Hi all,
I have read through the threads on both US Airways' Dividend Miles and Avianca's LifeMiles program and I have also opened accounts for both programs. This means that I am now eligible to purchase points at the current discounted/ promo rates and I am still trying to make up my mind which way to lean. Those miles would be purchased for two reward flights to be used for a trip to Europe in April 2013 and two for a trip to Canada in July 2013, with availability currently showing in LifeMiles. J and F show up at different dates but I guess I should be moving quite quickly, also looking at the currently very favourable exchange rate. Comparing the two programs, it seems that there are a few contrasts but also some similarities and I have tried to summarize it like this, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated:
Similarities:
Differences:
There might be more criteria that I have missed and please feel free to add those, for example I remember reading somewhere about F inventory on LX or LH only being released at a certain time before the flight. I have done a few calculations on reward bookings using LM dummy bookings, with the following being in US$, return for one passenger, ex Sydney:
The figures above include the cost for purchasing points (at the discounted rate) as well as taxes and their processing fee of $25 ea., and the mix of miles and cash worked out best.
Of course the usage for points when flying from, for example, Perth to New York would be even better as the same amount of points is required but those were results for roughly the dates and routes we need, with Singapore just shown as an option for a more or less random date. We would like to lock in flights soon and the question really is whether we should do so purchasing points on DM or LM - or possibly even both?!? My wife has an active DM account so she can buy points there at the promo rate... We are not planning a trip to the US going through Europe, which some of you have been lucky enough to do, just straight-forward trips getting there and back.
Any feedback and advice that you can provide is very welcome and I hope that you can steer me in the right direction. Thank you for your help and apologies for not knowing all the abbreviations and the long post!
Cheers
Peter
I have read through the threads on both US Airways' Dividend Miles and Avianca's LifeMiles program and I have also opened accounts for both programs. This means that I am now eligible to purchase points at the current discounted/ promo rates and I am still trying to make up my mind which way to lean. Those miles would be purchased for two reward flights to be used for a trip to Europe in April 2013 and two for a trip to Canada in July 2013, with availability currently showing in LifeMiles. J and F show up at different dates but I guess I should be moving quite quickly, also looking at the currently very favourable exchange rate. Comparing the two programs, it seems that there are a few contrasts but also some similarities and I have tried to summarize it like this, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated:
Similarities:
- Both use Star Alliance partners.
- SQ premium classes (A380 etc.) not accessible through both.
- No YQ surcharge added, thus generally low taxes and charges (subject to confirmation for Dividend Miles).
Differences:
- Dividend Miles more suitable for detours/ indirect routings, whereas LM better for direct itineraries. The same applies to stopovers.
- No one-ways allowed for DM, but LM allows one-ways at 50% of the mileage required for return flights.
- Bookings for DM need to be made by phone, whereas LM (hopefully) incorporates an online booking only and no need to speak Spanish when having to contact a call centre.
- LM allows for a mix of cash and points to be used, with 40% the minimum amount of points needed for a booking.
- Tax on miles purchased payable for Dividend Miles, not so for LM (subject to confirmation for DM but a dummy booking showed tax payable, bringing the price for 100K DM points to US$1,881).
There might be more criteria that I have missed and please feel free to add those, for example I remember reading somewhere about F inventory on LX or LH only being released at a certain time before the flight. I have done a few calculations on reward bookings using LM dummy bookings, with the following being in US$, return for one passenger, ex Sydney:
- Vancouver: Y - $1,301 (AC). J - $2,073 (UA)
- Frankfurt: J - $2,542 (TG). F - $2,951 (TG).
- Singapore: $1,449 (TG).
The figures above include the cost for purchasing points (at the discounted rate) as well as taxes and their processing fee of $25 ea., and the mix of miles and cash worked out best.
Of course the usage for points when flying from, for example, Perth to New York would be even better as the same amount of points is required but those were results for roughly the dates and routes we need, with Singapore just shown as an option for a more or less random date. We would like to lock in flights soon and the question really is whether we should do so purchasing points on DM or LM - or possibly even both?!? My wife has an active DM account so she can buy points there at the promo rate... We are not planning a trip to the US going through Europe, which some of you have been lucky enough to do, just straight-forward trips getting there and back.
Any feedback and advice that you can provide is very welcome and I hope that you can steer me in the right direction. Thank you for your help and apologies for not knowing all the abbreviations and the long post!
Cheers
Peter
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