Avianca LifeMiles Loyalty Program Makes Changes, and They’re Good

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Updated: January 10, 2025, 10:17am CST

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A Detailed Look at the LifeMiles Changes for 2025
Club Concierge: Better Than Diamond
Final Thoughts

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LifeMiles, the loyalty program of Latin American airline Avianca, has announced several changes for 2025.

Overall, the changes look positive. LifeMiles is one of the best programs for booking award seats on dozens of airlines belonging to Star Alliance, which makes this a very interesting development.

Let’s look at what LifeMiles is changing for the new year.

A Detailed Look at the LifeMiles Changes for 2025

The loyalty program sent an email on Wednesday alerting members to a raft of changes to the program, linking to a page with a handy listing of what’s new for LifeMiles.

Many U.S.-based flyers will find the changes compelling since Avianca is in Star Alliance, along with United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, and many others, offering a raft of possibilities. For example, LifeMiles miles can be redeemed for United flights.

With these changes, you can now earn miles when flying on basic economy fares; you will earn more miles per dollar spent on higher fares; and you will enjoy more benefits if you have status with the program. In addition, LifeMiles says it has made its “club concierge” service better.

A New Mileage Earning Structure

The really good news here is that flyers who purchase the lowest fares available on Avianca now earn miles, whereas before they wouldn’t. Plus, those who buy higher fare classes now get more miles.

LifeMiles specifies that all of those changes apply to all tickets flown from January 1, 2025. This seems to indicate that passengers who bought their Avianca ticket in 2024 for a flight in 2025 get to earn miles at the new, better rates.

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Fare type	Old miles earnings	New miles earnings in 2025
Basic / Light	0x miles per $1 spent	3x miles per $1 spent
Classic	5x miles	6x miles
Flex	7x miles	8x miles
Business / Insignia	7x miles	10x miles

Besides basic economy, the new earning structure is great for flyers who buy the highest, business-class fare, whose earnings jump by 43% from 7x to 10x miles per $1 spent.

More Chances for Upgrades

Avianca is reintroducing business class on its flights in the Americas, reversing a 2022 decision to get rid of it altogether. Now, it has decided to give its most frequent flyers more chances to fly it, using upgrade vouchers.

Silver members go from having 2 to 6 upgrade vouchers per year, Gold members from 4 to 8, and Diamond members from 7 to 12.

There will be more vouchers for selecting extra-legroom seats in economy too. Silver members go from having 2 to 4 of those vouchers per year, Gold members from 4 to 8, and Diamond members from 7 to 12.

An interesting aspect of Avianca business class within the Americas, found on Airbus A320-series jets, is that the middle seat is blocked, creating an effective 4-abreast layout, similar to what European airlines do for business class on single-aisle jets. Unlike the Europeans, however, Avianca has installed a fixed divider between the seats, which are wider than other single-aisle business seats. There is no physical separation between business class and economy behind it.

Avianca A320 premium seats closeup — Premium seats on Avianca’s A320 planes. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

The reintroduced business class is currently flying on at least 12 routes between U.S. cities and destinations in Central and South America, including San Salvador (SSA), Medellín (MDE), and Bogotá (BOG).

In long-haul, flat-bed business class, which is installed on many of Avianca’s Boeing 787s, the airline has promised enhancements to the passenger experience.

The page dedicated to the changes teased an “enhanced experience” in Insignia business, though the airline hasn’t specified what this entails beyond the changes to Avianca business class announced in 2024.

Avianca business class enhancements — Image Credit: Avianca

Club Concierge: Better Than Diamond

Club Concierge is an extra status tier on top of LifeMiles Diamond, granted to passengers who earn 110,000 qualifying miles in 12 consecutive months.

LifeMiles said that, compared to passengers who have Diamond status, Concierge Club members get 2 more upgrade vouchers to business on flights to Europe and 6 on flights within the Americas, plus 6 more vouchers for extra-legroom premium seats. These members also enjoy unlimited access to Avianca lounges for themselves and up to 4 companions. On top of that, they earn 100% bonus miles when flying Avianca.

What isn’t clear, though, is which of these benefits for Club Concierge members are new or enhanced in 2025.

Hot Tip:

Avianca’s LifeMiles went through a devaluation last year, but not all of it was bad news. While LifeMiles increased the number of miles needed for awards departing the U.S. to Europe or Asia, awards departing Hawaii didn’t get more expensive, and certain flights to South America or Northern Europe on Avianca and its partners may be cheaper.

Final Thoughts

Avianca’s LifeMiles is a loyalty program that flies under the radar for many U.S.-based flyers, but it really is deserving of your attention. Now, it has introduced a spate of changes, making it easier to earn more miles when flying Avianca. That is another good reason to give LifeMiles a good look if you haven’t already.