[2019.7 Update] According to View From the Wing, applying for this card now can earn you 40,000 miles after just one purchase within the first three months. In addition, if you enter promo code SB4060 on the application page, you can earn an extra 20,000 AV miles after spending $1,000 within three months. There is no official announcement on the LifeMiles website, and several previous offers were also implemented through this kind of promo code.

Be especially careful when applying, because there is a good chance you may see: Unfortunately, you are not able to apply at this time, we were not able to validate the information you provided. In most cases, this means there is some issue on your credit report, such as a freeze or an address mismatch between your report and your application. It’s recommended that you call customer service and ask to be transferred to a supervisor.

Avianca Vuela (AV) Co-Branded Credit Card

Application Link

Key Features

  • Welcome bonus: 40,000 AV miles (after one purchase within the first three months)
  • Earning rates: 3x on all Avianca purchases, 2x on gas and grocery purchases, and 1x on everything else
  • Redeeming points: Can be redeemed for Avianca award tickets and Star Alliance partner award tickets
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • $149 annual fee

Benefits

  • 15% discount on buying miles: When you use this card to purchase miles through the Multiply Your Miles program, you can get a 15% discount
  • Free checked bag: On flights between the U.S. and Central America, the fee for a second checked bag is waived
  • High-spend bonus: After spending $12,000 in a calendar year, you can get one 50% discount on an award ticket between the U.S. and Central America; after spending another $12,000, you can get another discount opportunity

Drawbacks

  • The annual fee is a bit high, and there aren’t many benefits that directly offset it

Avianca LifeMiles Overview

LifeMiles is the frequent flyer program of Avianca (AV). We value it slightly higher than UA miles, at about 1.7 mile/point. Its main features are as follows:

  • You can search and book award tickets online for most Star Alliance airlines, and there are no fuel surcharges, though there is a $25 ticketing fee
  • The number of miles required depends on the origin and destination regions, and one-way awards are allowed
  • Awards can be booked entirely with miles, or with points+cash in a ratio of your choice
  • Domestic U.S. awards start at 7,500 miles, U.S.–Central America one-way business class costs 75,000 miles, and Australia–Central America one-way business class requires only 40,000 miles
  • Both ThankYou Points and Membership Rewards transfer to AV miles at 1:1, making it very easy to top off your balance. AV miles also go on sale frequently, sometimes for as low as 1.2c/p

My Take

The 40,000-mile welcome bonus on this card is pretty solid, worth $600+ by our estimate. Its long-term value is more limited, though, and it’s mainly a fit for people who travel frequently between the U.S. and Central America. The annual high-spend perk looks decent, but the route restrictions are pretty narrow. For most people, I think this is a card to grab the welcome bonus and move on.

Application

  • Approval difficulty: Moderate; the approval rules are unclear, and the issuer can be unpredictable
  • Things to note: Before applying, make sure your EQ and TU credit reports are not frozen. If you already have another Avianca co-branded credit card, you will not be approved for this card.

Application Link