Score Nearly 50% Off Select Star Alliance Flights With LifeMiles
You've got a week left to buy LifeMiles with up to a 125% bonus, and now, even more reason to do so. LifeMiles is the mileage program of Colombian-based airline Avianca. But even if you aren't interested in flying Avianca, it's worth getting to know LifeMiles since it's made itself known as the wholesaler of cheap Star Alliance miles and award tickets, as well as regular sales of discounted miles.
The latest sale allows those with a hefty LifeMiles balance to redeem for Star Alliance flights (think Air China and Asiana Airlines) with up to a 48% discount. You'll need to redeem by September 18, 2018, but your flights can occur beyond that. Unfortunately, the redemption of miles for air tickets is valid only through LifeMiles.com and the Avianca Call Center. If you can't find the award you're searching for online, be warned that dealing with Avianca over the phone can be a trying experience (plus, you'll be dinged a service fee of $25 or more, depending on the route).
Across Star Alliance partners, this deal unveils a number of attractive one-way first class redemptions:
- New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) to Seoul (ICN): 72,000 LifeMiles (a 20% discount from the usual 90,000 miles)
- New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) to Beijing (PEK): 72,000 LifeMiles (a 20% discount from the usual 90,000 miles)
- New York (JFK) to Taipei (TPE): 64,000 LifeMiles (a 15% discount from the usual 75,000 miles)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Seoul (ICN), Beijing (PEK), or Shanghai (PVG): 60,000 LifeMiles (a 20% discount from the usual 75,000 miles)
For those near-50% discounts, you'll need to look for intra-Asia routes, such as economy class redemptions like Tokyo (HND) to Shanghai (PVG) and Seoul (ICN) to Bangkok (BKK). The entire list of discounted routes can be found here.
If you're looking for the absolute cheapest mileage cost, Avianca's "Club LifeMiles" monthly subscription plan still gives members a chance to buy miles as cheap as 1.39 cents per mile. And if you need to top off your account, remember that LifeMiles is also a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Rewards.
H/T: One Mile at a Time
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees