May 21, 2014, 7:31 pm
Last edit by: Tokyoite
Coronawiki (March 2020)
Does anyone know if Lifemiles will waive cancellation fees for an award ticket due to COVID-19 concerns?
Unfortunately, barring an outright flight cancellation, Lifemiles will not waive cancel fees.
Just pay the $200 as a "self caution fee". (nobody is actually preventing you the passenger from flying as you booked).
In the future, it would be wise to invest in travel insurance.
=====
Transferring Amex MR points will extend expiration of LM. Post #906 confirms this. Expiration date updates overnight, so wait 24 hours after the transferred miles have posted to LM.
LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart
Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.
Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An example is travel on Avianca from LAX to SJU (via SAL/BOG). For additional information see the WIKI of this thread.
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/abo/wnb/wnbtercond.aspx
Does anyone know if Lifemiles will waive cancellation fees for an award ticket due to COVID-19 concerns?
Unfortunately, barring an outright flight cancellation, Lifemiles will not waive cancel fees.
Just pay the $200 as a "self caution fee". (nobody is actually preventing you the passenger from flying as you booked).
In the future, it would be wise to invest in travel insurance.
=====
Transferring Amex MR points will extend expiration of LM. Post #906 confirms this. Expiration date updates overnight, so wait 24 hours after the transferred miles have posted to LM.
LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart
Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.
Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An example is travel on Avianca from LAX to SJU (via SAL/BOG). For additional information see the WIKI of this thread.
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/abo/wnb/wnbtercond.aspx
Miles Expiration Policy valid from April 15th , 2018.
- Any miles accrual transaction in a member´s account in the Program extends the validity of the miles in the account of such member for a term of twelve (12) months from the date of such accrual of miles. Other transactions that may affect the balance of miles in a member’s account, including redemption transactions, will have no effect on them and will not extend the validity of the miles in such account. This general rule will have the following exceptions that extend the validity of such miles in the account of such member for twenty-four (24) months from the date of such accrual: (i) any accrual of miles in a member´s account with an Elite Status at the time of the accrual; (ii) any accrual of miles derived from a cobranded credit or debit cards under the LifeMiles brand.
- ......the following accrual activities do not extend the validity of the miles in the member´s account: 1) the birthday bonus or any other miles bonus that may be given by the LifeMiles Program and LifeMiles LTD so establishes.; 2) the migration of points or miles from other loyalty programs to the LifeMiles Program made as a consequence of the union of both loyalty programs or the migration of one member from another loyalty program to the LifeMiles Program; and 3) the merger of accounts of the LifeMiles Program, including those derived from a member´s duplicate accounts.
LM Newbie Lounge: Ask your Questions Here (Flame Free)
Mar 30, 2014, 8:10 pm
#286
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
I just tried FRA-IAD randomnly picking May 1 and was straight away offered a long list of LH and LH/LH options in J.
Mar 30, 2014, 9:01 pm
#287
Ambassador: LATAM
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: PNA
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 4,648
Mar 31, 2014, 8:08 am
#288
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 183
Apr 1, 2014, 8:15 am
#289
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: C2e
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Platinium
Posts: 213
Hi
I'm new at LM and i have few questions:
1) Is chainsaw is dead? Is see no free seats in biz to JFK RT.
2) Does LM adds some free seats? I'm planinng to fly to Koh Samui from WAW, but there are no free seats to Koh Samui on flight Thai Airways BKK-Koh samui at all. Should i check availability later?
3) Few days ago, i saw free seats on route NYC-Europe city which could be only reach from US. Now there are no free seats in bizz.. what might couse this lack of free seats? what are the chances that they will appear?
Thank you.
I'm new at LM and i have few questions:
1) Is chainsaw is dead? Is see no free seats in biz to JFK RT.
2) Does LM adds some free seats? I'm planinng to fly to Koh Samui from WAW, but there are no free seats to Koh Samui on flight Thai Airways BKK-Koh samui at all. Should i check availability later?
3) Few days ago, i saw free seats on route NYC-Europe city which could be only reach from US. Now there are no free seats in bizz.. what might couse this lack of free seats? what are the chances that they will appear?
Thank you.
Apr 1, 2014, 1:28 pm
#291
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Apr 1, 2014, 1:48 pm
#292
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
Last year I had similar issue with MIA. Couldn't find 2 J seats out of FRA, but was able to find seats the seats VIE-FRA-MIA and BRU-FRA-MIA. So I went to Brussels for a night.
Apr 1, 2014, 2:47 pm
#293
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: C2e
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Platinium
Posts: 213
i will be checking it
Apr 1, 2014, 4:57 pm
#294
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Unbelievable that TK release award seats on IST-LAX (the holy Graal of routes) to *A partners but not to their own Miles&Smiles members. Been trying to use my TK miles to LAX for ages, but ended up booking JFK instead.
Apr 1, 2014, 10:47 pm
#295
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
If you try the same date IST-LAX, you will not get their 77W bird.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:15 am
#296
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 866
Change flight dates or cancel and re-book
Trying to call AV (Lifemiles) on their US toll free number has been a nightmare (agents cannot communicate properly). Does anybody know whether it is better to cancel an award booking outright, re-deposit the miles and then issue the ticket with the new dates OR is it better (i.e. cheaper) to simply do a date change?
If cancelling, what is the penalty (for a J ticket)? Are all the taxes refunded? How long does it take for the miles to be re-credited to the account?
If re-booking on the same PNR, what are the fees? Presume there is no change in the number of miles required?
Thanks for clarifying this - I'm a Lifemiles newbie!
If cancelling, what is the penalty (for a J ticket)? Are all the taxes refunded? How long does it take for the miles to be re-credited to the account?
If re-booking on the same PNR, what are the fees? Presume there is no change in the number of miles required?
Thanks for clarifying this - I'm a Lifemiles newbie!
Apr 3, 2014, 11:18 am
#297
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,839
Apr 3, 2014, 7:02 pm
#298
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Trying to call AV (Lifemiles) on their US toll free number has been a nightmare (agents cannot communicate properly). Does anybody know whether it is better to cancel an award booking outright, re-deposit the miles and then issue the ticket with the new dates OR is it better (i.e. cheaper) to simply do a date change?
If cancelling, what is the penalty (for a J ticket)? Are all the taxes refunded? How long does it take for the miles to be re-credited to the account?
If re-booking on the same PNR, what are the fees? Presume there is no change in the number of miles required?
Thanks for clarifying this - I'm a Lifemiles newbie!
If cancelling, what is the penalty (for a J ticket)? Are all the taxes refunded? How long does it take for the miles to be re-credited to the account?
If re-booking on the same PNR, what are the fees? Presume there is no change in the number of miles required?
Thanks for clarifying this - I'm a Lifemiles newbie!
2. Did you know that by cancelling a ticket for a $50 fee, you are effectively buying miles at 1.5 cents IF you had used more money, less miles to pay for the ticket, and that this does not count towards the annual limit on buying miles per account?
3. Personally, I have found cancelling and rebooking a lot more easier
Apr 4, 2014, 7:11 pm
#300
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349