For years, points and miles aficionados have put up with Avianca LifeMiles’ shoddy customer service and wonky website for one reason: Low mileage redemption rates, which made it the best way to book flights on any Star Alliance airline – particularly business and first class. But for the second time in less than a year, some of those sweet spots just went a bit more sour.
After a surprise devaluation just six months ago, LifeMiles has once again raised award rates on many (but not all) popular routes and airlines around the globe. Loyalty Lobby was first to note this latest recent price hike … but in typical LifeMiles fashion, it’s not a cut-and-dry, across-the-board increase.
Travelers hoping to redeem LifeMiles to fly United Airlines to Europe, South America, and even Asia will bear the brunt of these changes with some painful award rate hikes – especially as a sweet spot to fly lie-flat United Polaris business class to London gets the axe. Many other transatlantic business class redemptions jumped from 70,000 miles each way up to 80,000 miles each way. And yet there are still some outliers that remain untouched, like flying New York (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) in SWISS business class as well as the occasional business class redemption (with connections) for only 69,000 miles one way.
Change and confusion is a constant with LifeMiles, so this could continue to unfold. Here’s a snapshot of what we’re currently seeing:
- The biggest hit is no doubt United flights between Newark (EWR) and London (LHR) – a route where award rates actually dropped last year, down to just 22,500 miles in economy and 45,000 miles in business class. Now, you’ll see 40,000 miles in economy and 80,000 miles in business class for the same ticket – a 78% increase. Ouch!
- Economy flights to Europe on other Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa, LOT, TAP Air Portugal, and United largely increased from the previous rate of 35,000 miles each way to 40,000 miles each way, though you may still see some redemptions for less.
- Business class flights to Europe on those same carriers jumped from 70,000 miles to 80,000 miles each way – a nearly 30% increase from the 63,000-mile rate Avianca charged less than a year ago.
- Yet on other carriers like Swiss, Turkish, Brussels, and Austrian Airlines are largely unaffected by these changes, with flights still going for 35,000 miles in economy and 69,000 miles in business class each way. New York (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) still costs just 27,500 in economy or 55,000 in business class! Did we mention how quirky LifeMiles is?
- Oddly, many Lufthansa First Class rates actually decreased in price to just 120,000 miles each way … with yet another strange oddity in how LifeMiles is apparently pricing these redemptions
- Most (but not all) awards to and from Canada, Mexico, and other parts of North America are unaffected by these changes (just like last time) and still represent great value for your miles.
We’re still sifting through examples to see just how far this devaluation goes, and it may continue to change. But there’s no doubt this one hurts – especially when you consider that LifeMiles already raised award rates just six months ago.
Despite its many pitfalls, travelers have turned to LifeMiles because it offers an unparalleled mix of affordable award rates without hefty fees and surcharges on top. Plus, they’ve gotten easier to earn over the years: LifeMiles is now an Amex transfer partner, Capital One transfer partner, Citi transfer partner, and most recently a Wells Fargo transfer partner. That means a stash of points from cards like the *amex gold* or the *venture x* could get you all the miles you need.
Now, many of the best redemptions will cost you far more points (again). This is part of a much broader trend: From Air France/KLM FLying Blue’s recent price hike to big increases using ANA Mileage Club and Turkish Miles & Smiles and yet another hike using British Airways Avios to fly American or Alaska within the states, airlines have been raising award rates like crazy lately.
Read more: Sick of Your Points & Miles Losing Value? Blame the Banks
Just a few days ago, this United Polaris flight from Newark (EWR) to London (LHR) would have cost 45,000 miles. Today, it’ll cost you 80,000 miles. Even back in economy, forking over 40,000 miles each way is a substantial increase.
You’ll see the same pricing on longer United flights, like this one from San Francisco (SFO) to Frankfurt (FRA) where a one-way economy ticket now costs 40,000 miles – the same as what you’ll pay for the much shorter hop from Newark to London.
And even mixed-carrier itineraries requiring a connection price out at the new 40,000 mile mark in economy, like this flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt on United, with a connection to Warsaw (WAW) on Lufthansa.
The pain extends across the Pacific Ocean. An Asiana business class seat from the U.S. to Seoul (ICN) will now cost your 100,000 miles each way. You’ll see similar pricing on other carriers like United and EVA.
It’s been worth putting up with the pain of dealing with LifeMiles for some absurdly good deals. But after many of these increases, redeeming points through Air Canada Aeroplan for these same flights instead is a much better way to go.
Other great redemptions, like flights to Australia and New Zealand, have gone up, too. For example, you could previously book Air New Zealand business class for 80,000 LifeMiles each way between the U.S. and Auckland (AKL). But now, you’ll need 100,000 miles for those same flights – or 55,000 miles in economy.
But if you can count on one thing with LifeMiles, it’s quirky loopholes and one-off deals to book select routes for less than advertised. That hasn’t changed.
For example, you can still book SWISS business class from New York City (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) for just 55,000 miles each way. Economy on this same route to Zurich is cheaper than the rest, too.
You’ll also find slightly lower pricing on flights operated by Brussels Airlines. This nonstop from New York (JFK) to Brussels (BRU) still costs 35,000 in economy or 69,000 in business class.
And then there are our neighbors to the north: Canada. Flights between Europe and Canada were left untouched in the last devaluation and the same is relatively true with this round of price hikes. For example, you’ll see flights between Montreal (YUL) and Zurich (ZRH) going for 30,000 miles in economy or 63,000 miles in business class – the same price you’d pay a year (or more) ago.
But that’s not universally true. If you’re looking to fly from Toronto (YYZ) to Frankfurt (FRA) on Lufthansa, for example, you’ll be hit with the same higher price as in the States: 40,000 each way in economy or 80,000 in business class.
In yet another development that can only be chalked up to, “Well, it is LifeMiles after all,” Lufthansa may be pricing awards differently depending on how you search.
For example, if you’re looking for Lufthansa first class awards and you start by doing a “Smart Search” on the LifeMiles homepage, and then select Lufthansa from the available airlines listed at the top, you’ll see a 120,000 mile price for the one-way award.
However, if you start by doing a “Star Alliance” search, you may instead see LifeMiles charging 128,000 miles for the exact same dates.
These searches were done back-to-back on the same browser. You truly can’t make this kind of stuff up.
Finally, one fixture of redeeming LifeMiles remains in place: You can still shave a few thousand miles off the final price with a mixed-cabin award, like booking one segment in business class and the second in economy. So while a nonstop Lufthansa business class ticket from San Francisco (SFO) to Frankfurt (FRA) will now cost you 80,000 miles, tacking on a connection to London (LHR) in economy drops the price to 77,400 miles.
Bottom Line
This is second devaluation we’ve seen from LifeMiles in the past six months. And once again, it stings.
LifeMiles has long been one of the best ways to book Star Alliance flights around the globe, particularly for a business or first class seat. It was worth putting up with the program’s many shortcomings and quirks to book those top-dollar redemptions for fewer points while simultaneously saving on taxes and fees, too. Now, not so much.
After this most recent devaluation, you’ll be better off booking these same awards through a partner like Air Canada Aeroplan instead. And we’re still digging in to see just how far this devaluation goes: It could be even more painful than we know.
