Choosing the proper airline bank card normally comes all the way down to how continuously you fly with that service and its companions — and Avianca’s two playing cards are not any exception.
For those who continuously e-book Avianca or Famous person Alliance award flights, it is value taking into account each the Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical® Card and the Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical® Elite Card.
The Elite Card would possibly catch your eye with its incomes charges and integrated Lifemiles+ Lite club. On the other hand, in spite of its $249 annual commission (see charges and costs), it does not essentially ship sufficient price to justify the price for many vacationers.
Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card score is in accordance with the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by way of the cardboard issuer.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite: The fundamentals
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite Card seems like a step up from the less expensive $99 Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical Card (see charges and costs). It earns extra on Avianca purchases, provides redemption perks and comprises ongoing advantages thru a Lifemiles+ Lite club.
In observe, although, this card feels extra like a distinct segment choice for widespread Lifemiles customers than a well-rounded mid-tier airline card.
Identical to the less expensive $99 model, you can obtain Avianca Silver standing, which contains:
- Avianca front room get right of entry to two times according to 12 months
- Additional-legroom seat variety
- Make a selection improve choices
- An additional checked bag (excludes Elementary and Mild fares)
- Precedence check-in and boarding (Staff B)
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The Elite Card’s major differentiator is its integrated Lifemiles+ Lite club, which gives:
- 500 bonus miles per thirty days (6,000 according to 12 months)
- An as much as 25% cut price on Avianca award flights
- A ten% cut price on Famous person Alliance award redemptions
Those perks will also be treasured, however best in case you are actively redeeming Lifemiles.
Just like the lower-fee card, there are not any international transaction charges (see charges and costs for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite; see charges and costs for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex), and the cardboard is issued by way of Cardless at the American Categorical community.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite professionals and cons
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Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite advantages
The most important motive force of price at the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite is not the elite standing — it is the Lifemiles+ Lite club. You can obtain 500 miles every month, which provides as much as 6,000 miles according to 12 months. In response to TPG’s April 2026 valuations, that is value $84 according to 12 months.
That by myself would possibly not come just about offsetting the cardboard’s $249 annual commission, however the further perks — in particular the ten% rebate on Famous person Alliance redemptions — will also be significant in case you redeem miles continuously.
There is additionally an as much as 25% cut price on Avianca award flights, which will assist stretch your miles additional — although that is Most worthy in case you are in fact flying Avianca reasonably than reserving spouse awards.
In relation to standing, Avianca Silver will also be helpful if you do not have already got elite standing with a Famous person Alliance airline. You can get elementary advantages like precedence boarding and precedence wait-listing.
You can obtain two Avianca front room visits according to 12 months with this card. That mentioned, how helpful this receive advantages is relies closely on the place you are touring.
As an example, Avianca’s Miami Global Airport (MIA) front room may be a part of the Precedence Go community, that means you could have already got get right of entry to thru every other card. And out of doors of Avianca-operated lounges, you will not get broader front room get right of entry to like you can with top rate go back and forth playing cards.
As with the lower-fee model, this card’s advantages are essentially tied to Avianca flights. When flying different Famous person Alliance airways like United Airways or Air Canada, the price of Silver standing is rather restricted. That is in the long run the problem — you are paying so much with out getting meaningfully robust advantages.
Learn how to earn and use your rewards
Learn how to earn your rewards
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite earns:
- 3 miles according to greenback spent on Avianca and Lifemiles purchases
- 2 miles according to greenback spent on eating and go back and forth
- 1 mile according to greenback spent on the whole thing else
Those charges are rather usual for an airline card. As is normally the case, I do not suggest striking a lot on a regular basis spending in this card. You can usually get extra price from a transferable issues card that gives larger flexibility.
That mentioned, there may be one space the place this card sticks out: purchasing Lifemiles.
Lifemiles continuously runs promotions providing bonus miles, making it moderately simple to construct a stability for top rate cabin redemptions. Incomes 3 miles according to greenback spent on the ones purchases could make this card helpful in case you continuously most sensible up your account.
