Accidental transfer · Marriott to Avianca LifeMiles
Accidentally transferred Marriott points to Avianca LifeMiles? Here's how to sell the miles
No bank reverses a points transfer, and Marriott is no exception. The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the chosen airline program they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Bonvoy points, and that cancellations, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. The Marriott Bonvoy points you moved are Avianca LifeMiles now, and Avianca LifeMiles's rules decide what can happen to them.
If you will not fly on them, Points Plug buys Avianca LifeMiles from 50,000 miles at 1.11¢ to 1.32¢ per mile, depending on the balance, with payment in 24-48 hours: 100,000 miles fetch about $1,180. This page covers what the miles are worth, what Avianca LifeMiles lets you do with them instead, and how to sell.
Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .
- Can Marriott reverse it?
- No
- Stated on its own pages
- Transfer ratio
- 3:1
- No 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points
- Miles expiry
- After 18 months without activity
- Points Plug pays
- 1.11¢ to 1.32¢ per mile
- From 50,000 miles
Can a Marriott transfer to Avianca LifeMiles be reversed?
The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the designated airline frequent flyer program, they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Loyalty Program Points, and that once points are ordered to an account, cancellation, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. Marriott's help centre puts it simply: once miles are awarded to an airline program, they cannot be moved to another airline or converted back into Marriott Bonvoy Points.
That covers both mistakes people make with Bonvoy conversions: choosing the wrong airline, and converting more points than an award needed. The 3:1 ratio also means the points cannot be rebuilt cheaply, so the miles are usually worth more sold than the hotel points would have been.
How Marriott transfers work
- Points convert at 3:1 to most airlines, with 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points moved. United receives 10,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points; American and Delta receive no bonus.
- Conversions run from 3,000 up to 240,000 points a day, and for most airline partners the first and last name on the airline account must match your Bonvoy name.
- Marriott's points-to-miles page lists posting times per airline; most take several days, and the miles are not yours to use until they post.
- For Avianca LifeMiles specifically: No 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points.
If the points have not posted, or went somewhere you did not expect
- If the miles have not posted within the time Marriott lists for that airline, contact Marriott Bonvoy member support with the conversion confirmation.
- Marriott's terms rule out changing the airline or reissuing the miles once they are awarded, so a conversion to the wrong airline stands.
What your Avianca LifeMiles are worth now
Published valuations put Avianca LifeMiles at 1.30¢ to 1.55¢ each, about 1.39¢ on average, as of September 23, 2026. The published figure assumes the miles go on flights; what you actually get depends on the award, and the Avianca LifeMiles valuation page lists the redemptions behind the range.
For the miles you hold now, Points Plug pays 1.11¢ to 1.32¢ per mile, rising with the balance; 100,000 Avianca LifeMiles, roughly what 300,000 Marriott points became at 3:1, fetch about $1,180. The quote form on this page shows the exact figure for your balance.
| Balance | Rate per mile | Example offer |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000 to 99,999 miles | 1.11¢ | 50,000 miles: $555 |
| 100,000 to 199,999 miles | 1.18¢ | 100,000 miles: $1,180 |
| 200,000 to 499,999 miles | 1.25¢ | 200,000 miles: $2,500 |
| 500,000+ miles | 1.32¢ | 500,000 miles: $6,600 |
Offers are a share of the program's typical published value; our rates page explains how they are set for every program.
How to sell Avianca LifeMiles
- Get a quote. The form on this page is preset to Avianca LifeMiles; enter your balance and the offer and price per mile appear before you give up anything.
- Accept the offer. Our team reaches out to confirm the details and explain how the booking will be handled. You keep your account and your login.
- The miles are used to book last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account, usually in one or two bookings rather than many small ones.
- You are paid through the method you choose, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking.
The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and balances of 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 earn higher rates. You never pay anything: the quote is free and the offer you accept is the amount you receive. Read how it works and the guide to selling airline miles for the detail.
Airline programs' terms restrict selling miles. Our Avianca LifeMiles Q&A quotes Avianca LifeMiles's own rule, so you can read it before you decide.
Other ways to use the miles
Fly on them
- Star Alliance and Avianca awards searched together on lifemiles.com, which books one-way, round-trip and multi-city itineraries.
- Avianca award sales in the special offers section; LifeMiles' 2024 US sale priced Miami to San Salvador at 5,550 miles and Miami to Cartagena at 6,060.
- Redeeming with a US co-brand card: the Elite Card returns 10% of the miles on Star Alliance awards and takes up to 25% off Avianca awards, and the standard card takes 5% off Avianca awards booked on lifemiles.com.
The Avianca LifeMiles award chart shows what the balance books and which redemptions return the most per mile, and the Avianca LifeMiles program guide covers the traps.
Share or pool them
Avianca's help centre lists paid miles transfers between members among the LifeMiles transactions charged to a card, without giving the price. The head of an elite member's family group, up to seven people, can move miles between the group's accounts free of charge.
Move them to another program
No. Capital One says there is no way to move miles back into a Capital One account once a transfer is finalized, and LifeMiles lists no conversion out to a bank or another airline program.
Points Plug can also convert Avianca LifeMiles into another airline program from 50,000 miles, with the fee built into the rate the quote shows.
Will the miles expire?
