Convert MilesHow It WorksOur RatesSell PointsGuides

Elite Program · Points from flying and spending

Avianca LifeMiles elite status explained

LifeMiles has five elite levels: Red Plus, Silver, Gold, Diamond and, above them, Magno. For the current cycle you qualify between January 1 and December 31, 2026 by earning qualifying miles, from 6,000 for Red Plus to 45,000 for Diamond, with a minimum share earned with Avianca (Avianca-operated flights or services bought directly from Avianca). Magno needs 110,000, all with Avianca.

Red Plus and Silver members are Star Alliance Silver, and Gold, Diamond and Magno members are Star Alliance Gold, with lounge access and priority across the alliance. Every level from Silver up gets an allowance of business class upgrades on Avianca, from 6 within the Americas and 2 on domestic routes for Silver to 18 and 12 for Magno, and an elite bonus on miles earned, from 10% at Red Plus to 100% at Magno.

The fastest shortcut for US residents is a co-brand card: both avianca lifemiles American Express cards issued by Cardless include LifeMiles Silver status for as long as the card stays open.

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

Redeemable miles versus qualifying miles

What you spend

Miles

The balance that books award flights, upgrades and other rewards. See how to earn them and what they are worth.

What counts toward status

qualifying miles

A separate counter that decides your tier. You cannot spend it on flights or rewards.

LifeMiles keeps two balances. LifeMiles are the redeemable miles you spend on award flights, upgrades, hotels and cars. Qualifying miles cannot be spent; Avianca says they count exclusively toward reaching or keeping elite status.

Qualifying miles come from flying Avianca and Star Alliance partners, co-brand card purchases, a LifeMiles+ subscription, partner hotels and other LifeMiles services, but not always one for one. On the US Cardless cards, purchases earn one qualifying mile for every two LifeMiles, and Avianca's terms for one miles bonus count only 1 of every 20 bonus miles toward elite status.

Worked example: a member books a US$500 Avianca ticket with the avianca lifemiles American Express Elite Card. The card earns 3 LifeMiles per dollar on Avianca purchases, 1,500 LifeMiles, and half as many qualifying miles, 750, an eighth of the 6,000 Red Plus needs. The flight then earns its own LifeMiles once flown: on a flex fare, 8 LifeMiles per US dollar of fare before taxes, so up to 4,000 more. LifeMiles does not publish how many qualifying miles a flight earns on a page read for this guide.

Avianca LifeMiles tiers and what each one takes

TierTo qualifyBonus milesAlliance tier
Red Plus6,000 qualifying miles (1,000 on Avianca)+10% elite bonus milesStar Alliance Silver
Silver12,000 qualifying miles (3,000 on Avianca)+20% elite bonus milesStar Alliance Silver
Gold24,000 qualifying miles (12,000 on Avianca)+60% elite bonus milesStar Alliance Gold
Diamond45,000 qualifying miles (22,500 on Avianca)+80% elite bonus milesStar Alliance Gold
Magno110,000 qualifying miles, all on Avianca+100% elite bonus milesStar Alliance Gold

Qualification runs from January 1 to December 31, with 2026 the current cycle. Avianca does not state on its readable help pages how long earned status lasts, though its elite maternity example refers to a Diamond status valid through January 2025, so status ends in January rather than December. Your progress toward each level appears in the Elite Progress section of your lifemiles.com account.

Benefits of each Avianca LifeMiles tier

Red Plus

Earn 6,000 qualifying miles between January 1 and December 31, 2026, at least 1,000 of them with Avianca (Avianca-operated flights or services bought from Avianca).

  • 1 visit to an Avianca VIP lounge.
  • Plus and emergency-exit row seat selection at check-in (not on Basic and Light fares).
  • Star Alliance Silver: priority on waitlists, both for tickets and at the airport.
  • Family group, 24-month miles validity, elite maternity, and hotel and car rental discounts, as at every level.

Silver

Earn 12,000 qualifying miles between January 1 and December 31, 2026, at least 3,000 of them with Avianca, or hold either avianca lifemiles American Express card from Cardless, which includes Silver while the account is open.

  • 6 business class upgrades on international routes within the Americas and 2 on domestic routes, subject to space (not on Basic and Light fares).
  • 2 Avianca VIP lounge visits plus 1 guest visit.
  • Plus and emergency-exit row seats from the moment you book.
  • 1 extra 23 kg checked bag on economy fares (not Basic and Light), and 10% off a 10 kg carry-on on Basic fares.
  • Priority phone line, priority check-in, boarding group B (or board at any time) and priority baggage.
  • Same-day earlier flights on routes within Colombia, and 5% off Avianca award tickets.

