60+ Secret LifeMiles Sweet Spot Routes to Europe

UPDATE

In August 2024 LifeMiles made a major devaluation so most of these sweet spots are now gone. There are still some hidden sweet spots, like EWR to LHR for 22,500 miles each way in economy, or 45,000 each way in business class.

LifeMiles Devaluation

The standard rate for an economy ticket from the US to Europe with LifeMiles went up from 30,00 miles each way to 35,000 miles each way. And unfortunately, many of the previous sweet spots are now pricing higher than the standard rate. For example, Denver to London used to be 21,000 miles each way and now it’s 41,000 miles each way.

But it’s not all bad news. There are still a handful of routes that price below the standard rate of 35,000 miles. Here are some examples:

• EWR to LHR for 22,500 miles
• JFK to ZRH for 27,500 miles
• JFK to GVA for 30,000 miles
• JFK to LIS for 32,500 miles
• EWR to VIE for 34,600 miles

And if you’re looking for business class, there are actually a few new sweet spots that didn’t exist before like EWR to London or Dublin for 45,000 miles each way. That’s a great deal for business class to Europe.

The original article still has some helpful tips on how to find availability and book with LifeMiles, you can check it out below.

Avianca LifeMiles is a lesser-known airline rewards program that offers incredible value. They have over 60 hidden sweet spots for flights to and from Europe with crazy low prices. Our team has tracked down all of these sweet spots and compiled a list for you. Don’t think you have LifeMiles? They are easy to earn! Major bank programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture miles, and Citi ThankYou® Rewards points all transfer 1:1 to Avianca LifeMiles — sometimes even with a transfer bonus!

In this article, I’ll show you what these sweet spots are, how to find them, and how to book. Soon you’ll be ready to take that amazing trip to Europe for way less than you might think! 

What is LifeMiles?

LifeMiles is the name of the loyalty points program for Avianca Airlines. The great thing about points and miles is that you can often use points from one program to book on a different airline.

This is possible because airlines partner together in alliances. Since Avianca is part of the Star Alliance, you can use their points to book on other airlines in the Star Alliance including United Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, and many more. 

An important thing to know about LifeMiles is that they charge hefty fees to change or cancel a booking. It’s a good idea to make sure of your plans before booking a ticket with LifeMiles to avoid paying those fees!

Why Book with LifeMiles?

The standard rate for booking one-way flights to Europe through LifeMiles is 30,000 miles with low taxes and fees. That’s a pretty decent deal. Especially because you can often find this rate from smaller, regional airports in addition to the big airports.

Even better, LifeMiles has many hidden sweet spots where you can fly for fewer miles — that’s what we have uncovered and are focusing on in this article. Dozens of options for just 20,000 miles and several for even less than that!

Plus – LifeMiles won’t pass on high fuel surcharges that some airlines like Lufthansa levy on award tickets.

It’s pretty easy to find availability with LifeMiles for most routes, even the sweet spots if you’re flexible with dates. It’s a great option for families because you can find 9+ seats at a time on most routes.

Keep in mind that just because a Star Alliance airline operates a certain route, it doesn’t mean it will be bookable with Lifemiles on any date. Each airline has a certain number of seats on any given route that they release to their partners to allow these partner bookings. We’ll share some tips below on how to find available dates.

Credit Card Programs that Transfer to LifeMiles

LifeMiles are relatively easy to earn because several credit card programs transfer to the program.

• American Express Membership Rewards1:1
• Capital One Venture miles 1:1
• Citi ThankYou® Points 1:1
• Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 with an additional 5,000 miles when you transfer in increments of 60,000
• Wells Fargo points 1:1 (new as of March 2024)

Generally it’s not recommended to transfer Marriott Points to LifeMiles because the redemption rate isn’t as good. However, it’s good to know about in case you are short by just a few miles.

Transfer Bonuses

Banks occasionally offer transfer bonuses where you can get even more miles. These change regularly. Check for current transfer bonuses here.

Sweet Spots to Europe Using LifeMiles

LifeMiles has over sixty sweet spots to Europe and over thirty returning to the United States. As far as I can tell, there’s no real rhyme or reason to why these sweet spots exist. You can find them on the east coast, the west coast, and everywhere in between. The routes include cities all across Europe.

They’re not limited to certain airlines or airports, but there are a few patterns. The highest number of sweet spots can be found flying into London and Dublin. Zurich, Paris, and Munich have quite a few deals as well. As do Copenhagen, Edinburgh, and Amsterdam.

