100% Bonus to Buy Avianca LifeMiles and 100% Bonus to Buy US Airways Dividend Miles promos are back. In my view, neither offer is worth it. First, here are the details:
100% Bonus When You Buy Avianca LifeMiles
- Must be an Avianca LifeMiles member prior to August 1, 2013
- May purchase a maximum of 75,000 LifeMiles for this promotion, and maximum of 150,000 LifeMiles during a calendar year
- Miles must be purchased in increments of 1000 LifeMiles
- Promotion available August 1-August 31
100% Bonus When You Buy 30,000 to 50,000 US Airways Dividend Miles
- Must buy 30,000-50,000 US Airways Dividend Miles to receive the 100% bonus
- Dividend Miles accounts must be at least 12 days old
- Miles must be purchased in increments of 1000 Dividend Miles
- Promotion available August 1-August 31
- Purchases processed by points.com (so no 3X bonus for using the AMEX Premier Rewards Gold card and no other airfare category bonuses apply)
Why the 100% Bonus for Buying Avianca LifeMiles Isn't Worth It
1. No Mixed Class Awards
This is one of the main reasons I've never taken advantage of any of the LifeMiles bonuses–you can't book an itinerary that includes first class on one segment and business class on another segment, or business class on one leg and economy class on another. If you have just a one segment itinerary you won't have to deal with this limitation, however.
2. Avianca Changes Its Award Chart Without Notice
Not long ago Avianca changed its award chart with no notice. While the devaluations weren't enormous, mainly raising certain first class awards by 5000 miles each way and certain business class awards by 2500 more miles each way, it certainly doesn't inspire confidence.
Avianca LifeMiles also changed the price at which you could buy the remaining miles needed for your award, from 1.275 cents per mile to 1.56 cents per mile, again with no notice. So you definitely don't want to be holding a lot of Avianca LifeMiles given this pattern of devaluations with no notice.
3. Only Routings on the Web Site are Bookable
With United, even if you don't see a certain routing returned as an award result, if the routing exists and there's award availability (check using the ANA tool) you can call United and book it. Not so with Avianca LifeMiles–what you see online is what you get.
4. Poor Call Center
Of course, this isn't unique to Avianca LifeMiles, since it can be a real pain dealing with the Delta and US Airways call centers as well, but in general you could end up wasting a lot of time with Avianca Call Center agents if you find yourself needing to call them. Remember to HUCA (hang up and call again) if you don't get anywhere with an agent, but just be prepared, and consider yourself warned.
Who May Want to Buy Avianca LifeMiles
1. Non U.S. Based Travelers Without Access to U.S. Credit Card Offers
Not everyone has access to U.S. credit card offers, so Avianca LifeMiles 100% bonus when you buy miles promotions can be great for international travelers. U.S. based miles and points collectors don't always appreciate this, given the many cheap ways of earning Ultimate Rewards points, United miles and AMEX Membership Rewards points for Star Alliance flights.
2. To Top Up for An Award
If you just need a few more LifeMiles to book an award you can see availability for, the bonus is perfect for your needs.
Why the 100% Bonus for Buying US Airways Dividend Miles Isn't Worth It
I actually covered this in Buying US Airways Miles with a 100% Bonus: 7 Reasons It's Not a Good Deal. Key reasons include:
- Devaluations without notice
- No one way awards (or rather, you pay the roundtrip price in miles even if your trip is one way)
- No changes to your award after travel has begun: see Emergency Flight Award Change? Hope You Didn't Book with US Airways Miles
What about if you want more American AAdvantage miles, given that US Airways Will Join Oneworld by the Start of 2014? In that case, you're better off earning 100,000 AAdvantage miles from 2 Citi Platinum Visas.
Who May Want to Buy US Airways Dividend Miles
1. Non U.S. Based Travelers Who Want to Book a US Airways Award
You only have a few more months to book US Airways awards, so if you want a 90,000 business class roundtrip from the U.S. to North Asia and don't have access to U.S. credit card offers such as the Citi AAdvantage credit card bonus offers, you may want to quickly get some Dividend Miles so you can book that.
2. To Top Up for An Award
As with all buy miles offers that in general aren't worth it, if you need 30,000 miles soon to book your award, it can be worth it for your purpose.
Do you agree that the 100% buy miles bonuses for Avianca LifeMiles and US Airways Miles aren't worth it, or are they worth it to you given your travel plans?
Related Posts
Buying US Airways Miles with a 100% Bonus: 7 Reasons It's Not a Good Deal
US Airways Will Join Oneworld by the Start of 2014
How to Find Star Alliance Award Seats
How to Use ANA to Search for Star Alliance Award Seats
Best Ways to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
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