Last chance: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Miles With the Avianca LifeMiles Credit Card
Editor's Note
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Star Alliance loyalty programs have undergone a major shake-up in the last few years, with United MileagePlus losing its luster as it shifts to dynamic award pricing and Avianca LifeMiles rapidly rising to the forefront. Low award rates and the lack of fuel surcharges (especially on partners like Lufthansa) have made Avianca a fan favorite, along with the fact that LifeMiles are incredibly easy to earn. Not only does Avianca frequently run sales on purchased miles, but you can transfer points from American Express, Capital One, Citi or even Brex to top up your balance.
If you're still looking for more ways to earn LifeMiles, Avianca offers two co-branded credit cards issued by Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Both the Avianca Vida Visa Card and the Avianca Vuela Visa Card are offering an extra 20,000 bonus miles when you apply using promo code "SB4060" by tomorrow, December 31, 2019, and spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
The Vuela Visa card normally offers 40,000 bonus miles after your first card use, so this promo code brings the total bonus up to 60,000 miles, worth $1,020 based on TPG's valuations. This card carries a $149 annual fee and earns 3x points on Avianca purchases, 2x at gas stations and grocery stores and 1x everywhere else. It also doesn't carry any foreign transaction fees, and both of these cards offer a 15% discount on purchased miles.
The cheaper Vida card, by comparison, only has a $59 annual fee. It offers 20,000 bonus miles after your first purchase, though this promo code brings the total offer up to a very respectable 40,000 miles. The Vida card earns 2x miles on Avianca purchases and 1x everywhere else.
Who Should Apply for the Avianca Credit Cards?
While both of these offers are quite compelling, neither one of these cards would be my first choice if I were just starting out in the world of points and miles. However, if you're over 5/24 with Chase and have already applied for most of the compelling Amex and Citi credit cards, this could be a good way to diversify your card strategy moving forward. At the end of the day, sign-up bonuses are still the fastest way to build up a meaningful mileage balance. It's also important to note that even though these cards are issued by a Puerto Rican bank, American citizens living in the continental US (or Hawaii or Alaska) are still allowed to apply for these cards.
For more on Avianca LifeMiles, please see: