Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card review 2024: Built for points-and-miles fanatics

The brand-new Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is an industry-leading effort from the South American carrier. Avianca LifeMiles partnered with Cardless, a fintech firm based in San Francisco, to develop the card. It comes packed with benefits that any points-and-miles enthusiast will appreciate. From automatic Silver elite status to a monthly subscription to the new LifeMiles+ program, it will be easy to get significantly more value than the $249 annual fee. Read on for our full Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card review. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card basics

• Annual fee: $249.
• Welcome bonus: 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening, plus 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 on eligible purchases in the first 365 days from account opening.
• Rewards: 3 points per $1 on eligible Avianca Airlines and Lifemiles purchases, 2 points per $1 on travel and restaurants and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
• APR: 21.24% to 28.24% variable APR on purchases.
• Recommended credit score: Excellent.
• Does the card offer preapproval? No.
• Other benefits: Bonus miles each month, subscription to LifeMiles+, Silver elite status, instant digital card delivery through Cardless. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card review

The brand new Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is in collaboration with Cardless, a San Francisco-based fintech company. There are two cards in the lineup: the $249 annual fee Elite version and the $99 annual fee Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . The Elite card is designed for points-and-miles enthusiasts, as it provides a unique opportunity to earn a significant number of LifeMiles when you maximize the offerings.

Major benefits include Silver elite status and a Lite subscription to the new LifeMiles+ program. The benefits of these two perks are extensive. Silver elite status gives you 30% bonus miles accrued on Avianca flights, five passes to Avianca lounges each year, an additional checked bag and more. The new LifeMiles+ program gives you up to 25% off on Avianca award redemptions, making your hard-earned miles go even further. Plus, you can get up to 1,000 bonus LifeMiles each account statement.

If those perks aren’t enough, you can upgrade to a different tier in the program and pay just the difference in cost between the programs. The Lite subscription included with your card costs $20 per month for non-cardholders, so it nearly covers your annual fee. 

The earning potential is in line with other airline cards on the market. Cardholders can earn 3 points per $1 on eligible Avianca Airlines and Lifemiles purchases, 2 points per $1 on travel and restaurants and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Plus, you can earn up to 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening, plus 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 on eligible purchases in the first 365 days from account opening. 

One crucial thing to note is that the card issuer, Cardless, has a rule that states you can only have one Cardless card at a time. So, if you also want the new Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card * The information for the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , for example, you’ll have to decide which one you want more. 

The card falls flat in terms of travel protections. It offers no protection or insurance, like baggage delay coverage, rental car insurance, trip delay reimbursement or purchase protection. These should be standard in a card with a $249 annual fee. 

Ultimately, the Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite card has some industry-leading perks and gives cardholders an opportunity to fly all over the world on miles. The primary market for Avianca is Latin America, so you should travel regularly throughout Central and South America to justify the annual fee. If you aren’t ready to commit to a cobranded credit card with the airline, you can opt for a general travel rewards card through American Express, Citi®, Capital One or Bilt. Each of these issuers allows you to transfer your points to Avianca. 

Pros

• Lite subscription to LifeMiles+: Cardholders receive a Lite subscription to the new LifeMiles+ program, a $240 annual value. 
• Silver elite status: Avianca has four elite status tiers: Red Plus, Silver, Gold and Diamond. You can enjoy Silver status as long as you are a cardholder. 
• High earning potential: When you take advantage of the bonus earning categories and the opportunity to earn bonus miles on top of those, you can earn tens of thousands of miles each year.

Cons

• No travel protections, insurance or statement credits: For a card with a mid-tier annual fee, it’s surprising that there aren’t any travel protections like rental car insurance and baggage insurance, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits or other statement credits to help offset the annual fee. 
• Issued by Cardless and on the American Express network: The rule of only having one Cardless card at a time is restrictive, and American Express isn’t always accepted internationally. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card rewards

The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. has a tiered earning structure. Cardholders will earn 3 points per $1 on eligible Avianca Airlines and Lifemiles purchases, 2 points per $1 on travel and restaurants and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. This is a standard earning structure for a cobranded airline card, but the Avianca LifeMiles Elite card does something slightly different. Non-Avianca travel expenses are for flights with other airlines and hotel purchases, but not rental cars. 

