Avianca LifeMiles, the loyalty program of Colombian airline Avianca (a Star Alliance member), is known for often offering attractive redemption rates, particularly for partner awards. However, it has one of the shorter mileage expiration periods among major programs.

Avianca LifeMiles Expiration Policy

According to the LifeMiles terms and conditions, LifeMiles expire if there is no qualifying mileage accrual activity on your account for 12 consecutive months.

This means you must earn at least one mile every year to keep your existing balance from expiring. Note that the policy specifically mentions accrual (earning) activity. While redemption might sometimes count in practice or due to system quirks, the safest way to ensure your miles don't expire is to focus on earning at least one mile within the 12-month window.

Exceptions to the Expiration Policy

While the standard deadline is 12 months, two key exceptions extend mileage validity:

  • Elite members: Earning miles as an Avianca elite member extends validity by 24 months.
  • Co-branded credit card spending: Purchases made with the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card or the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card reset validity by 24 months.

How to Keep Your LifeMiles From Expiring

Given the 12-month accrual requirement, here are the most reliable ways to keep your Avianca LifeMiles active:

  • Earn Miles:
    • Fly with Avianca or its Star Alliance partners and credit the miles to LifeMiles.
    • Use an Avianca LifeMiles co-branded credit card (like those issued by Cardless in the US) for purchases.
    • Transfer points from flexible currency partners: American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points, or Bilt Rewards. Even a small transfer counts as accrual.
    • Earn miles through hotel partners (booking platforms or direct stays), car rentals, or specific LifeMiles promotions.
    • Purchase LifeMiles (often available with bonuses, but ensure it counts as accrual per the terms at the time of purchase).

A single qualifying earning transaction will reset the 12-month expiration clock for your entire mileage balance.

Important Note on Transfers

According to program rules, transferring points from credit card partners does not officially reset expiration. Eligible partners include:

  • Amex Membership Rewards
  • Bilt Rewards
  • Brex Rewards
  • Capital One Miles
  • Citi ThankYou® Points (all 1:1 transfer ratios)
  • Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 ratio)

In practice, point transfers have sometimes extended validity, but this is not guaranteed. It can still be worth trying if other options are unavailable.

Reinstating Expired LifeMiles

If your miles expire, Avianca allows you to reinstate them for a fee:

  • Cost: $10 per 1,000 miles
  • Structure: Reinstated in blocks of 1,000 miles
  • Limits: No maximum on how many can be reinstated

This reinstatement option provides a safety net, but the cost can add up quickly. Whenever possible, generating qualifying activity before expiration is the more cost-effective strategy.

Official Policy

For the most accurate and detailed information, always consult the official LifeMiles program documentation:

How to Boost Your Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is one of the most versatile loyalty programs for redeeming Star Alliance flights and partner awards. If you need to grow your balance for an upcoming redemption, there are several ways to accumulate more miles quickly and efficiently.

Transfer Points from Credit Card Partners

LifeMiles partners with many of the major transferable points currencies, making it easy to top up your account:

  • American Express Membership Rewards – 1:1 transfer ratio
  • Bilt Rewards – 1:1 transfer ratio
  • Capital One Miles – 1:1 transfer ratio
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards – 1:1 transfer ratio
  • Wells Fargo Rewards – 1:1 transfer ratio
  • Marriott Bonvoy – 3:1 transfer ratio (with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred)
  • Brex Rewards – 1,500:1,000 transfer ratio

Transfers are typically quick, though exact times vary by program.

Credit Card Options That Earn Transferable Points

American Express Membership Rewards

Amex has multiple cards that earn points transferable to LifeMiles, including:

Bilt Mastercard®

The Bilt Mastercard (no annual fee) earns 1X points on rent payments, making it a unique way to build a balance that can be transferred to LifeMiles.

Capital One Miles Cards

Capital One offers several cards that earn transferable miles, such as:

Wells Fargo Rewards Cards

Wells Fargo currently issues two relevant cards:

  • Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card – No annual fee, earns bonus points on popular spending categories.
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card – $95 annual fee, but with stronger welcome bonuses and higher earning rates in travel categories.

Buying LifeMiles

In addition to earning through transfers, Avianca frequently sells LifeMiles directly — often with significant promotional bonuses.

  • Standard cost: around 3.3 cents per mile.
  • During promotions, bonuses of 125%–175% are common.
  • With a 175% bonus, the effective price drops to about 1.2 cents per mile.

Buying miles can make sense when you are close to an award or find a redemption that offers outsized value compared to the purchase cost.

Summary

Avianca LifeMiles offers strong value for premium redemptions, but its short 12-month expiration policy makes account management essential. The simplest way to keep your balance safe is to generate at least one qualifying earning activity each year, whether through flights, hotel or rental partners, or co-branded credit card spending. While transfers from bank partners sometimes reset expiration, this is not guaranteed, so relying on true earning activity is safer.

If your miles do expire, reinstatement is possible for a fee, though costs can add up quickly. To grow your balance, LifeMiles can be boosted through multiple transfer partners or by purchasing miles during frequent bonus sales. With careful planning, you can preserve and maximize your LifeMiles for high-value Star Alliance and partner awards.

Disclaimer: Always use credit responsibly. Program terms and conditions can change. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Verify details directly with Avianca LifeMiles.