Gold

Earn 24,000 qualifying miles between January 1 and December 31, 2026, at least 12,000 of them with Avianca.

  • 8 business class upgrades on international routes within the Americas and 4 on domestic routes.
  • 20 Avianca VIP lounge visits, 8 guest visits and 2 visits to partner lounges, plus Star Alliance Gold lounges across the alliance.
  • Up to 2 extra 23 kg bags on economy fares and 1 extra 32 kg bag on business fares (not Basic and Light), and 15% off a carry-on on Basic.
  • Boarding group A, Fast Track, a preferential WhatsApp chat, priority check-in and priority baggage.
  • Star Alliance Gold on partners: extra bag, priority check-in, boarding and baggage, and Gold Track.
  • On GOL: 8 Smiles lounge visits, seat selection at check-in, an extra 23 kg bag and boarding group 1.

Diamond

Earn 45,000 qualifying miles between January 1 and December 31, 2026, at least 22,500 of them with Avianca.

  • 12 business class upgrades within the Americas, 8 on domestic routes, and 2 upgrades to INSIGNIA on Boeing 787 routes to and from Europe and New York (not on Basic and Light fares or London to Bogota).
  • Unlimited Avianca VIP lounge visits, 12 guest visits and 3 partner lounge visits.
  • Boarding group PRI, Fast Track, WhatsApp chat, priority check-in and baggage.
  • Up to 2 extra 23 kg bags on economy fares, 1 extra 32 kg bag on business fares, and 20% off a carry-on on Basic.
  • Star Alliance Gold lounges and benefits, and the GOL benefits Gold members get.

Magno

Earn 110,000 qualifying miles, all of them with Avianca, so qualifying miles from partner airlines, cards or hotels cannot make up any of the total.

  • 18 business class upgrades within the Americas, 12 on domestic routes and 4 INSIGNIA upgrades on Boeing 787 routes to and from Europe and New York.
  • Unlimited Avianca VIP lounge visits with up to 4 guests per visit, plus 3 partner lounge visits.
  • Magno Executive personal assistance and a snack and drink included on every flight.
  • Boarding group PRI, Fast Track, WhatsApp chat, and up to 2 extra 23 kg bags in economy and 1 extra 32 kg bag in business.
  • Star Alliance Gold lounges and benefits, and the GOL benefits Gold members get.

How flights earn qualifying miles

  • Qualifying miles come from five sources, per Avianca: flights on Avianca and Star Alliance partners, purchases on co-brand credit cards, a LifeMiles+ subscription, stays at partner hotels, and other LifeMiles services.
  • For 2026, Avianca requires that part of your qualifying miles come from Avianca-operated flights or from additional services bought directly from Avianca, so credit card spend and partner flights alone cannot carry you to status.
  • Give your LifeMiles number when booking or at check-in. Avianca flights post within 4 days and partner flights within 14 days, and you can claim missing flights up to 12 months later.

How many miles each tier earns

  • Avianca flights completed from 1 January 2025 earn LifeMiles per US dollar by fare: 3 on basic/light (which earned nothing before), 6 on classic (was 5), 8 on flex (was 7) and 10 on business/INSIGNIA (was 7). LifeMiles' own example: a US$100 flex ticket from Bogota to Miami, taxes excluded, earns 800 base miles, against 700 in 2024.
  • Elite members add a bonus on the base miles they earn (bono elite): 10% at Red Plus, 20% at Silver, 60% at Gold, 80% at Diamond and 100% at Magno. On that US$100 flex ticket, a Gold member would add 60% to the 800 base miles.
  • Every elite level keeps LifeMiles valid for 24 months and gets discounts and extra miles on partner hotels and car rentals; from Silver up, Avianca award tickets cost 5% less.
  • On the Elite Card, a complimentary LifeMiles+ Lite membership doubles the miles earned each statement cycle, up to 1,000 extra miles a cycle, which Cardless presents as 6 miles per dollar on Avianca, 4 on travel and restaurants and 2 on everything else.

Upgrades for Avianca LifeMiles elites

  • Each level from Silver up gets an allowance of business class upgrades subject to space, none of them on Basic or Light fares: on international routes within the Americas, 6 for Silver, 8 for Gold, 12 for Diamond and 18 for Magno; on domestic routes 2, 4, 8 and 12.
  • Diamond and Magno also get 2 and 4 upgrades to INSIGNIA, Avianca's flat-bed business class, on Boeing 787 routes to and from Europe and New York, except the London to Bogota segment.
  • To use one, link your LifeMiles number to the booking, then submit the request with the six-character booking code and your last name on Avianca's upgrade form.
  • Upgrades may confirm before departure or at the airport on the day of the flight, subject to business class availability. Priority goes by elite level, whether you hold a LifeMiles co-brand card, and when you asked.
  • Requests cannot be made for bookings with infants or pets, award tickets that include segments on other airlines, reservations with several tickets, or certain lower fare families. Any change to the flight, voluntary or not, cancels the request.

