Topic Wiki

Lifemiles Basics

Buying miles:

Lifemiles runs frequent promotions for buying miles, usually for 1.5 cents per mile. Given that Lifemiles has one of the most reasonable Star Alliance award charts, linked here, and doesn't charge fuel surcharges for any partners, buying miles can make a lot of sense.

The promos are usually run in one of two ways.

1. A straight up buy miles promo at 1.5cpm. In all previous buy miles promos, you needed to have an account before the promo starts in order to buy miles. Buying miles though the promo is limited to 75k per year. Be sure to use a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees.

2. A share miles promo. You can share miles from one account to another with a 100% bonus on each transaction. The cost is again 1.5cpm. Although in the past you needed to have a Lifemiles account in order to take advantage of the promo, the current promo (7/3-13) does not require a previously open account to participate. In order to maximize the promo on accounts not previously open, open 2 accounts, buy 1k miles at 3cpm, then share back and forth between both account at 1.5cpm. You can share back and forth between 2 accounts an unlimited amount of times provided you stay under the 75k cap. Doing this will most likely trigger a fraud alert with your CC, so it may be a good idea to call them beforehand and give them a heads up.

Lifemiles will also allow you to buy up to 60% of the miles required for booking a flight. The cost starts at 3cpm but is nonlinear. There are sweet spots that allows you to buy a large quantity of miles for 1.5cpm, usually in the 25-35k range. The 1.5cpm sweetspot varies depending on the amount required for the award. Full CPM spreadsheet linked here. (HT: Some dude on FT.)

Lifemiles is known to devalue without warning so hoarding miles is not advised. Buying miles at booking allows to hedge against sudden devaluations.

There is also a Lifemiles credit card  that occasionally offers a 40k bonus. Linked here.

Redeeming Lifemiles:
You can only redeem flights which are shown online. The Lifemiles call center has a horrible reputation and is usually useless. Emailing them usually yields better results if you can wait a day or two.

Lifemiles does not allow mixed cabin redemptions. If you want to book a first class flight with connections, you will need to book all legs in first class or book separate tickets.

Lifemiles is known to have better access to Miles & More and Singapore premium cabins than the rest of Star Alliance.

Lifemiles does not charge any fuel surcharges.

Lifemiles does not allow stopovers or open jaws on awards.

The max layover time that the booking engine will usually show is 8 hours, although people have had success forcing much longer layover times.

Lifemiles does not issue any lap infant award tickets.

Lifemiles cannot book any Austrian flights operated by Tyrolean Airways.

You can access partner confirmation numbers and eticket numbers with your Lifemiles PNR at checkmytrip.com

Lifemiles will occasionally show boomerang routings, which are routings that go from A-B, via C.  ;)

There are many mispriced cities and quirks in the Lifemiles booking engine, allowing for really cheap international awards.  ;)

Canceling a Lifemiles award: (HT, FT)

Lifemiles charges $150 to change an award and $50 to cancel.

Canceling:

1. This will take 20-30 minutes and costs $50
2. You have to pay the $50 up front and will need to have your credit card handy
3. You will need a PIN number for the call center. You set up the PIN online by changing your "information and preferences". Note that this has 3 pages but you only need to change the "Manage the Basics" page and hit "Save". The progress-bar at the top never seems to reach 100% but it doesn't matter. There are two places to press "Save and continue" when you give the PIN. The top button doesn't work. You have to click on the one on the bottom of the screen
4. Call the USA reservations number preferably during business hours +1 800 284 2622
5. Key 2 for English (or 1 for Spanish), 3 for Lifemiles/Corporate, then 1 for Lifemiles
6. If you have got a noisy phone line, hang up and go back to step 4. It is possible to get a good line even from overseas.
7. With luck, someone coherent will answer. If not, don't waste your time, HUCA
8. Give them the PNR to be cancelled
9. You will be asked "do you have a PIN". say yes. You will be put on hold
10. You will be connected to an automated system to key in your PIN. Don't press # afterwards.
11. You will be asked to pay the $50 via an automated system. You'll be asked for your CC number, then you must repeat it. Don't press # afterwards. Then the expiry month, then year, then the id number. Be ready to rattle through the keys as any hesitation causes the system to think you've finished. So, typically you will need 2-3 attempts. [The operator listens in on the automated process and helps you along if you don’t key in the right numbers]
13. You will be put on hold for 5-10 minutes while the card is checked. It may fail the first time, for no reason. Go back to step 12.
14. Once the CC is confirmed the operator will ask you for the full billing address, then your name as it appears on the card, then the name of the bank which issued the card.
15. You will be put on hold for 5-10 minutes
16. The operator will confirm the cancellation, or rather confirm it will be put in the queue for manual cancellation.
17. After 24 hours or so, you should receive an E Mail receipt for the $50 (could be in Spanish)
18. Miles will be refunded within 2-3 days, as if you had paid using the maximum miles with no cash to refund all the cash and the miles to what you had before making the booking. The miles sometimes reappear immediately. [Most often, the miles are available within 24 hours.]
19. The taxes - fairly modest - will be refunded in full since you already paid the cancellation fee up front. The refund should hit the CC within a week or so. No refund for the $25 booking fee.
20. The refund will be refunded to the original card.



« Last edited by username on March 11, 2019, 02:37:39 PM »

Author Topic: Lifemiles Master Thread  (Read 130184 times)

Offline sky121

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #100 on: March 05, 2019, 05:05:06 PM »
Individual segments or connection?

If individual segments show up but not connection, you can request booking by sending screenshots and a copy of your passport via email.

