, which opened 3 days before departure.
For the record, only one seat (out of eight) was booked in the F cabin so far, so i was just waiting to see if ANA would release one award seat or not..
They did release one single award (that appeared on the same time on both United and ANA website)
Luckily enough, the booking process on the LM website went fine, incl payment.
When calling ANA on the phone, after a lengthy discussion,(Where did you book your ticket ? Avianca ???), they just finally found my booking (that's the good news) but told me it was not yet confirmed/ticketed yet..
So I got two quick questions :
Thank you for the feedback
PS : btw, I can confirm I could not book any of the LH F award seats that were showing on UA or ANA website....
I just snapped a HND-FRA first class award, which opened 3 days before departure.
For the record, only one seat (out of eight) was booked in the F cabin so far, so i was just waiting to see if ANA would release one award seat or not..
They did release one single award (that appeared on the same time on both United and ANA website)
Luckily enough, the booking process on the LM website went fine, incl payment.
When calling ANA on the phone, after a lengthy discussion,(Where did you book your ticket ? Avianca ???), they just finally found my booking (that's the good news) but told me it was not yet confirmed/ticketed yet..
So I got two quick questions :
- Anyone having experience with how much time it takes LM to ticket an ANA award ? 12 hours, a full day ? more ?
- After the booking process, in the confirmation email, I just got the Avianca 6 digit reservation number, but no e-ticket number. Do you ever get a second email with an e-ticket number (or an ANA record locator) when ever the booking will get ticketed ??
Thank you for the feedback
PS : btw, I can confirm I could not book any of the LH F award seats that were showing on UA or ANA website....
#295
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Your problems are described in the following thread:
FlyerTalk Forums Thread Wiki: Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware
FlyerTalk Forums Thread Wiki: Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware
#296
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back to Europe
Programs: FB Plat for Life & Marriott lifetime Platinum
Posts: 236
NH Award ticketed - took 39 hours
Hi,
thank you for the link - Here a quick feedback/summary on that NH award booking process
So i guess this well summarize a "normal" process for NH awards.. I hope this might help others in their booking attemps.. Now - time to enjoy the ANA first square seat
Eddy
thank you for the link - Here a quick feedback/summary on that NH award booking process
- For reminder, I got no issue with the award booking process on the web as i made sure i was using a Credit card which already worked smoothly during a previous mile purchase
- On Checkmytrip, using the LM 6 digit record locator, I found the 6 digit ANA reference, the booking was showing as "confirmed", but there was no mention of any e-ticket number
- When double checking through "My booking" on the ANA website, the booking was indeed confirmed but not ticketed - This could been seen clearly as next to the booking reference, it was indicated "Purchase by July31, 23:59, JST"
- I never called Avianca - just waited - It took 39 hours to have the booking ticketed, just 13 hours prior to the booking validity limit - A 202-xxx e-ticket number appeared on the CMT website while the mention "Purchase by" disappeared from the ANA website
- During the whole process, i only received one confirmation email from LM with the initial 6 digit LM record locator
So i guess this well summarize a "normal" process for NH awards.. I hope this might help others in their booking attemps.. Now - time to enjoy the ANA first square seat
Eddy
#297
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Scandinavia
Programs: Eurobonus EBD, BW Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 352
The page with taxes fails to load "due to error".
Hi, I've been trying to book a trip
C3->C6 (no trick involved, just a regular trip with TG)
I find the availability and when I click to continue to the page showing taxes and ticket fee etc, I'm met by an error page instead, has anyone managed to get that booked, by calling LM or something else?
C3->C6 (no trick involved, just a regular trip with TG)
I find the availability and when I click to continue to the page showing taxes and ticket fee etc, I'm met by an error page instead, has anyone managed to get that booked, by calling LM or something else?
#298
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Hi, I've been trying to book a trip
C3->C6 (no trick involved, just a regular trip with TG)
I find the availability and when I click to continue to the page showing taxes and ticket fee etc, I'm met by an error page instead, has anyone managed to get that booked, by calling LM or something else?
C3->C6 (no trick involved, just a regular trip with TG)
I find the availability and when I click to continue to the page showing taxes and ticket fee etc, I'm met by an error page instead, has anyone managed to get that booked, by calling LM or something else?
#299
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LAX / TXL
Posts: 2,185
anyone else having log in problems?
I tried accounts for myself and others here and it says they have been blocked due to wrong password attempts. Anyone else experiencing troubles loggin in?
I tried accounts for myself and others here and it says they have been blocked due to wrong password attempts. Anyone else experiencing troubles loggin in?
#300
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
I've had this back in May which was very frustrating, I had to send them a scanned passport copy before they would reset the account...