Credit cards that help with Avianca LifeMiles status

  • Cardless issues two avianca lifemiles American Express cards in the US, and both include LifeMiles Silver status, renewed each year while the card is open and in good standing. Benefits appear within 24 hours of approval.
  • avianca lifemiles American Express Card (US$99 a year): 40,000 miles after US$3,000 of spending in 90 days, 2 miles per dollar on Avianca and LifeMiles purchases and at grocery stores and restaurants, 1 elsewhere, and 5% off Avianca flights booked on lifemiles.com.
  • avianca lifemiles American Express Elite Card (US$249 a year): up to 100,000 miles, 60,000 after US$4,500 in 90 days and 40,000 more after US$25,000 in 12 months; 3 miles per dollar on Avianca and LifeMiles, 2 on travel and restaurants, 1 elsewhere; plus LifeMiles+ benefits including 10% of miles back on Star Alliance awards and up to 25% off Avianca awards.
  • Card purchases earn one qualifying mile for every two LifeMiles, so US$10,000 of everyday spending on the Elite Card adds 10,000 LifeMiles and 5,000 qualifying miles. Cardless does not offer a spend route to Gold, Diamond or Magno.

Fees, sign-up bonuses and every other benefit are compared in the Avianca LifeMiles credit cards guide.

Other ways to get Avianca LifeMiles status

Co-brand card

Either US Cardless card confers Silver automatically and keeps it for as long as the card account stays open.

Status match

LifeMiles takes requests for an elite status match from other programs through its status match page. The terms were not readable outside the signed-in site.

LifeMiles+ subscription

A paid LifeMiles+ subscription adds miles and counts toward qualifying miles, per Avianca's help centre.

Partner hotels

Stays at LifeMiles partner hotels earn qualifying miles as well as redeemable miles.

Keeping Avianca LifeMiles status

  • Status must be requalified each calendar year with the same two tests: enough qualifying miles, and a share of them from Avianca. If status lapses, any family pooling group you lead is dissolved automatically.
  • Elite maternity extends status by one year for a member who has a baby while holding it. Avianca's help centre describes it for Red Plus, Silver, Gold and Diamond, and LifeMiles' current benefits table lists it at every level, Magno included. Request it through the Avianca contact centre or the My elite status form with the birth certificate; Avianca's example is a Diamond valid to January 2025 extended to January 2026 after a November 2024 birth.

Avianca LifeMiles status: FAQ

How many qualifying miles do I need for LifeMiles Diamond?
45,000 qualifying miles in the calendar year, at least 22,500 of them with Avianca. For comparison, Red Plus needs 6,000 (1,000 with Avianca), Silver 12,000 (3,000), Gold 24,000 (12,000), and Magno 110,000, all with Avianca.
What is the difference between LifeMiles and qualifying miles?
LifeMiles are redeemable for awards. Qualifying miles only count toward elite status and cannot be spent. Co-brand card purchases earn one qualifying mile for every two LifeMiles.
Which LifeMiles status gives Star Alliance Gold?
Gold, Diamond and Magno. Red Plus and Silver members are Star Alliance Silver, which mainly brings priority standby, while Star Alliance Gold adds lounges, an extra bag, Gold Track and priority boarding.
Does the avianca lifemiles credit card give elite status?
Yes. Both US cards from Cardless, the US$99 card and the US$249 Elite Card, include LifeMiles Silver, renewed each year while the card stays open. Silver maps to Star Alliance Silver, not Gold.
Can LifeMiles elite members get free business class upgrades?
Yes, within an allowance and subject to space, not on Basic or Light fares. Silver gets 6 upgrades on international routes within the Americas and 2 on domestic routes, Gold 8 and 4, Diamond 12 and 8, and Magno 18 and 12; Diamond and Magno also get 2 and 4 upgrades to INSIGNIA on Boeing 787 routes to Europe and New York. You request them through Avianca's upgrade form, and confirmation depends on availability and priority, which goes by status, co-brand card membership and request date.
How much bonus do LifeMiles elite members earn?
LifeMiles adds an elite bonus on base miles earned: 10% for Red Plus, 20% for Silver, 60% for Gold, 80% for Diamond and 100% for Magno.
Can I pool LifeMiles with my family?
Yes, if you hold any elite status. The group head can move miles free of charge among up to 7 people: the head, one other adult and up to five members under 18. The group ends if the head loses status.

Sources

More on Avianca LifeMiles

Status in other Star Alliance programs