The cardboard additionally features a “double miles” characteristic thru Lifemiles+, which fits miles earned every remark cycle — however best as much as 1,000 bonus miles per thirty days. It is a great perk, although it does not dramatically exchange the total incomes doable.
Learn how to redeem Avianca Lifemiles
Avianca Lifemiles are most beneficial when redeemed for flights on Famous person Alliance companions, together with United, Air Canada and Lufthansa.
One of the most strengths of this system is that it continuously gives aggressive award pricing with moderately low taxes and costs, making it a powerful choice for reserving top rate cabin flights.
As an example, you’ll want to fly Swiss industry magnificence from Newark to Zurich for 69,000 Lifemiles plus simply $29 in taxes. (You might want to then use money to improve to top quality at check-in, like I did.)
The Elite Card’s 10% rebate on Famous person Alliance redemptions is one in every of its maximum compelling perks and may give ongoing price in case you redeem continuously. You could save nearly 7,000 Lifemiles at the flight to Switzerland highlighted above.
In case you are best redeeming infrequently, although, this perk by myself is not going to justify the upper annual commission.
Doable drawbacks to the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite lacks a number of advantages which are usual on in a similar way priced airline playing cards, corresponding to significant remark credit and broader front room get right of entry to. That makes it tricky to offset the yearly commission — except you are constantly extracting price from Lifemiles redemptions.
In the end, you are paying a top rate worth for a collection of advantages this is extremely depending on how continuously you redeem Lifemiles — reasonably than a well-rounded suite of go back and forth perks.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite vs. Avianca Lifemiles Amex
Whilst the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite gives incremental perks, it does not meaningfully separate itself from the extra inexpensive Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical.
Each playing cards come with:
- Avianca Silver standing
- Two front room passes according to 12 months
- An identical total incomes constructions
The Elite Card provides:
- 6,000 bonus miles every year (500 per thirty days)
- An as much as 25% cut price on Avianca awards
- A ten% cut price on Famous person Alliance redemptions
- Upper incomes on Avianca and Lifemiles purchases
The ones perks may give price, however for plenty of vacationers, they would possibly not justify paying an additional $150 according to 12 months — particularly given the loss of further core go back and forth advantages.
In my view, I might lean towards the less expensive card except you are constantly redeeming Lifemiles and will make the most of the award reductions.
Is the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite value it?
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite‘s overlap with the less expensive Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical, mixed with restricted elite advantages and reasonable incomes charges, makes the cardboard a hard promote except you are deeply invested within the Lifemiles program.
For those who continuously redeem Lifemiles, particularly for top rate cabin Famous person Alliance awards, the Elite Card can be offering some incremental price. On the other hand, for many vacationers, I don’t believe it does sufficient to justify its $249 annual commission.
When to use for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
Lately, new Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite Card holders can earn as much as 100,000 miles:
- 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening
- An extra 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 on purchases within the first twelve months from account opening
The primary portion of the bonus is rather usual, however the second one calls for an excessively prime degree of spending ($2,084 per thirty days for a 12 months). Generally, you can recover price by way of striking that spending on different extra profitable playing cards.
Take into account that you’ll best earn a welcome bonus on one Avianca card, so it can be crucial to make a choice in moderation. Because the card is issued by way of Cardless, you will not be matter to Amex’s once-per-lifetime welcome bonus rule.
Different playing cards to believe if you do not need the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
If the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite does not appear to be the correct have compatibility, believe:
For added choices, take a look at our checklist of the very best go back and forth playing cards.
Base line
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite has some helpful perks — in particular for widespread Lifemiles customers — however it is in the long run a distinct segment card.
In case you are now not continuously redeeming Lifemiles, it is onerous to justify the $249 annual commission. And despite the fact that you’re, the less expensive Avianca card would possibly be offering higher total price.
For many vacationers, this is not the most obvious improve it is located to be.
Practice right here: Avianca Lifemiles American Categorical Elite Card
