LifeMiles (Avianca) and Aeroplan (Air Canada) programs have the best Star Alliance award booking value, especially for one-way flights. Both of these programs charge low taxes, but a nonrefundable partner booking fee is added to all bookings. The ANA mileage club has the lowest award pricing for roundtrip international flights, but taxes can be high on several airlines (https://awardcracker.com/ana-mileage-club-sweet-spots/).
LifeMiles Star Alliance Partner Award Chart
LifeMiles Program Strengths
- LifeMiles is a transfer partner of Capital One, Citi TY and Amex MR points and transfers are usually instantaneous.
- LifeMiles has no close-in booking fees but there is a nonrefundable $25 service fee per ticket.
- LifeMiles lets you purchase up to 60% of the miles required for an award booking at a very reasonable price (~1.3-1.5 cents per mile). Members must have at least 40% of the required miles for the booking to be eligible for this option.
- LifeMiles customer service (800- 284-2622) is relatively easy to reach compared to Aeroplan. I recommend emailing the 24-hour customer service (support@lifemiles.com), but if you prefer to call, I recommend calling in the early hours (7AM-7PM Colombia standard time) where I was able to reach an agent within a few minutes.
- LifeMiles has a short expiration period of one year, but there are several monthly subscription plans (https://www.lifemiles.com/miles/subscribe) to purchase miles. Choosing one of these plans (starting at just $10 per month) is the best way to prevent your LifeMiles from expiring. For example, choosing the Plan 112K costs $1360.68 ($113.39 x 12) per year and provides a total of 112K LifeMiles.
LifeMiles Program Limitations
- LifeMiles may not follow its own published award charts and may change the point requirement. For example, business class award pricing from the US cities to Tokyo has jumped from 78K to 90K and first class redemptions from 90K to 120K soon after the Covid-19 pandemic.
- LifeMiles has a $25 partner award service fee which is nonrefundable even when you cancel a ticket within 24-hours (partner award fee is the same on a one-way award as it is on a roundtrip).
- Regional flights award change/cancellation fees are around $50 (e.g., flights within Europe).
- US to overseas flights award change/cancellation/redeposit fees cost between $150-200.
- Cancellation fees remain the same for both one-way and round trip bookings (unlike the Aeroplan cancellation fees which are $150 CAD per direction).
LifeMiles Premium Cabin Sweetspots in 2023
35K one way from JFK to Lisbon TAP Portugal business (outbound flight only).
60K Copa business class from US cities to South America.
63K business class from US cities to Europe & Turkey.
90K Business class from US cities to India & 120K for the First class.
87K Lufthansa First Class from US cities to Frankfurt or Munich.
40K Tokyo to Australia in ANA business class
50K Australia to Tokyo in ANA Business Class (post-Covid jump of 10K points).
Conclusion
LifeMiles remains one of the best Star Alliance award booking programs, with frequent offers to purchase miles (140-170% bonus) and the ability to buy up to 60% miles during booking for very reasonable prices. I typically use this program to book flights that I am certain to take due to the expensive cancellation/redeposit fees.