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 5, 2020, 7:55 pm
#841
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 122
I received a response from them 6 hours after writing initially. I then responded to that email and it's been more than 24 hours since I've heard from them. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow morning early to see if I can get through to someone who knows what they're doing.
Apr 6, 2020, 3:21 pm
#842
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA EP, Delta Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 79
Hi. One data point: I emailed them ([email protected]) on March 26th about a cancelled Avianca flight on March 29th asking for my miles and taxes to be refunded. They responded today with a reference number and said I should hear back in 7 days. I wasn't in a rush to resolve it as I didn't need the miles for anything else at the moment. So it seems they are slowly working their way through the emails.
Apr 10, 2020, 7:55 am
#843
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Homeless
Programs: Marriott Titanium / HH Diamond / Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 287
This is impossible.
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
Apr 10, 2020, 11:26 am
#844
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton-Gold
Posts: 706
My flight from Europe back to SFO had 2.5 hour connection in Lisbon(TAP Airlines) when I made the reservation.It now shows a stopover of 18h50 minutes, Is this a good reason to cancel the reservation or should I wait for flight to be actually canceled.
My flight is in July 2020.
My flight is in July 2020.
Apr 10, 2020, 4:13 pm
#845
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,408
This is impossible.
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
Take screenshots, and collect any other information you might need. This will assist you to get the $200 canx fee refunded when you get through.
Apr 10, 2020, 4:15 pm
#846
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,408
My flight from Europe back to SFO had 2.5 hour connection in Lisbon(TAP Airlines) when I made the reservation.It now shows a stopover of 18h50 minutes, Is this a good reason to cancel the reservation or should I wait for flight to be actually canceled.
My flight is in July 2020.
My flight is in July 2020.
Apr 10, 2020, 10:43 pm
#847
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,668
This is impossible.
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
Apr 11, 2020, 7:28 am
#848
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
This is impossible.
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
My Award flight has been canceled.
Can't fix online and they direct you to call the call center.
I have been calling on and off for nearly a week now.
No answer, get directed to a recording directing you to go to the website to get a Voucher.
I have tried most of the numbers in various other counties.
Also tried:
- Twitter, they say call the call center
- FB, is a bot
- Messanger, they say call the call center
- IG, no answer
- LM online form, no answer
- Email, no answer
I'm at a loss for options
Apr 11, 2020, 8:17 am
#849
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Homeless
Programs: Marriott Titanium / HH Diamond / Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 287
Understand your frustration. Unless there is a pressing need for your miles back (to book another award), you have plenty of time - up to 12 months after departure - to request your refund. There is no 'no show' fee with LM awards.
Take screenshots, and collect any other information you might need. This will assist you to get the $200 canx fee refunded when you get through.
Take screenshots, and collect any other information you might need. This will assist you to get the $200 canx fee refunded when you get through.
Apr 11, 2020, 8:32 am
#850
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Homeless
Programs: Marriott Titanium / HH Diamond / Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 287
If you are asking for help provide details of importance, such as what phone number are you dialing? Endless people have called and cancelled tickets without issue (including me). As has been stated over and over again, cancellations are completed with a phone call. All other options for contact are mute.
Here is a question for anyone who has recently called.
Is the recording a dead end or are you still on hold?
I'm calling from Italy on a cell phone, so I don't want to sit on hold for an hour and not really be on hold.
Apr 11, 2020, 8:34 am
#851
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Homeless
Programs: Marriott Titanium / HH Diamond / Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 287
Apr 11, 2020, 1:34 pm
#852
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SBA
Programs: UA & AA 1 million miler
Posts: 1,134
My original flight (UA) was canceled and I was rebooked on a different flight, but I won't take the flight due to COVID-19.
I just sent email to LifeMiles support 3 days ago to tell I want to cancel my reservation and get a refund and miles back to my account.
This morning I received a reply from them saying my request was approved with no penalty and they already re-deposited my miles to my account.
It also says the website booking fee is not refundable (10USD).
This is my second air tickets I had to cancel with them. I had to call for the first one a month ago and it wasn't easy... but now it seems they are doing much much better.
I just sent email to LifeMiles support 3 days ago to tell I want to cancel my reservation and get a refund and miles back to my account.
This morning I received a reply from them saying my request was approved with no penalty and they already re-deposited my miles to my account.
It also says the website booking fee is not refundable (10USD).
This is my second air tickets I had to cancel with them. I had to call for the first one a month ago and it wasn't easy... but now it seems they are doing much much better.
Apr 11, 2020, 6:43 pm
#854
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
If you are asking for help provide details of importance, such as what phone number are you dialing? Endless people have called and cancelled tickets without issue (including me). As has been stated over and over again, cancellations are completed with a phone call. All other options for contact are mute.
Hi. One data point: I emailed them ([email protected]) on March 26th about a cancelled Avianca flight on March 29th asking for my miles and taxes to be refunded. They responded today with a reference number and said I should hear back in 7 days. I wasn't in a rush to resolve it as I didn't need the miles for anything else at the moment. So it seems they are slowly working their way through the emails.
Had success calling in at 6am EST, LifeMiles Option 3 still goes to closure voicemail however when using Option 2 for changes I was transferred to an agent immediately. Very surprised as I had put in hours of hold time with no luck on previous attempts.
The rep confirmed the flight cancellation but stated that they could not refund & reinstate immediately and that it goes through a "request for refund" status that is usually approved within a weeks time. Im skeptical but hopeful. They provided a reference number for the request as well.
A friend in a similar situation also had luck calling in around the same time after a 10 minute hold. Might be worth a shot calling in around that time slot.
The rep confirmed the flight cancellation but stated that they could not refund & reinstate immediately and that it goes through a "request for refund" status that is usually approved within a weeks time. Im skeptical but hopeful. They provided a reference number for the request as well.
A friend in a similar situation also had luck calling in around the same time after a 10 minute hold. Might be worth a shot calling in around that time slot.
The issue is that I cannot even get to an operator. I get the recording to go to the website or I get disconnected. I've called the US number above and half the numbers of other counties in the call center list on the website.
Here is a question for anyone who has recently called.
Is the recording a dead end or are you still on hold?
I'm calling from Italy on a cell phone, so I don't want to sit on hold for an hour and not really be on hold.
Here is a question for anyone who has recently called.
Is the recording a dead end or are you still on hold?
I'm calling from Italy on a cell phone, so I don't want to sit on hold for an hour and not really be on hold.