DEAL: Buy Avianca LifeMiles Purchase: Up to 155% Bonus (1.31 USD cents/mile) until Jul 11

Book e.g. ANA’s excellent First Class with LifeMiles (Source)

Strategically buying miles and points can offer excellent value, especially for first and business class travel. Avianca's LifeMiles program has just launched its latest promotion on purchased miles, potentially presenting a great opportunity.

Keep in mind that LifeMiles promotions are now targeted, meaning different members may receive different offers, and some members might not receive any offers at all.

I consider this one of the most useful frequent flyer programs for redeeming miles, particularly because of its ability to redeem for long-haul premium cabin Star Alliance awards. You can get even more value with a LifeMiles+ subscription, and LifeMiles’ credit cards offer a discount on that.

Promotion on purchased LifeMiles

Through Thursday, July 11, 2024, the Avianca LifeMiles program is offering a bonus on purchased miles. Different members are targeted for different offers, and the best promotion seen is for a bonus of up to 155%, structured as follows:

• Buy 1,000-35,000 miles, get a 145% bonus

• Buy 36,000-200,000 miles, get a 155% bonus

How much does it cost to buy LifeMiles?

Normally, you can buy Avianca LifeMiles for 3.3 cents each before any discounts or bonuses. With this offer, if you purchase 200,000 LifeMiles (pre-bonus), you’d receive a total of 510,000 LifeMiles for $6,600, which is a cost of 1.29 cents per mile.

How many LifeMiles can you buy?

Members can purchase up to 200,000 miles per account per calendar year, before bonuses are factored in.

Which credit card should you use to buy LifeMiles?

Since LifeMiles now uses points.com, buying miles no longer counts as an airfare purchase for credit card spending purposes. It's best to use a card you’re trying to meet a minimum spending requirement on, or one that maximizes everyday spending returns, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Citi Double Cash® Card, or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Is buying LifeMiles worth it?

Avianca is in the Star Alliance, allowing you to redeem LifeMiles on all Star Alliance airlines without fuel surcharges. This is a great way to book Star Alliance premium cabin seats at a significant discount. Check out my guide on how to redeem LifeMiles for ideas on how to use these miles.

With a specific use in mind, this LifeMiles promotion can be very valuable, whether you’re looking to travel first class on All Nippon Airways or Lufthansa, or in business class on many other airlines.

Everyone needs to crunch the numbers for themselves and decide if this makes sense or not.

Note that LifeMiles sometimes doesn’t have access to the same award availability as other Star Alliance partners, for better or worse. It's advisable to do some "dummy" award searches before buying miles to see how availability aligns with your needs.

Fly Lufthansa’s First Class through LifeMiles (Source)

How much are LifeMiles worth?

Everyone values mileage currencies differently, but I personally value LifeMiles at around 1.4 cents each. This is based on redemption values on Star Alliance partners, where there’s plenty of value to be found. If you maximize miles, you could get even more value.

Do LifeMiles expire?

LifeMiles don’t expire as long as you earn some miles at least once every 12 months. Any mileage-earning activity, including buying miles, will extend the expiration of your miles. Redeeming miles does not extend the expiration.

How else can you earn LifeMiles?

There are many options to earn LifeMiles beyond buying them outright. Avianca LifeMiles partners with several bank currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou, offering multiple ways to accumulate these miles.

Bottom line

The Avianca LifeMiles program is offering a promotion on purchased miles. Different members may be eligible for different offers, with the best promotion being a 155% bonus, which applies when you purchase at least 36,000 miles in one transaction. This can be an opportunity to acquire miles for 1.29 cents each, potentially representing a great deal.