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How to earn Avianca LifeMiles

LifeMiles' help centres explain how to claim miles but not the accrual rates: the per-fare tables for Avianca and each partner sit in the lifemiles.com app, which loads only in a browser, so they are not reproduced here.

Avianca and Star Alliance flights also earn qualifying miles toward LifeMiles status, and for the 2026 qualification year part of those must come from Avianca-operated flights or services bought from Avianca.

Official earning page: Avianca help centre: earning miles on Avianca and partner airlines.

Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .

How to join Avianca LifeMiles

Enrol at lifemiles.com. What the program requires and offers:

  • Enrol online at lifemiles.com. You must be a member before a flight to earn miles on it.
  • Children can hold accounts: an elite member's family pool can include up to five members under 18.
  • No joining bonus is listed on a readable LifeMiles page; the welcome offers sit on the US co-brand cards (40,000 miles on the $99 card, up to 100,000 on the $249 Elite Card).
  • Avianca flights post within 4 days and partner flights within 14 days; Avianca codeshares operated by Clic can take up to 60 days.

Airlines whose flights earn miles here

Flights on these carriers can be credited to Avianca LifeMiles by adding your number to the booking.

  • Aegean
  • Air Canada
  • Air China
  • Air India
  • Air New Zealand
  • ANA
  • Asiana
  • Austrian
  • Brussels Airlines
  • Copa
  • Croatia Airlines
  • EGYPTAIR
  • Ethiopian
  • EVA Air
  • ITA Airways
  • LOT
  • Lufthansa
  • Shenzhen Airlines
  • Singapore Airlines
  • South African Airways
  • SWISS
  • TAP
  • THAI
  • Turkish Airlines
  • United
  • GOL
  • Iberia
  • Clic (Avianca codeshares)

Avianca's Star Alliance article says members earn across the alliance (Avianca and 25 other airlines), and LifeMiles' air partners article names GOL and Iberia as non-alliance partners.

Where else Avianca flights can be credited

  • United MileagePlus

    Star Alliance partner, so Avianca flights can be credited there instead. Check United's Avianca earning chart for your fare before choosing.

  • Air Canada Aeroplan

    Star Alliance partner; a sensible home for Avianca flights if you already collect Aeroplan points.

  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

    Star Alliance partner; earning on Avianca follows Turkish's own partner chart.

  • Singapore KrisFlyer

    Star Alliance partner; earning on Avianca follows KrisFlyer's accrual chart.

  • Lufthansa Miles & More

    Star Alliance partner; earning on Avianca follows Miles & More's partner chart.

Which program should I select for Avianca flights?

Credit Avianca flights to LifeMiles if you want LifeMiles status: for the 2026 qualification year part of the qualifying miles must come from Avianca-operated flights or services bought from Avianca.

If you fly Avianca once or twice a year, weigh the expiry rule. LifeMiles miles lapse after a period without activity (18 rolling months in the rules BAC Credomatic publishes), so a small balance from one trip can disappear; a Star Alliance program you already use keeps the credit working.

Add your number before you fly. LifeMiles credits only flights taken after you joined, and a forgotten number can be claimed within 12 months, or 6 months on Iberia and GOL.

Claiming miles after the flight

Claim window: 12 months from the flight; 6 months for Iberia and GOL.

  • Avianca flights: request retroactive credit online once 4 days have passed; if that fails, submit the accrual form and the Support team reviews it.
  • Star Alliance flights: wait 14 days, then request the miles through Pending Miles in the account.
  • Iberia, GOL and other non-alliance flights, or Star Alliance flights the online tool will not credit: use the accrual form with supporting documents.
  • Flights before you joined do not count, and commercial partners must have your number at purchase because their miles cannot be claimed later.

Source: LifeMiles help centre: miles accrual with air partners. Every program's window is compared on the missing miles page.

Ways to earn miles without flying

US co-brand cards

Cardless issues the avianca lifemiles American Express Card ($99; 2 miles per dollar on Avianca, LifeMiles, groceries and restaurants) and the Elite Card ($249; 3 per dollar on Avianca and LifeMiles, 2 on travel and restaurants). Both include Silver status, and purchases earn one qualifying mile for every two miles. See the Cardless comparison.

Bank and hotel transfers

Capital One and Bilt at 1:1, Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1 (3,000 to 240,000 points a day, no 5,000-mile bonus) and Citi ThankYou at a rate that depends on the card. See the transfer partners page.

Commercial partners

More than 340 commercial partners, according to Avianca's investor site. Give your LifeMiles number at purchase: commercial-partner miles cannot be claimed afterwards.

LifeMiles+ subscription

A subscription that adds miles and earns qualifying miles toward status; the Elite Card includes a complimentary Lite membership.

Buy miles and gift codes

LifeMiles sells miles on its buy miles page; Biirdee reports bonus sales that bring the price to roughly 1.3 cents a mile. Gift codes can also be redeemed into an account.

Family pooling

Elite members aged 18 or over can move miles free between up to seven family accounts, which lets a household combine small balances into one award.

Bank point transfers

Capital One (1:1), Citi (varies), Bilt (1:1), Wells Fargo (ratio not stated), Marriott (3:1) transfer into Avianca LifeMiles. See the transfer partner matrix and how transfers work.

Booking awards with the miles

Booking window: Not published on a readable LifeMiles page. Change fee: Not stated; changes go through the Contact Center within one year of issue. Cancellation: US$30 to US$100 by fare on Avianca awards (Flex 30, Classic 50, Light 75, Basic and Business 100). The full rules are on the award fees table and the availability guide.

  • LifeMiles shows the miles needed for each route in the lifemiles.com flight search; there is no published chart.
  • A special offers section on lifemiles.com lists discounted awards on selected destinations.
  • Business class upgrades with miles are requested online for Star Alliance flights and by phone (Call Center option 3) for Avianca flights.

Using the miles you earn

See the Avianca LifeMiles award chart for what the miles buy, what they are worth, and what Points Plug pays for a balance you will not use.

Earning Avianca LifeMiles: FAQ

How long do I have to claim missing LifeMiles?
12 months after the flight for Avianca and Star Alliance partners, and 6 months for Iberia and GOL. Avianca flights can be claimed once 4 days have passed, partner flights after 14 days.
Do flights before I joined LifeMiles count?
No. LifeMiles requires you to be a member before the flight starts. A later flight flown without your number on the booking can be claimed within 12 months.
Which US credit cards earn LifeMiles?
The avianca lifemiles American Express Card and Elite Card from Cardless, plus transfers from Capital One (1:1), Bilt (1:1), Marriott Bonvoy (3:1) and Citi ThankYou (rate depends on the card).
Do the LifeMiles credit cards stop my miles expiring?
In the US, yes: Cardless says miles do not expire for as long as you use your avianca lifemiles card. Without a card, miles lapse after a period without account activity.

Sources

Other Star Alliance programs