Avianca Lifemiles American Express Card Review: Is It Worth It in 2025?

Earning Structure: Solid But Not Spectacular

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Standard Card ($99)

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• 2x miles on Avianca/LifeMiles purchases, restaurants, and groceries

• 1x miles on everything else

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Elite Card ($249)

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• 3x miles on Avianca/LifeMiles purchases

• 2x miles on restaurants and other travel

• 1x miles on everything else

• Bonus: Double your miles on all purchases, up to 1,000 bonus miles per month (12,000 per year)

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Neither card charges foreign transaction fees, making them solid options for international travel.

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The earnings aren't designed to compete with premium transferable points cards. Instead, they supplement your existing strategy while delivering value through perks.

Silver Elite Status: Your Free Upgrade

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Both cards grant complimentary Avianca Silver elite status, which includes:

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• 5 complimentary Avianca lounge passes annually

• 2 companion lounge passes per year

• 30% bonus miles on Avianca flights

• Priority check-in and boarding

• Star Alliance Silver status recognition across 26 airlines

• Additional checked bag

• 6 business class upgrades on flights within the Americas (subject to availability)

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For $99 or $249 annually, getting automatic Silver status is a strong value proposition if you fly Avianca even a few times per year. The lounge access alone can justify the annual fee.

LifeMiles+ Membership: The Elite Card's Secret Weapon

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The Elite card includes a complimentary LifeMiles+ Lite subscription valued at $240 annually. This membership delivers:

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Redemption Benefits:

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• 25% discount on Avianca award flights

• 10% rebate on Star Alliance award redemptions

• Up to 40% bonus miles on hotel bookings through LifeMiles

• Up to 10% discount on car rentals through LifeMiles

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Earning Benefits:

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• 500 bonus miles per month (6,000 per year)

• Double miles on card purchases up to 1,000 bonus miles monthly

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The Star Alliance rebate is particularly valuable. For example, Lufthansa first class from the U.S. to Europe typically costs 87,000 LifeMiles one-way. With the 10% rebate, you'd receive 8,700 miles back, effectively bringing the cost down to 78,300 miles.

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The Avianca discount works differently. You need 25% fewer miles upfront rather than receiving a rebate. This can make aspirational bookings more accessible.

Who Should Get These Cards?

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Get the Standard Card ($99) if you:

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• Fly Avianca 2-3+ times per year

• Want lounge access without paying for individual passes

• Value Star Alliance Silver status benefits

• Prefer a lower annual fee commitment

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Get the Elite Card ($249) if you:

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• Regularly redeem miles for Star Alliance awards

• Fly Avianca frequently enough to benefit from the 25% award discount

• Can leverage the LifeMiles+ hotel and car rental bonuses

• Want to maximize miles earned through the monthly doubling benefit

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Skip both cards if you:

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• Rarely fly Avianca or Star Alliance partners

• Prefer earning transferable points (Amex, Chase, Citi)

• Don't value airline-specific elite status

• Won't use the redemption discounts enough to offset the annual fees

How LifeMiles Stack Up

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LifeMiles work well for Star Alliance redemptions, particularly for business and first class flights. The program offers reasonable redemption rates and doesn't impose fuel surcharges on most Star Alliance partners.

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Transferable points programs (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One, Bilt) all transfer to Avianca LifeMiles at a 1:1 ratio, which means you don't need these credit cards solely to earn LifeMiles. However, the redemption discounts and rebates available through the cards can make earning LifeMiles directly more valuable.

Alternative Cards to Consider

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If you want transferable points with strong airline coverage:

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• Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• American Express® Gold Card

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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If you want automatic elite status with better domestic coverage:

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• United℠ Explorer Card (includes checked bags, travel credits, and TravelBank cash)

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

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If you want a lower annual fee with strong travel rewards:

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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Bottom Line: Niche Cards with Strong Perks

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The Avianca Lifemiles credit cards won't replace your everyday spending cards, but they deliver genuine value for their target audience. The automatic Silver elite status makes the standard card worth considering at $99, while the Elite card's LifeMiles+ membership can easily justify its $249 fee for frequent Star Alliance award bookers.

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These cards succeed by focusing on perks rather than trying to compete on earning rates or welcome bonuses. If you fly Avianca regularly or frequently redeem miles on Star Alliance, the ongoing benefits can provide hundreds or thousands of dollars in value annually.

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However, if you only fly Avianca occasionally or prefer the flexibility of transferable points, you're better off with a premium travel card from Chase, Amex, or Capital One that offers broader utility.

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Key Takeaway: These are specialist cards for Avianca loyalists and Star Alliance award hackers, not mass-market options for casual travelers.