Jan 17, 2022, 5:12 pm
Last edit by: italdesign
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)
- no availability showing at all on the website (try logging out and logging back in)
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.
You need to have 40% of the miles in your account for them to make the booking. On some occasions, credit card points do not transfer over immediately. In such cases also send screenshots of the points being debited from your credit card. In some cases the LM account will immediately show the points transferred in the account activity section. Send a screenshot of that as well.
After a day or two, you will get a reply via email saying the matter has been escalated to an internal area. The next day someone will call you from 305 447 2819 and will process the payment over the phone. You will need to set a PIN which you can do in your online LM account (under the account access section of your online profile).
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[email protected] (invalid as of July 2022)
[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 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)
- no availability showing at all on the website (try logging out and logging back in)
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.
You need to have 40% of the miles in your account for them to make the booking. On some occasions, credit card points do not transfer over immediately. In such cases also send screenshots of the points being debited from your credit card. In some cases the LM account will immediately show the points transferred in the account activity section. Send a screenshot of that as well.
After a day or two, you will get a reply via email saying the matter has been escalated to an internal area. The next day someone will call you from 305 447 2819 and will process the payment over the phone. You will need to set a PIN which you can do in your online LM account (under the account access section of your online profile).
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[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 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 (from January 2022 onwards)
Nov 21, 2022, 9:33 pm
#379
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Glob/UA Gold
Posts: 614
Yeah I guess I'm just not that happy about it. Expertflyer showing availability has generally translated to LM availability for me. I am seeing 3 F seats available in EF for tomorrow night's BOS-MUC flight, but nothing available on lifemiles.com.
Definitely won't be dropping any segments on an award ticket.
Definitely won't be dropping any segments on an award ticket.
Nov 21, 2022, 10:22 pm
#380
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
I'd happily do over all of them again in heartbeat even if they have all my data Trust me, it is FINE lol.
Nov 22, 2022, 2:59 am
#381
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
In this case there is no issue. The dropping of a segment could become "interesting" to an airline if you book A to B to C where A-B costs more miles than the entire A-B-C. This usually involves different zones like tricks from the past in this forum have shown.
BOS-MUC vs. BOS-MUC-FRA costs the exactly same miles so LM is no worse off whether one leaves in MUC ("ohh had a change in schedule / meetings - so sorry") or goes to FRA. No harm done, to the contrary, one actually would have paid for some unnecessary taxes and airport fees for MUC-FRA. YMMV.
BOS-MUC vs. BOS-MUC-FRA costs the exactly same miles so LM is no worse off whether one leaves in MUC ("ohh had a change in schedule / meetings - so sorry") or goes to FRA. No harm done, to the contrary, one actually would have paid for some unnecessary taxes and airport fees for MUC-FRA. YMMV.
Nov 22, 2022, 3:04 am
#382
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
BTW, on paid fares this is a different story, e.g. starting in BUD to get cheaper F fares on LH to US or other places and then dropping MUC-BUD or FRA-BUD at the end is something LH does not like, but in the LM case, miles cost is the same to LM.
Nov 22, 2022, 11:37 am
#383
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
Dropping a segment is not what draws attention. It’s mostly public attention and idiots calling the airline. There have been tricks living for almost a decade but never never went public.
Nov 22, 2022, 6:45 pm
#384
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 106
Nov 23, 2022, 12:58 am
#385
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
, who knows.
Nov 24, 2022, 2:19 am
#387
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
You have medicine you need at XXX airport layover. Also, remember in absolutely worst, worst, worst case scenario, your bag will NOT fly without you to the final destination (period!) and you'll just have to retrieve it.
I have short checked bags on 1.15h intl connections without even a question why.
LM knew what was going on for ages, but they had more people buying LMs than ones spending them on tricked routes. It was a win situation for them.
I have short checked bags on 1.15h intl connections without even a question why.
True, you don't need to convince me. Though some may say that one of the old LM tricks allegedly died because UA had so many no shows in F on the last segment that they raised questions and hence LM figured finally out what was going on in that case. Could have been someone calling though as well , who knows.
, who knows.
Nov 26, 2022, 8:58 pm
#388
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 252
In my recent experience, UA has refused to switch out the Lifemiles FF# with another program on an award redemption until before check-in. view-with-a-room suggestion of using the Avianca booking management system to change the Lifemiles FF# with another Star Alliance program has worked.
Nov 26, 2022, 9:03 pm
#389
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 252
ANA Business Seats???
I've been debating buying miles,,(its been over 3 years). But my Ideal redemptions seam o be completely gone these days
USA-Tokyo , USA-Tokyo-Sydney. On All Nippon in Business
Anyone finding anything on these Routes in Business
USA-Tokyo , USA-Tokyo-Sydney. On All Nippon in Business
Anyone finding anything on these Routes in Business