Jan 11, 2014, 10:36 am
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
Apr 22, 2014, 9:40 am
#241
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: AT
Programs: *G at A3,TK;M&M,LM; IHG RA, AB Plat.
Posts: 105
Wait some days, maybe you will get a call (I did) or an email.
The LM system seems to be down at least 50% of the day (since weeks), or some parts of the system (usually their payment system).
Try to avoid any cancellation or try to have luck
The LM system seems to be down at least 50% of the day (since weeks), or some parts of the system (usually their payment system).
Try to avoid any cancellation or try to have luck
Apr 23, 2014, 9:13 am
#243
Formerly known as iahsumr
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 520
I had a very very very hard time cancelling and then rebooking a LifeMiles ticket over the past several weeks. I think I had exceptionally bad timing as nearly every "system" that needed to work for this to happen was broken...on top of getting disconnected randomly many times.
Ultimately the call center was useless for me and I moved to fixing the whole thing via the support at lifemiles.com email address. It was a slow process as they would only address about one issue every 2-3 days, but the entire transaction did eventually get completed and they did eventually call me every time they said they would.
The process was way more complex than it needed to be and I don't want to have to repeat that anytime soon, but the support email address was ultimately what worked in the end.
Ultimately the call center was useless for me and I moved to fixing the whole thing via the support at lifemiles.com email address. It was a slow process as they would only address about one issue every 2-3 days, but the entire transaction did eventually get completed and they did eventually call me every time they said they would.
The process was way more complex than it needed to be and I don't want to have to repeat that anytime soon, but the support email address was ultimately what worked in the end.
Apr 23, 2014, 12:05 pm
#244
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
Funny how it works as I had a completely opposite experience yesterday.
Unfortunately I had to cancel 2 bookings. Emailed the support and they called me.
Left me a message as I couldn't talk.
I called back and cancelled my 1st booking over the phone with Columbia,
absolutely no issues and the miles posted back instantly.
The super nice lady told me I can't cancel another one right away
(no more than two cancelations - as for 2 tickets, one booking).
I decided to call later. In the meantime a nice guy from Florida called me
again and took care of it. I didn't need to go through their automatic
credit card system this time, just gave him my card number and that's it.
Later yesterday I got the confirmation email and the miles posted.
So overall a really great experience.
To compare I cancelled one AA award 4 days ago and still waiting
for my miles to post back in my account. Contacted AA twitter group
and they asked me to be "patient"...
Unfortunately I had to cancel 2 bookings. Emailed the support and they called me.
Left me a message as I couldn't talk.
I called back and cancelled my 1st booking over the phone with Columbia,
absolutely no issues and the miles posted back instantly.
The super nice lady told me I can't cancel another one right away
(no more than two cancelations - as for 2 tickets, one booking).
I decided to call later. In the meantime a nice guy from Florida called me
again and took care of it. I didn't need to go through their automatic
credit card system this time, just gave him my card number and that's it.
Later yesterday I got the confirmation email and the miles posted.
So overall a really great experience.
To compare I cancelled one AA award 4 days ago and still waiting
for my miles to post back in my account. Contacted AA twitter group
and they asked me to be "patient"...
Apr 23, 2014, 9:49 pm
#245
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
A buddy called last Wednesday to cancel an award ticket. Spoke to a very nice English-fluent agent during Central America afternoon (assuming that's where she was). Total time on the phone: 24 minutes. Miles were back in his account immediately. Taxes posted back to his credit card yesterday (4 business days).
Apr 24, 2014, 1:27 am
#246
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ZRH
Programs: SEN
Posts: 137
Apr 25, 2014, 1:34 pm
#247
In memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: UA, AA, SPG - Gold, LM
Posts: 589
Need urgent advice on cancelling non-refundable....
Hi Experts,
I booked a Lifemiles ticket (M&C) for a trip JFK-EZE-JFK wholly on Avianca flights. When I tried to cancel that ticket yesterday, I was told it is non-cancellable, but I could change the flights ($150). I realized I have picked the "Seats on Sale" for one of the flights which lists 'Refundable - No'.
Anyone know how to cancel this ticket?
Has anyone try to change this ticket to a different category that will make it cancel able?
Any help in this matter will be highly appreciated.
I booked a Lifemiles ticket (M&C) for a trip JFK-EZE-JFK wholly on Avianca flights. When I tried to cancel that ticket yesterday, I was told it is non-cancellable, but I could change the flights ($150). I realized I have picked the "Seats on Sale" for one of the flights which lists 'Refundable - No'.
Anyone know how to cancel this ticket?
Has anyone try to change this ticket to a different category that will make it cancel able?
Any help in this matter will be highly appreciated.
May 5, 2014, 9:53 pm
#248
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Germany
Programs: AV,ST,OW Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 209
Cancellation
It took me 1.5 Hrs to cancel one PNR with my 3 family members, and this was in spanish .. . I had to try 3 times because the system would not pick up my callcenter PIN. I had to set it and reset it multiple times. And it finally worked with.....the old number hahaha.Then the credit card details thru a virtual system: inputing 3times all the details once for each traveller because refunds are processed individually.... You have to set your expectations really low . The good thing is that the points posted immediately and I have to wait for the taxes a few more days. Oh well, there are so many advantages in the program that i just forgive the smart callcenter..
May 12, 2014, 2:40 pm
#249
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SVG
Posts: 1,172
I had an itinerary that became invalid due to a schedule change; do they usually waive the cancellation fee in those circumstances?
The 2nd agent I got on the phone who processed the cancellation was adamant I needed to pay the USD50/ticket as it was not Avianca/Lifemiles fault
(btw it was a LH schedule change)
The 2nd agent I got on the phone who processed the cancellation was adamant I needed to pay the USD50/ticket as it was not Avianca/Lifemiles fault
(btw it was a LH schedule change)
May 16, 2014, 4:49 pm
#250
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
I had an itinerary that became invalid due to a schedule change; do they usually waive the cancellation fee in those circumstances?
The 2nd agent I got on the phone who processed the cancellation was adamant I needed to pay the USD50/ticket as it was not Avianca/Lifemiles fault
(btw it was a LH schedule change)
The 2nd agent I got on the phone who processed the cancellation was adamant I needed to pay the USD50/ticket as it was not Avianca/Lifemiles fault
(btw it was a LH schedule change)
May 17, 2014, 4:48 am
#253
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
I have had a schedule change which put my connection at only 30 minutes and the MCT is 45mins. LM is saying UA needs to change the flights and they will reissue but UA says they can't touch a LM ticket.
Anyone know who is right?
Anyone know who is right?
May 17, 2014, 5:41 am
#255
Ambassador: LATAM
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: PNA
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 4,648
UA cancelled one of my flights and also gave me a misfit connection.
1) Call UA and give them your UA PNR, they will run through options and let you pick one that appeals. If it is +48 hrs and UA says it is not their problem then call back, you got a hooky agent.
2) I have no idea what UA does to "authorise" your new itinerary but it seemed to take forever when I did it (1 hour on the phone)
3) Call LM and tell them that UA has changed your itinerary and they need to reissue your ticket. When I called, they didn't have a clue what I was talking about and said "sorry, there is no award availability on those flights"
4) Be persistent and you will eventually get through to the ticket re-issuing guy that knows exactly what you are talking about and can see the authorised itinerary change on UA.