Red Plus
6,000 qualifying miles per year (1,000 must be on Avianca metal)
- Entry tier
- Mile expiry extended from 12 to 24 months
- Discounts on award booking fees
airline
Avianca LifeMiles
Star AllianceHUBSBOG · SAL · LIMLast reviewed May 2026
Avianca LifeMiles is the loyalty program of the Bogota-based Star Alliance carrier, and it is one of the most US-traveler-friendly mileage currencies in the world thanks to a long bench of US transferable-points partners and a structural promise that it does not pass fuel surcharges through on partner award tickets. That single rule turns a transatlantic Lufthansa or SWISS premium-cabin redemption from a 700 Euro tax bill into something close to taxes-only, which is why LifeMiles keeps showing up in every "best Star Alliance program for Americans" list.
The program runs on a region-based published award chart, sells miles aggressively (the cash-and-points combo is genuinely useful when targeting specific awards), and routinely runs 25-30% transfer bonuses out of Amex, Citi, and Capital One. The trade-offs are real: their booking engine has well-documented quirks, customer service is hit-or-miss, and a $25 award booking fee applies per ticket. As of May 2026 LifeMiles remains a top-tier choice for US-Europe and US-South-America premium-cabin awards.
Award chart
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
See the rates →
Award chart
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
LifeMiles uses a published region-based award chart with roughly 20 regions and per-cabin pricing for each region pair. The contiguous US is divided into 3 zones for partner pricing. Sample saver one-way pricing as of May 2026:
| Route | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| US domestic on United | 6,500 | 12,500 | n/a |
| US-Europe (Star partners) | 30,000 | 63,000-70,000 | 120,000-130,000 |
| US-South America (Avianca) | 20,000 | 45,000 | n/a |
| US-North Asia (Star partners) | 40,000 | 75,000 | 120,000 |
| Intra-Europe short-haul | 7,500 | 15,000 | n/a |
Verify current pricing on lifemiles.com - the chart has been stable for several years but per-region pricing nudges occur.
Sweet spots
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
Show me the picks →
Sweet spots
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
- Transatlantic economy from 17,500 LifeMiles each way at saver level on Star Alliance partners.
- Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian business class US-Europe at 63,000-70,000 one-way with no fuel surcharges - the program's flagship value.
- Lufthansa First Class at 120,000-130,000 one-way; space opens inside 14 days of departure.
- Star Alliance intra-Asia business in the 25,000-35,000 range one-way for short hops on EVA, ANA, or Singapore.
- United US domestic from 6,500 each way in saver economy.
- South America premium cabin on Avianca metal at sharp prices ex-BOG/LIM/SAL.
Ways to earn more
How to get more points.
7 programs that transfer in.
See inbound paths →
Ways to earn more
How to get more points.
7 programs that transfer in.
Programs that transfer points or miles into Avianca LifeMiles.
| From | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Mr | 1:1 | 1:1 standard. No US federal excise tax (foreign carrier). Periodic 25-30% transfer bonuses; verify current promo on americanexpress.com. |
| Chase Ur | 1:1 | 1:1 standard. Verify on chase.com - Avianca was added to Chase UR's lineup in 2023. |
| Capital One Miles | 1:1 | 1:1 standard. Capital One ran a 15% transfer bonus to LifeMiles in January 2026; verify current promo. |
| Citi | 1:1 | 1:1 standard. Citi ran a 25% transfer bonus to LifeMiles in March 2026; verify current promo. |
| Bilt | 1:1 | 1:1 on Rent Day only (1st of the month). Outside Rent Day, Bilt typically does not transfer to LifeMiles at this ratio. |
| Wells Fargo Rewards | 1:1 | 1:1 standard via the Autograph Journey Visa lineup; verify on wellsfargo.com. |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3:1 | 3:1 standard. 60,000 Bonvoy yields 25,000 LifeMiles + 5,000-mile bonus at the 60K tier. |
Tier benefits
The status ladder. 4 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
4 status levels.
Climb the ladder →
Tier benefits
The status ladder. 4 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
4 status levels.
Silver
12,000 qualifying miles per year (3,000 on Avianca)
- Star Alliance Silver
- Priority check-in on Avianca
- Avianca VIP Lounge access at hub airports
- 2 domestic upgrade certificates per year (effective Feb 18, 2026)
Gold
Threshold between Silver and Diamond; verify current number on lifemiles.com
- Star Alliance Gold
- Star Alliance Gold lounge access worldwide
- Priority boarding and baggage
- 4 domestic upgrade certificates per year
Diamond
45,000 qualifying miles per year (22,500 on Avianca)
- Star Alliance Gold
- Access to the new Diamond International VIP Lounge at BOG (opened 2026, near Gate 32 Terminal 1)
- 8 domestic upgrade certificates per year
- Highest priority for waitlists and operational upgrades
Lounge access
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
See the rules →
Lounge access
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
Avianca operates VIP Lounges at BOG, SAL, and LIM, with the new Diamond International VIP Lounge opening at BOG in 2026 (about 7,535 sq ft, near Gate 32 in Terminal 1). Silver and above get Avianca VIP Lounge access; Diamond unlocks the new Diamond lounge. Gold and Diamond members enjoy Star Alliance Gold lounge access worldwide on same-day Star Alliance flights. Non-elites can buy a day pass at BOG for around Col$128,000 (about $32) or 1,800 LifeMiles with a same-day Avianca or Star Alliance boarding pass.
How to spend
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
Get the playbook →
How to spend
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
- Star Alliance partner premium cabins - the headline play; no fuel surcharges on partner awards.
- United domestic - from 6,500 LifeMiles each way in saver economy, single-zone pricing across the contiguous US.
- US-Europe in business - typically 63,000-70,000 LifeMiles one-way on saver Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian.
- US-Europe in first - 120,000-130,000 LifeMiles one-way when Lufthansa First space opens (usually inside 14 days).
- Cash and points combos - mix miles with cash when you are short on a target award; the conversion math is sometimes better than buying miles outright.
- GOL Linhas Aereas - bookable as a non-alliance partner; useful for intra-Brazil itineraries paired with a Star Alliance long-haul.
Tips & quirks
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
Spill the gotchas →
Tips & quirks
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
- No fuel surcharges on partner awards - the structural advantage that defines the program.
- $25 award booking fee per ticket whether you book online or by phone.
- Mile expiry: 12 months activity-based for non-elites (24 months for elites). Reinstate expired miles for $10 per 1,000.
- Region-based award chart with 20 regions; the contiguous US is split into 3 zones for partner pricing.
- Cash and points combos are genuinely useful and sometimes cheaper than buying miles outright.
- GOL Linhas Aereas is bookable as a non-alliance partner.
- Booking engine quirks - phantom space, partner availability that does not load, and occasional ticketing delays. Be patient or call.
- Customer service is hit-or-miss - English-speaking agents available but hold times vary.
- Sells miles aggressively with frequent buy-miles bonuses up to 145%.
- Transfer bonuses run 25-30% roughly quarterly out of Amex, Citi, and Cap One.
- Diamond tier path requires 22,500 miles flown on Avianca metal - hard for non-Latin-America-based members to reach.
- 2/4/8 domestic upgrade certificates for Silver/Gold/Diamond effective Feb 18, 2026.
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Last reviewed: May 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Avianca LifeMiles before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.