In the world of points and miles, changes often lean towards the negative side, with occasional positive surprises and a mix of both. The recent adjustments to Avianca’s LifeMiles award chart have brought about a variety of effects.
As of Aug. 13, the cost of certain awards, like a business class option to Europe, saw an 86% increase, while others experienced a 25% reduction or remained unchanged.
It’s always disappointing to see good deals disappear without warning, but there are still plenty of options available for future European travels.
Avianca LifeMiles award price changes
Accumulating LifeMiles is made easy through various popular travel credit cards, and previously, many award flights offered reasonable prices before the sudden changes.
One of the popular redemptions was flights between the U.S. and Europe for 30,000 LifeMiles in coach or 63,000 LifeMiles in business class. These transatlantic routes now range from 35,000 to 39,000 LifeMiles for economy tickets and 65,000 to 70,000 LifeMiles for business class tickets.
Another notable change is the increase in business class award seats from New York-JFK to Lisbon, Portugal, now costing 65,000 LifeMiles compared to the previous 35,000 LifeMiles — an 86% hike.
Other affected routes include first class flights on Avianca partners ANA and Lufthansa. Previously, flying between the U.S. and Europe in a Lufthansa first class seat cost 87,000 LifeMiles, but now it’s 130,000 LifeMiles — a significant increase.
However, there are some positives. Certain short business class flights to Europe, like those from the U.S. East Coast to the U.K., Ireland, and select Scandinavian destinations, have decreased in price from 60,000 to 45,000 LifeMiles each way.
Avianca does not have an official award chart, making it essential to seize any exceptional deals before they vanish. With numerous ways to earn Avianca LifeMiles, it’s simple to boost your mileage balance.
Alternative sweet spots for flying to Europe
One alternative is to monitor Air France-KLM’s monthly Promo Rewards, offering discounted award flights to Europe from select cities like Boston, Houston, and Toronto for just 15,000 Flying Blue miles each way.
Flying Blue has several transfer partners, including American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points.
Though taxes and fees can be steep, it may be worthwhile if you find affordable connecting flights to other European destinations, or if London is on your itinerary. Additionally, Virgin Atlantic is a transfer partner of various credit card programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
There’s always a chance of stumbling upon great deals. For instance, a one-way coach flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Madrid for 22,500 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, or business class seats starting at 57,500 miles each way on Oneworld partner Iberia.
Considering that business class seats can be quite costly, redeeming miles for these flights can offer significant value.
For more affordable ways to fly to Europe using points and miles, explore additional options. There are still plenty of deals to be found, even with the changes to Avianca Lifemiles, especially if you have some flexibility in your travel plans.
Flexible points hedge against future devaluations
It’s disheartening when your travel goals are impacted by sudden changes, which is why it’s crucial to earn flexible transferable points. If a program undergoes devaluation, having these points allows you to retain their value until you’re ready to make a booking. Top travel cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and The Platinum Card from American Express offer flexible points that can be transferred to Avianca and other partners, opening up opportunities for European travel and beyond. Terms apply.