LifeMiles' own terms load only in its app. The LifeMiles card rules BAC Credomatic publishes in Panama say miles expire on a rolling 18-month basis under conditions LifeMiles sets, and Cardless says US cardholders keep their miles while they use the card, which points to activity keeping miles valid. Check the date in your LifeMiles account. Holders of the US avianca lifemiles American Express cards keep their miles for as long as they use the card, according to Cardless.
LifeMiles' own terms load only in its app. The LifeMiles card rules published through BAC Credomatic describe a rolling 18-month validity, so check the expiry date shown in your LifeMiles account rather than assuming the transfer reset it.
Source: BAC Credomatic: LifeMiles credit card accrual rules, Panama. See do airline miles expire for every program's rule.
Avoiding the same mistake next time
- Find the award seat first and confirm it books with Avianca LifeMiles at the price you expect. Only then transfer, and only the amount the award needs; the rest keeps its flexibility in Marriott.
- Read the partner name on the confirmation screen before you confirm. Several partners have similar names (Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red, the four Avios programs) and a mis-tap lands the points somewhere else for good.
- Hold Marriott points in Marriott until a trip is certain. There they keep their cash option and their choice of partners, and transfer bonuses of 20 to 40 percent come round several times a year.
- Keep the confirmation email until the miles post, and check the airline account under the same name before assuming a transfer failed; posting times run from minutes to two weeks depending on the issuer and the airline.
- Our guide to transferring credit card points to airlines covers ratios, timing and fees for every issuer.
Marriott to Avianca LifeMiles: FAQ
- Can I reverse a Marriott transfer to Avianca LifeMiles?
- No. The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the chosen airline program they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Bonvoy points, and that cancellations, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. The points are Avianca LifeMiles now and follow Avianca LifeMiles's rules.
- Can I move Avianca LifeMiles back to Marriott Bonvoy?
- No. Capital One says there is no way to move miles back into a Capital One account once a transfer is finalized, and LifeMiles lists no conversion out to a bank or another airline program.
- Will Marriott refund the transfer if the award seat is gone?
- No. Marriott's pages make no exception for award seats that disappear after a transfer, which is why the usual advice is to find the seat and confirm the price before moving points. Once the miles post, the choice is between waiting for new availability, using them another way or selling them.
- How much are my Avianca LifeMiles worth now?
- Published valuations put Avianca LifeMiles at 1.30¢ to 1.55¢ each when redeemed for flights, with partner premium-cabin awards above that and cash-style redemptions below. As cash, Points Plug pays 1.11¢ to 1.32¢ per mile depending on the balance, so 100,000 miles fetch about $1,180.
- How does selling Avianca LifeMiles to Points Plug work?
- Enter your balance in the quote form for an instant offer and price per mile. Accept it, and our team confirms the details, books last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account and pays you by your preferred method, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking. The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and the quote is free with no obligation.
- Can I give the miles to someone else or pool them?
- Avianca's help centre lists paid miles transfers between members among the LifeMiles transactions charged to a card, without giving the price. The head of an elite member's family group, up to seven people, can move miles between the group's accounts free of charge.
- Do Avianca LifeMiles expire after a transfer?
- LifeMiles' own terms load only in its app. The LifeMiles card rules BAC Credomatic publishes in Panama say miles expire on a rolling 18-month basis under conditions LifeMiles sets, and Cardless says US cardholders keep their miles while they use the card, which points to activity keeping miles valid. Check the date in your LifeMiles account. Holders of the US avianca lifemiles American Express cards keep their miles for as long as they use the card, according to Cardless. LifeMiles' own terms load only in its app. The LifeMiles card rules published through BAC Credomatic describe a rolling 18-month validity, so check the expiry date shown in your LifeMiles account rather than assuming the transfer reset it.
Sources
- Marriott Bonvoy: loyalty program terms and conditions (points to miles) · official page
- Marriott Bonvoy: convert points to miles · official page
- Marriott help centre: earning points or airline miles for a hotel stay · official page
- Capital One: miles transfer partners guide · official page
- Avianca help centre: duplicate charges on LifeMiles transactions (transfers are paid transactions) · official page
- LifeMiles help centre: family pooling · official page
- BAC Credomatic: LifeMiles credit card accrual rules, Panama (validity) · official page
Other accidental transfers
Into Avianca LifeMiles from another program
From Marriott into another airline
- Marriott to United MileagePlus
- Marriott to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Marriott to Delta SkyMiles
- Marriott to Alaska Atmos Rewards
- Marriott to Air Canada Aeroplan
- Marriott to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Marriott to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Marriott to JAL Mileage Bank
- Marriott to ANA Mileage Club
- Marriott to Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Marriott to Virgin Australia Velocity
- Marriott to British Airways Club
- Marriott to Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- Marriott to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- Marriott to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Marriott to Emirates Skywards
- Marriott to Etihad Guest
- Marriott to Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Every bank's rule on reversing transfers, with a page for each transfer route.
More on Avianca LifeMiles
- Sell Avianca LifeMiles: the program guide, rates and quote form.
- What Avianca LifeMiles are worth: every published valuation and the redemptions behind it.
- Avianca LifeMiles: 123 questions answered from the airline's own pages.
- The transfer partner matrix: every bank-to-airline route and ratio.