Cardholders will receive double the number of LifeMiles earned with the card each statement cycle, up to 1,000 extra LifeMiles, as part of the new LifeMiles+ program. When maximized, this would equate to around 12,000 bonus LifeMiles each year, assuming you have 12 statements in a calendar year. 

When you apply for the card, you can earn 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening, plus 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 on eligible purchases in the first 365 days from account opening. This might sound like a lot of spending, but you would need to average a little over $2,000 a month on your card to meet this requirement.

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has around $29,525 in annual expenses that can be charged to a credit card. Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down:

SPENDING CATEGORY	SPENDING AMOUNT	POINTS PER DOLLAR	POINTS EARNED
Flights	$1,414	3 points	4,242 points
Restaurants	$3,639	2 points	7,278 points
Other travel	$2,087	2 points	4,174 points
Other	$22,385	1 point	22,385 points
TOTAL	$29,525		38,079 points

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The cardholder in this example earns a grand total of 38,079 points in rewards annually. When you factor in the 12,000-mile bonus as part of LifeMiles+, the annual earning shoots up to 50,079 LifeMiles. The exact value of a mile will vary greatly depending on the redemption method and route you are taking. You can use your LifeMiles for flights, upgrades, lounges, hotels, cars, cruises and other deals. 

As a digital nomad based in South America, I regularly fly Avianca and can attest that there are significant low-mileage redemption opportunities almost anywhere you want to go. For instance, a one-way flight from Miami (MIA) to Bogota (BOG) in June and July 2024 costs around 9,000 LifeMiles before factoring in the LifeMiles+ redemption discount.

Or, you can fly one-way from New York City (JFK) to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) with a layover in Bogota (BOG) for just 16,000 LifeMiles.

With the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. ‘s high earning potential, you can reasonably expect to take several round-trip international flights off your annual accrual before factoring in your welcome offer. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card perks

The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. comes with several elite benefits that can justify the annual fee for Avianca frequent flyers. To start, Elite cardholders will receive a monthly subscription to LifeMiles+. This is a brand-new program for U.S.-based travelers with several benefits: 

• Up to 25% redemption discount on Avianca flights.
• On bookings made through LifeMiles.com, cardholders will get up to 40% more miles on LifeMiles Hotels, and up to a 10% redemption discount on LifeMiles Cars.

There are four subscription tiers: Lite, Basic, Pro and Max. Elite cardholders receive the Lite subscription as a benefit. If you want to maximize your earnings and upgrade to a different tier, you get a subsidy on the other plans. For instance, the lite plan costs $20 per month, and the basic plan costs $50 per month for non-cardholders. If you have the Elite card, you can upgrade to the basic plan and pay just $30 per month. This allows you to earn additional bonus miles each month and includes a fee waiver for changes and refunds. 

In addition, cardholders receive Silver elite status, which is the second of four elite status tiers. Benefits include:

• 30% bonus miles accrued on Avianca flights in classic, flex and business fares.
• Priority check-in, boarding, call center service and baggage handling.
• 5 Complimentary lounge passes and two companion pass lounge entries to Avianca’s 12 VIP lounges. 
• 1 additional checked bag in economy fare up to +1 of 23 kg (50 lbs).

Avianca is a member of the Star Alliance, so your Silver status extends to Star Alliance silver status, which gives you access to the priority reservations waitlist and priority stand-by on eligible flights.

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card drawbacks

The only notable drawback of the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is the lack of travel insurance, purchase protection, rental car coverage or other protections. Most cards with a comparable annual fee include these features, so it’s disappointing to see those left out. 

Also, the Elite card and the standard variant both receive Silver elite status as a benefit. With a higher annual fee, it would be nice to see Elite cardholders receiving Gold elite status. However, for every $2 you spend on your card, you earn one qualifying mile toward elite status. With enough spending on your card and on Avianca flights, you can likely upgrade your status on your own. 

However, the perks of the card largely outweigh the drawbacks. Considering the ideal candidate for a card like this will likely have several cards in their wallet, they can fill in the gaps where this card falls flat. 

How the Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card compares to other airline cards 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card vs. Avianca LifeMiles American Express Credit Card

The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is the $99 annual fee version of the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , with scaled back benefits. Cardholders still receive Silver elite status but do not receive a subscription to the new LifeMiles+ program. The welcome offer is also lower at 40,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.

