Avianca Lifemiles Announces 2027 Elite Status and Earning Changes: Who Wins and Who Loses?

Changes are coming to how Avianca Lifemiles members earn miles and qualify for elite status, starting January 1, 2027.

At first glance, it looks like good news. Every elite tier will require fewer qualifying miles to move up the status ranks in 2027. On closer inspection, it’s a mixed bag.

Many members will find it harder to earn qualifying miles. Even worse, most travelers will earn fewer redeemable miles (the miles you use to book award flights) on Avianca trips. Moreover, Silver and Gold members will get fewer Business Class upgrades.

However, some travelers do come out ahead.

Avianca says the changes will make your progress toward elite status “easier to understand.” It doesn’t say easier to earn, and that’s a big difference.

Let’s take a look at the changes, plus the winners and losers in this shakeup.

Lower Lifemiles Elite Status Thresholds in 2027

As of January 1, 2027, Lifemiles members will need to meet 2 requirements: qualifying miles, of which a minimum number of qualifying miles must come from Avianca activity (meaning you can’t earn status purely from interacting with partner airlines).

The new requirements are as follows:

The overall requirements drop by 11% to 18%, depending on the tier. Magno members get the biggest benefit. Right now, all 110,000 miles have to be flown with Avianca. In 2027, only 45,000 have to come from Avianca, while partner flights and credit card spending can cover the rest going forward.

The Avianca minimum also gets broader. It’s currently based on miles flown with Avianca. Starting in 2027, things like seat selection and lounge access will also count as qualifying Avianca activities for that part of the elite requirement.

Red Plus and Silver move in the wrong direction, though. Their Avianca minimums are going up from 1,000 to 2,500 and from 3,000 to 5,000, respectively.

How You’ll Earn Qualifying Miles

Presently, the number of qualifying miles you earn on Avianca flights is the same as the base miles earned. Earnings depend on your fare type: 3 miles per $1 spent on Basic/Light fares, 6x on Classic, 8x on Flex, and 10x on Business.

Starting in 2027, every fare will earn 5 qualifying miles per $1 spent. That includes everything from seat selection and Business Class upgrades to empty seat purchases, VIP lounge access, and priority boarding. It all earns at the same rate.

Whether the flat rate helps or hurts depends on what you buy. Here’s what you’ll need to earn Lifemiles Gold status if every qualifying mile comes purely from Avianca flights:

Basic and Light travelers will see their required spend cut in half. Classic flyers won’t see a change. Anyone who books Flex or Business will need to spend more to reach status next year.

Partner earning looks even worse. Avianca Lifemiles credit cards, Lifemiles Plus, Star Alliance flights, and Clic Air flights will earn 1 qualifying mile for every 5 miles earned, down from 1 qualifying mile for every 2 miles. So earning 10,000 qualifying miles from a co-branded card will require earning 50,000 miles instead of the 20,000 you need right now.

GOL flights are the worst of the bunch. They earn 1 qualifying mile per mile earned right now, but they’ll move to the same 1-for-5 rate.

There are 2 more concerns to discuss. Elite and promotional bonuses currently earn 1 qualifying mile per 20 miles earned, and purchased miles, points conversions, and transfers earn 1 qualifying mile per 2 miles earned. Avianca’s 2027 materials don’t mention any of these things. If you count on buying Lifemiles or transferring points to reach status, test it early in 2027 and adjust your plans based on what you find.

You’ll Earn Fewer Miles on Most Fares

The redeemable miles you earn on Avianca flights are also changing. Redeemable miles are what you can use for booking award flights.

In 2027, your status sets a base rate per U.S. dollar: 2 for general members, 3 for Red Plus, 5 for Silver, 8 for Gold, 9 for Diamond, and 10 for Magno. Classic fares add 1 mile per $1 spent. Flex and Business fares add 2, and Basic/Light fares add nothing.

Here’s a look at the redeemable miles earned per $1 spent, based on the change from 2026 to 2027 earnings (including elite bonuses at each tier):

Members without status lose the most. A Business fare will earn them 4 miles per $1 spent instead of 10. Silver members and above will earn more on Basic/Light fares, but every other combination earns less. The vast majority of numbers in this table are going down, not up.

Earning rates on ancillaries, Star Alliance flights, co-branded credit cards, shopping partners, and hotels won’t change.

Fewer Business Class Upgrades

Silver and Gold members who earn or renew status on or after February 1, 2027, will get fewer upgrades.

Neither tier receives Insignia upgrades. Avianca hasn’t published new upgrade counts for Diamond or Magno members yet.

Winners and Losers

Winners

• Members chasing Magno who fly partner airlines or spend on co-branded credit cards.
• Travelers who regularly book Basic/Light fares. They need half the spending for status, and Silver members and above earn more redeemable miles
• Members who buy Avianca ancillaries, which now count toward the Avianca minimum.

Losers

• People who book Flex and Business Class tickets
• Anyone who earns status mostly through credit cards, Star Alliance partners, or GOL flights
• Red Plus and Silver members, since they have higher Avianca minimums
• Silver and Gold members who use upgrades on international routes
• Members without status, as they’ll earn fewer redeemable miles
• Unconfirmed, but anyone who relies on bought or transferred miles for status might join this list.

Final Thoughts

Lower elite thresholds are the most visible part of the 2027 Lifemiles changes. They caught our eye at first, but they don’t tell the whole story. For many members, lower earning rates and fewer upgrades offset the positive headline, and some travelers will get less value from Lifemiles next year.

Check how you earn most of your qualifying miles today. Then do the math before you make plans to earn airline status next year.