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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 130303 times)

Offline ludmila

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #180 on: June 27, 2019, 03:44:54 AM »
Huh...not true. Just saw a few today.
It is not user friendly, and they do not show all flights you see on United , I have the same problems with Virgin Atlantic. Also Life miles stopped showing the miles expiration date which is really bothersome, i emailed them to check my miles expiry date and the wanted me to send them a copy of my passport, i think they will eventually face a CAS for not displaying the expiration date.
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Offline israshot

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #181 on: June 27, 2019, 05:30:15 AM »
It is not user friendly, and they do not show all flights you see on United , I have the same problems with Virgin Atlantic. Also Life miles stopped showing the miles expiration date which is really bothersome, i emailed them to check my miles expiry date and the wanted me to send them a copy of my passport, i think they will eventually face a CAS for not displaying the expiration date.
Sure, sure, I'm well aware. Just wanted to point that the next day stopover is not a valid point.

Offline theyankel

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #182 on: June 27, 2019, 11:42:17 AM »
Anyone else find the sight to be very buggy?
Allows to search even while not logged-in but results show no availability  ::) (misleading)
Looking out 2 weeks from now EWR - TLV and I see significantly less availability than on united.com (UA metal)
i found it to initially show no availability but then the page automatically goes to log in screen a couple seconds later.

Offline theyankel

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #183 on: June 27, 2019, 11:43:48 AM »
Always. They don't have everything.


No, calling won't help.
united shows 5 seats available. as does aeroplan. krisflyer also not showing. does a3 charge taxes on united metal for domestic?

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #184 on: June 27, 2019, 12:52:28 PM »
30% bonus for TY points now.
I'm not who you think I am.

Offline yandmk

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #185 on: June 27, 2019, 01:00:29 PM »
united shows 5 seats available. as does aeroplan. krisflyer also not showing. does a3 charge taxes on united metal for domestic?
Krisflyer is also very buggy. All one boat. I haven't seen partner metal availability on SQ in a loooong time

Offline Dan

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #186 on: June 27, 2019, 08:19:38 PM »
30% bonus for TY points now.
Please post deals in a new thread, thanks.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #187 on: June 27, 2019, 08:29:05 PM »
Please post deals in a new thread, thanks.
Sorry. Do I loose my hat tip because of that?
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Offline Dan

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #188 on: June 27, 2019, 08:32:46 PM »
Sorry. Do I loose my hat tip because of that?
Added it as a one-time courtesy ;)
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #189 on: June 27, 2019, 08:56:12 PM »
Added it as a one-time courtesy ;)
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Offline KSMH

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #190 on: June 27, 2019, 09:59:08 PM »
united shows 5 seats available. as does aeroplan. krisflyer also not showing. does a3 charge taxes on united metal for domestic?
No, there is no in NA.
Always praying for delayed baggage.

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #191 on: June 28, 2019, 12:32:15 AM »
united shows 5 seats available. as does aeroplan. krisflyer also not showing. does a3 charge taxes on united metal for domestic?
If A3 charges tax let me know

Offline ExGingi

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #192 on: June 28, 2019, 01:34:17 PM »
30% bonus for TY points now.

Just did a transfer. It posted with a 25% bonus. So I went to check the terms of the promo and here's what I discovered:





Is this how they count to 48?


In any event. Time of transfer was definitely before 12:59PM at GMT-6, so bonus should apply. Maybe the extra 5% takes a little longer.
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Offline bznt

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #193 on: June 28, 2019, 02:51:20 PM »
Just did a transfer. It posted with a 25% bonus. So I went to check the terms of the promo and here's what I discovered:





Is this how they count to 48?


In any event. Time of transfer was definitely before 12:59PM at GMT-6, so bonus should apply. Maybe the extra 5% takes a little longer.
It’s obviously a mistake. They meant 11:59 pm. Because when I go into the email I got about the extra 5% it has a countdown timer. And as of 2:50 pm EST, it   still has 11 hours and 12 minutes to go

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #194 on: July 03, 2019, 11:15:00 PM »
Would like to hear more DP's if anyone has... Ive been doing lots of research, playing with their website & I see that many many first class or even business class seats from LH are totally blocked from LM both online & over the phone. Even though its showing via UA, AC etc.

Some show, but lots not. Anyone see that?

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #195 on: July 03, 2019, 11:17:53 PM »


Would like to hear more DP's if anyone has... Ive been doing lots of research, playing with their website & I see that many many first class or even business class seats from LH are totally blocked from LM both online & over the phone. Even though its showing via UA, AC etc.

Some show, but lots not. Anyone see that?

I spent 1.5 months checking daily and saw the same thing. My friend called them many times. Couldn't figure out anyway around it.
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Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #196 on: July 04, 2019, 05:16:31 AM »
Would like to hear more DP's if anyone has... Ive been doing lots of research, playing with their website & I see that many many first class or even business class seats from LH are totally blocked from LM both online & over the phone. Even though its showing via UA, AC etc.

Some show, but lots not. Anyone see that?
Last seat(s) they don't see.
They only see the shortest layovers.
Other than that NROR, some they see, and some not.
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Offline Jerseysteve

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #197 on: July 11, 2019, 04:21:07 PM »
Does anyone know how or if  United redemption will be effected once United switches to dynamic rewards?

Offline KSMH

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #198 on: July 11, 2019, 05:57:54 PM »
Does anyone know how or if  United redemption will be effected once United switches to dynamic rewards?
Dont think any1 knows and those who do won't tell so....
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Offline israshot

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Re: Lifemiles Master Thread
« Reply #199 on: July 12, 2019, 12:31:30 AM »
They issued me the ticket over the phone 24h+ ago with a ticket number, and taxes + fees debited. How long should it take for the miles to be debited from the account?