Overview
The Avianca LifeMiles Amex is a budget-minded airline card with a $99 annual fee whose headline benefit is complimentary Avianca Silver elite status (which maps to Star Alliance Silver). It’s best for travelers who fly Avianca occasionally—especially to Colombia and Central America—or anyone who wants an inexpensive path to alliance-wide Silver perks. The card’s value is limited for those who rarely fly Avianca or who already have Gold or Diamond status.
Key features
– $99 annual fee.
– Complimentary Avianca Silver status (Star Alliance Silver equivalency).
– Two complimentary Avianca lounge visits per year.
– One extra free checked bag on paid Avianca fares (not valid on Basic/Light fares).
– Priority check-in and Group B boarding; access to some upgrade and seat-selection benefits.
– 5% discount on LifeMiles redemptions for Avianca flights booked through LifeMiles.
– No foreign transaction fees.
– Issued by Cardless on behalf of First Electronic Bank on the Amex network (not directly issued by American Express).
Why the status matters
Avianca Silver normally requires about 12,000 qualifying miles per year, so receiving that level through a credit card is unusual. Star Alliance Silver provides useful, alliance-wide perks: priority waitlist/standby, priority handling, limited upgrade options, and lounge access at certain Avianca locations. The two annual lounge visits are a notable perk for a card with a sub-$300 fee.
Earning rates
– 2 LifeMiles per $1 on Avianca and LifeMiles purchases, dining, and groceries.
– 1 LifeMile per $1 on all other purchases.
This is modest compared with premium transferable-point cards. It’s decent for Avianca spending and topping up LifeMiles balances, but not ideal as a primary everyday card if you care about high earning rates or versatile transferable currencies.
How to redeem LifeMiles
LifeMiles can be used for travel on Avianca and Star Alliance partners (United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, etc.), which makes the currency flexible for partner awards. Example: a one-way San José (SJO) to Mexico City (MEX) for 8,280 LifeMiles + about $81 in fees yielded roughly 2.4 cents per mile in that instance. The card’s 5% redemption discount on Avianca bookings nudges value slightly higher. LifeMiles is beginner-friendly for partner awards and can deliver strong value on the right routes.
Pros
– Complimentary Avianca Silver and related alliance benefits.
– Two lounge visits per year and useful on-board/airport perks on Avianca flights.
– Redemption discount and no foreign transaction fees.
– Good for topping up LifeMiles and redeeming on Star Alliance partners.
Cons
– Limited value for infrequent Avianca flyers.
– Weak everyday earning vs. transferable-point cards.
– Only two lounge visits annually; Miami lounge excluded from some card benefits.
– Extra-checked-bag benefit excludes Basic/Light fares.
– Little upside if you already hold Avianca Gold or Diamond.
Who should consider this card
– You fly Avianca a few times per year and will actually use Silver benefits and the lounge visits.
– You want a low-cost way to secure Star Alliance Silver perks without meeting flying thresholds.
– You plan to redeem LifeMiles for partner awards and want the 5% redemption discount.
Who should skip it
– You rarely fly Avianca or mainly buy Basic/Light fares (no checked-bag benefit).
– You already have Avianca Gold/Diamond (card’s Silver benefits are redundant).
– You prefer cards that earn transferable currencies or higher multipliers on flights, dining, and groceries.
Welcome offer
Current offer: 40,000 LifeMiles after $3,000 in purchases within 90 days. That bonus can be worth several hundred dollars depending on your redemptions and improves the card’s first-year value. Because the product is not issued directly by American Express, Amex’s once-per-lifetime welcome-bonus rules do not apply.
Avianca LifeMiles Amex vs. LifeMiles Amex Elite
The Elite version costs $249 per year and adds benefits like up to 6,000 bonus miles annually, 10% miles back on Star Alliance redemptions, up to 25% discount on Avianca redemptions, and higher earnings on Avianca and on dining/travel. Those upgrades can justify the higher fee for frequent Avianca flyers, but most people focused on status and occasional Avianca travel will find the $99 card sufficient.
Alternatives
– American Express Platinum: far stronger lounge access, higher flight earnings when booked through Amex, and transferable Membership Rewards that can move to LifeMiles.
– Citi Strata Premier: better earnings on dining and groceries and transferability to multiple airline partners.
– Capital One Venture: simple 2x flat-rate earning and transfer options to partners, including Avianca.
Bottom line
The Avianca LifeMiles Amex is a targeted, affordable way to get Avianca Silver and Star Alliance Silver benefits for travelers who actually fly Avianca occasionally. Its low annual fee, lounge entries, checked-bag perk (on most fares), and redemption discount create clear value for the right user. If you rarely fly Avianca, already have higher status, or prefer broader transferable-points flexibility, a different travel card will likely deliver more overall value.
