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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 130307 times)

Offline ari3

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #140 on: April 16, 2019, 07:54:15 PM »
Not bad. The main value of LM is for short haul and the prices for those are decreasing. Question is when united goes to dynamic pricing and jacks up the cost of all close in flights does that mean that these flights will no longer be available with LM?

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #141 on: April 17, 2019, 01:21:35 AM »
United showing availability for YYZ>NYC with stopover in YOW. Not showing up on LM. Do they show/allow stopovers? Will calling CS help or are they really that bad? (Even when I search YOW to NYC it does not show up). Thanks.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #142 on: April 17, 2019, 08:49:49 AM »
United showing availability for YYZ>NYC with stopover in YOW. Not showing up on LM. Do they show/allow stopovers? Will calling CS help or are they really that bad? (Even when I search YOW to NYC it does not show up). Thanks.
Do other partners show availability? Are you seeing XN on United?
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #143 on: April 27, 2019, 11:33:01 PM »
Not showing Austrian awards that are showing on United. Will emailing them work? Can I out hold a reservation until I transfer? Any other tips to show awards bookable on UA?

Offline Naftuli19

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #144 on: May 03, 2019, 06:10:05 PM »
if i book TK J with LM who do i call to add lap infant?
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #145 on: May 03, 2019, 06:32:44 PM »
if i book TK J with LM who do i call to add lap infant?
Technically either LM or TK but it could be a royal PITA. When taking an infant on *A best to book with A3 or AC.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #146 on: May 03, 2019, 06:43:20 PM »
Wasn't showing available on either, but i found diff flight on AC with LOT and lucky writes that they only charge $100 for infant, thanks tho.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #147 on: May 03, 2019, 07:11:35 PM »
Wasn't showing available on either, but i found diff flight on AC with LOT and lucky writes that they only charge $100 for infant, thanks tho.
A3 charges $0 for infant but has YQ on almost all adult tickets. Though IINM that should be quite low on LO.
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #148 on: May 13, 2019, 06:36:20 AM »
I see LM award fares in Y from NY going for 16.5K miles in July. Any announced sale?

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #149 on: May 13, 2019, 07:02:28 AM »
I see LM award fares in Y from NY going for 16.5K miles in July. Any announced sale?
16.5k is a ripoff, considering it was just 10k last week. To IAH you're talking about I assume?
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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #150 on: May 13, 2019, 07:09:49 AM »
עיקר חסר.

It's from NY to ZRH, sorry I left out the most important part.

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #151 on: May 13, 2019, 09:21:00 AM »
עיקר חסר.

It's from NY to ZRH, sorry I left out the most important part.
Only from JFK. Not from EWR. Also, only JFK-ZRH, not ZRH-JFK. It's been like that for a while already. I already posted it here once. Make sure not to kill it please. Thank you.  :D

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #152 on: May 26, 2019, 05:48:32 PM »
Tried to book an award which includes an Air Canada flight. Availability shows but booking failed (error message). Phone representative says they can't book any Air Canada awards right now.

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #153 on: May 26, 2019, 05:52:43 PM »
Tried to book an award which includes an Air Canada flight. Availability shows but booking failed (error message). Phone representative says they can't book any Air Canada awards right now.
Just had the exact same thing on Friday so called in the booking and they made a PNR and said someone would call me for the CC for the taxes and that's what they did today. So I would say HUCA.

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #154 on: May 26, 2019, 06:06:08 PM »
I sent them an email after the call failed. Hope that works.

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #155 on: May 26, 2019, 06:10:47 PM »
I sent them an email after the call failed. Hope that works.
Depending on when flight is and availability but I would prob call again. But up to you.

Offline Mendel72

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #156 on: May 26, 2019, 06:15:18 PM »
It shows 4 seat availability, so I'll wait at least till tomorrow before calling again (took me 30 minutes to get to someone)

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #157 on: May 27, 2019, 08:50:34 PM »
Anyone having issues with United availability not showing at all?

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #159 on: May 28, 2019, 03:32:00 AM »
It shows 4 seat availability, so I'll wait at least till tomorrow before calling again (took me 30 minutes to get to someone)
LM isn't subject to those numbers, they can stop seeing it at any given time.
Anyone having issues with United availability not showing at all?
No.
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