The card earns 2 points per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Avianca Airlines and Lifemiles purchases, 2 points per $1 on eligible purchases on groceries and at restaurants and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. Between the two, the Elite offers many more benefits between the two cards, but it may not make sense for infrequent Avianca flyers. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card vs. United Quest℠ Card * The information for the United Quest℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The United Quest℠ Card * The information for the United Quest℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is one of the best airline credit cards for United flyers, with a comparable $250 annual fee. This card is set up quite differently than the Avianca LifeMiles Elite card. Cardholders receive a $125 annual United purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year. You also get your first and second checked bags included for yourself and a companion, regardless of the fare class. Although you don’t receive elite status as a perk, you can earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points each year. 

Cardholders of the United Quest Card earn 3 miles per $1 at United, 2 miles per $1 on dining, select streaming services and all other travel and 1 mile on all other purchases. This is a bit better than the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , as the other travel category is much broader, and you get bonus points on streaming. Since you can use your United miles for Avianca redemptions, this could be a good alternative for anyone who prefers credits over Avianca elite status and the LifeMiles+ subscription. 

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card vs. American Express® Gold Card

If you aren’t interested in a cobranded credit card, you can opt for a general travel rewards card to transfer your points to several airline and hotel partners. One option is the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, rates & fees). The annual fee is higher than the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. at $325 per year. Cardholders earn 4 Membership Rewards points per $1 at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per $1, 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per $1), 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. 

You can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards® to Avianca, so the Gold Card could be a good choice if you want to test out the airline before committing to a cobranded credit card. The Gold Card also has several annual dining and travel-related statement credits to help offset your annual fee (enrollment required). There could certainly be room for both cards in your wallet. 

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BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Rates & fees / Terms apply

Rates & fees / Terms apply

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BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.

Earn 60,000 points + earn up to $100 back

Annual fee

$325

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com; Earn 1X points on other eligible purchases.

Editor’s take

Pros

• Multiple annual statement credits that can offset the annual fee.
• High rewards rate on restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and travel.
• Generous welcome bonus.

Cons

• $325 annual fee.
• Minimal travel perks.
• Complex rewards structure.

If eating and travel are your priorities, the American Express® Gold Card could be ideal for you for its generous rewards on spending in those areas. Plus it comes with valuable perks that could offset the annual fee, if fully maximized.

Card details

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
• Get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin’ locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit to use towards eligible charges, which may include food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Credit use varies by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Is the Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card worth it?

The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is worth it for an Avianca frequent flyer or points-and-miles enthusiast. Avianca is one of the leading carriers serving South America, and as a member of the Star Alliance, you have tons of flexibility when using your LifeMiles. The earning potential is fantastic, especially if you upgrade your LifeMiles+ subscription to a higher tier. The Silver elite status perk makes travel more enjoyable, even if it would be nice to see the card offering Gold elite status instead. 

Whether the card is worth it depends mainly on your spending habits and travel and financial goals. However, if you can maximize your earnings and plan on exploring South America with Avianca, you shouldn’t hesitate to apply for the card.

Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card is right for you if:

• You can understand and maximize your points-and-miles strategy. The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. was designed with miles enthusiasts in mind, so some features can be complex. 
• You live in an area served by Avianca and regularly fly with the airline. Avianca currently has flights departing from Boston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Oakland, Orlando, San Francisco and Washington. Most of these flights go to Latin America, with select flights to Europe. 
• You do not currently have or are interested in applying for another Cardless credit card. Since cardholders can only have one Cardless card at a time, you need to decide which one makes the most sense for you. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How much is an Avianca mile worth?

An Avianca LifeMile varies in value depending on several factors, including your flight route, redemption method and more. The example flight we saw above from New York City to Rio de Janeiro cost roughly 17,000 LifeMiles. If you paid for the same flight, you’d spend around $627, giving you a valuation of around 3.7 cents per point. 

What credit score do I need to get the Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card?

The Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is a premium credit card, so you will likely need good-to-excellent credit to increase your chances of approval. This means you should aim for a FICO Score of at least 740. 

All information about Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

Can I use United miles on Avianca?

Yes, you can book award travel on Avianca through United. 

How much is the annual fee on Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card?

The annual fee for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card * The information for the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is $249. 

All information about Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint.

^{For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.}