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
Feb 13, 2015, 7:26 am
#394
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: CGK SIN PER ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,813
Feb 13, 2015, 7:26 am
#395
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
Feb 13, 2015, 7:28 am
#396
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: CGK SIN PER ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,813
Feb 13, 2015, 7:31 am
#397
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,106
I have the same problem as you. They keep on saying card is declined, yet I can see the $50 pending charge, which then disappears. I tried every card I have, multiple agents, no luck. Thankfully I live near an Avianca office so just go there now to cancel.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:34 am
#398
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
I have an online business and processing payments with EU bank. I have customers like you complaining on a daily basis, but in fact - it is your card issuer causing the inconvenience for both you and the merchant. Avianca in this case.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:37 am
#399
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,106
Talk to your Citi fraud dept, advise them you are anticipating charges from Panama which you are aware of prior to calling. It is the fraud protection of your card making this issue. They just block offshore transactions as a protection.
I have an online business and processing payments with EU bank. I have customers like you complaining on a daily basis, but in fact - it is your card issuer causing the inconvenience for both you and the merchant. Avianca in this case.
I have an online business and processing payments with EU bank. I have customers like you complaining on a daily basis, but in fact - it is your card issuer causing the inconvenience for both you and the merchant. Avianca in this case.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:39 am
#400
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
It is YOUR card issuer declining the transaction. It is beyond merchant (Avianca) control.
All it takes is one incompetent fraud department agent who doesn't know how to disable the protection to make you believe this.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:39 am
#401
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: CGK SIN PER ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,813
Talk to your Citi fraud dept, advise them you are anticipating charges from Panama which you are aware of prior to calling. It is the fraud protection of your card making this issue. They just block offshore transactions as a protection.
I have an online business and processing payments with EU bank. I have customers like you complaining on a daily basis, but in fact - it is your card issuer causing the inconvenience for both you and the merchant. Avianca in this case.
I have an online business and processing payments with EU bank. I have customers like you complaining on a daily basis, but in fact - it is your card issuer causing the inconvenience for both you and the merchant. Avianca in this case.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:46 am
#402
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,106
All declined transactions come with a reason. Ask for the reason.
It is YOUR card issuer declining the transaction. It is beyond merchant (Avianca) control.
All it takes is one incompetent fraud department agent who doesn't know how to disable the protection to make you believe this.
It is YOUR card issuer declining the transaction. It is beyond merchant (Avianca) control.
All it takes is one incompetent fraud department agent who doesn't know how to disable the protection to make you believe this.
Feb 13, 2015, 7:52 am
#403
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
Feb 15, 2015, 9:10 am
#404
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ZRH
Programs: SEN
Posts: 137
Just called the US callcenter to change the date of a ticket booked at the old rates (thats why I want to chance and not cancel and book a new one).
Unfortunately the agent I got today could see no availability even though I checked during the call and saw the flight on the desired date showing up. Then the agent recommended to chance the ticket online
Did anyone else experience a mysterious lack of availability when trying to change tickets booked at the old rates or is this just a typical case for HUCA?
Unfortunately the agent I got today could see no availability even though I checked during the call and saw the flight on the desired date showing up. Then the agent recommended to chance the ticket online
Did anyone else experience a mysterious lack of availability when trying to change tickets booked at the old rates or is this just a typical case for HUCA?
Feb 17, 2015, 3:16 pm
#405
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 11
Anyone ??
Hi,
Newbie here -
Does anyone out there have experience in cancelling one ticket, as in one of us cant go at that particular time? They were booked together, so I am assuming not, but perhaps someone would be good enough to advise if its at all possible and if so how?
TIA
Newbie here -
Does anyone out there have experience in cancelling one ticket, as in one of us cant go at that particular time? They were booked together, so I am assuming not, but perhaps someone would be good enough to advise if its at all possible and if so how?
TIA