Will they not be able to piece it together on the phone if I Called?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #101 on: March 05, 2019, 05:17:10 PM »
No
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Offline sky121

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #102 on: March 05, 2019, 05:19:18 PM »
"Not all who wander are lost"

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #103 on: March 05, 2019, 05:22:09 PM »
Will they not be able to piece it together on the phone if I Called?

As they say in Russian Можешь, но не хочешь
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Offline Mayerw

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #104 on: March 11, 2019, 01:32:45 PM »
when booking a mixed cabin award using LM , first leg (tlv-fra) in economy and 2nd leg (fra-nyc)in biz or 1st. Does the bag allowance goes after the 2nd leg?
?

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #105 on: March 28, 2019, 09:29:13 PM »
TK flight, booked with LM. Flight canceled.

EIGHT FREAKING HOURS spent on the phone so far. Turkish says Avianca needs to fix, Avianca says Turkish. I finally conference them together, and get a new shpeil: I need to physically go down to the TK NY ticket office, they're the only ones who can touch the ticket.

SHOOT ME.
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Offline KSMH

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #106 on: March 28, 2019, 09:43:02 PM »
TK flight, booked with LM. Flight canceled.

EIGHT FREAKING HOURS spent on the phone so far. Turkish says Avianca needs to fix, Avianca says Turkish. I finally conference them together, and get a new shpeil: I need to physically go down to the TK NY ticket office, they're the only ones who can touch the ticket.

SHOOT ME.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #107 on: March 28, 2019, 10:50:17 PM »
TK flight, booked with LM. Flight canceled.

EIGHT FREAKING HOURS spent on the phone so far. Turkish says Avianca needs to fix, Avianca says Turkish. I finally conference them together, and get a new shpeil: I need to physically go down to the TK NY ticket office, they're the only ones who can touch the ticket.

SHOOT ME.
Why was the flight cancelled? Is it related to to IST airport switch?

Did you try the TLV ticketing office of TK? I’ve had good experience with them (email and phone).
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #108 on: March 28, 2019, 10:59:08 PM »
Why was the flight cancelled? Is it related to to IST airport switch?

Did you try the TLV ticketing office of TK? I’ve had good experience with them (email and phone).

No reason given.

It's a sad world where the Israeli's are the helpful ones... I'll give it a try, thanks.
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Offline hvaces42

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #109 on: March 28, 2019, 11:10:16 PM »
No reason given.

It's a sad world where the Israeli's are the helpful ones... I'll give it a try, thanks.
NY office is very responsive via email. Nyc.ticketing at thy dotcom or call 212 261 0470
 TK has this rule with its points for partner awards only. So your routing involves partners TK rep is defaulting to their rules. I can almost guarantee its an Avianca issue, not TK.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #110 on: March 28, 2019, 11:20:01 PM »
NY office is very responsive via email. Nyc.ticketing at thy dotcom or call 212 261 0470
 TK has this rule with its points for partner awards only. So your routing involves partners TK rep is defaulting to their rules. I can almost guarantee its an Avianca issue, not TK.

Indeed NYC office is quite responsive, but I found the TLV office to be even better. Not sure what their Friday hours are, but won’t hurt to send an email now to sales.tlv@THY.COM though it really sounds weird that you’re being told to deal with TK, as the ticket is an AV ticket with an AV ticket number (even if Travel is entirely on TK).
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #111 on: March 28, 2019, 11:22:04 PM »
NY office is very responsive via email. Nyc.ticketing at thy dotcom or call 212 261 0470
 TK has this rule with its points for partner awards only. So your routing involves partners TK rep is defaulting to their rules. I can almost guarantee its an Avianca issue, not TK.

I agree, Avianca is definitely the less competent of the two here. I'll call the NY office tomorrow when they open.
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Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #112 on: March 28, 2019, 11:22:42 PM »
Indeed NYC office is quite responsive, but I found the TLV office to be even better. Not sure what their Friday hours are, but won’t hurt to send an email now to sales.tlv@THY.COM

They open at 8:30, so in 2 hours or so. I'll give them a call, hopefully I'll find someone who speaks some English.
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Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #113 on: March 29, 2019, 02:22:38 AM »


NY office is very responsive via email.

+1
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #114 on: March 29, 2019, 03:00:59 AM »
They open at 8:30, so in 2 hours or so. I'll give them a call, hopefully I'll find someone who speaks some English.
Any update?

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #115 on: March 29, 2019, 03:06:00 AM »
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #116 on: March 29, 2019, 06:46:15 AM »
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #117 on: March 29, 2019, 09:00:48 AM »

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #118 on: March 29, 2019, 09:02:37 AM »
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #119 on: March 29, 2019, 10:59:16 AM »
So it only took around 12 hours on the phone, but I have a flight again.

Tried the TK TLV office a couple of times last night, got stuck on hold and dropped calls until I decided to pawn it off to @Moishebatchy. I figured that yelling in Hebrew will be more effective than yelling in English. He finally got through to them, and after an hour of acrobatics, got me confirmed on the earlier TK flight that I wanted.

Note that I said "confirmed", not "ticketed". For that I needed to go back to LM, which is where all good ideas go to die.

2 hours on the phone with them, conferencing in a LM rep, and LM supervisor, a TK rep, and a TK supervisor. Got absolutely nowhere. TK claims they made the change, and LM claims they don't see any change. (I was able to see the change in the TK PNR, FWIW.)

After 2 hours we give up and instead conference LM with the TK NY office. Which didn't pick up the phone....

In the end LM was able to rebook my on a regular *A flight that had award availability. Way less than ideal, but at this point I just ant to get there , so I'm finally confirmed and ticketed on LX.

....Whose "system is currently down", so I can't select a KSML 🤣
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