The Sweetest Sweet Spots

The absolute best deal you can find on LifeMiles is New York to Geneva, Switzerland. The price is just 16,500 LifeMiles and $27.80 in taxes and fees. As of August 2024, this route is now 30,000 miles

Another extra sweet deal is Chicago to London for 17,500 miles. As of August 2024, this route is now 39,000 miles

Washington Dulles to Amsterdam is just 18,000 miles. As of August 2024 this route is now 39,000 miles

The great thing is that these sweet spots don’t just exist at major airports like JFK. You can find them from smaller airports as well. Here’s a deal from Grand Rapids, MI to London for 20,000 miles. As of August 2024, this route is not showing up on LifeMiles anymore

London

As of August 2024, these deals are now dead

Here’s a list of all the deals to London:

Dublin

As of August 2024, these deals are now dead

These are the best deals to Dublin:

All of the Sweet Spots US to Europe

As of August 2024, these deals are now dead. There are still some good deals with LifeMiles (see the top of this post for a few current deals we found)

Here’s every deal we found from the United States to Europe. This is the most comprehensive list that exists anywhere. 

You can sort the list by destination, departure city, or lowest price to help you find the deals that work best for you.

All the Sweet Spots Europe to US

As of August 2024, these deals are now dead. There are still some good deals with LifeMiles (see the top of this post for a few current deals we found)

Just like flights going to Europe, the standard rate for booking return flights through LifeMiles is 30,000 points but there are dozens of sweet spots for less than that. 

The taxes and fees can vary quite a bit depending on your departure city. Any flights that leave from the United Kingdom (especially London) are going to have high taxes and fees. These could be as much as $300 or even more.

If you’re planning a trip to the UK, you may want to consider departing from a different city to avoid those high fees. 

A quick flight or train ride to Amsterdam, Paris, or Dublin could end up saving you hundreds of dollars, especially for a family with several tickets to buy. 

Here are all of the sweet spots for returning from Europe:

What if I can’t find a deal from my home airport?

If you can’t find a deal from your local airport, check nearby airports or consider departing from the airport that has the best deal.

Many people use what’s called a positioning flight to “position” themselves to another airport. It could be worth taking an inexpensive domestic flight to take advantage of one of these sweet spots.

How to Book These Deals

Search for Availability using PointsYeah

One of the easiest ways to find availability for these sweet spots is to start by doing a search on PointsYeah.com.

PointsYeah is free to use. Put in your departure and arrival cities and preferred date range. If you’re not sure what city you want to go to, you can use the “Daydream Explorer” section and type in the country or even region. 

For example, you could search San Francisco to Italy, California to Europe, or even the USA to Europe.

Click on Airline programs and choose Avianca Lifemiles only. You can also add the number of seats you need and preferred number of stops.

Not all available flights show up on PointsYeah so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, it’s worth checking the LifeMiles website to see if it’s there.

Search for Availability using the LifeMiles Website

Once you’ve found availability on PointsYeah, head to the LifeMiles website to confirm you can find the same availability on their site.

Most of the time you’ll be able to, but every once in a while the flight you see on PointsYeah won’t show up on the LifeMiles site. It’s always a good idea to double-check before transferring any points.

You’ll need a LifeMiles account to search for award flights. It’s free to join.

Start by checking one way at a time. It’s easier to find availability this way. Input the departure and arrival airports. Leave the date section blank for now. Be sure to include the correct number of passengers, then click search.

After the search loads, on the left-hand side, select the month you’d like to travel. At the top of the screen in the blue bubble, you’ll see the lowest available price. For this route (JFK to Geneva), it’s 16,500 LifeMiles. 

The blue squares on the dates show when that price is available.

It’s not always accurate though. You may not see the blue bubble or blue dates at all, even when flights are available. If the date you want isn’t blue, go ahead and click on it anyway to see if there is availability.

Confirm Available Flights

Once you click on a date, you’ll be able to see if flights are available. Some routes will have multiple options to choose from and some will have just one flight per day. 

If you don’t see availability on your preferred date, try checking nearby dates.

Next, calculate the point total needed for all passengers. The rates shown are per person, one way. 

For return flights, you’ll search the exact same way. The price you pay per one-way flight is the same whether you book it as a round trip or not, so it usually makes the most sense to book the trip one way at a time.

Booking this way makes it easier if you want to make any changes to your flights later on. Plus, you don’t have to return from the same city. 

Transfer Points to LifeMiles

Once you’ve confirmed the flights you want are available, it’s time to transfer points so you can book!

If you’re not sure how to transfer points, check out my free Travel Points 201 guide for step-by-step instructions.

Book the Flight using LifeMiles

Once the points have been posted to your LifeMiles account you’re ready to book. Follow the previous steps to search and select your flight, then proceed with the booking!

LifeMiles Change and Cancellation Fees

If you need to make changes to your booking, be prepared for a hefty fee.

LifeMiles charges $150 per person to change a flight and $200 per person to cancel.

If you decide to cancel, your miles will be redeposited to your account and you’ll be refunded any taxes and fees you paid for the booking.

Because the fees are so high, it’s a good idea to make sure of your plans before you book. LifeMiles is not a good program for making speculative bookings!

Ready to Explore Europe for Less with LifeMiles?

So, you’ve unlocked the secret of budget-friendly European travel: LifeMiles! With its hidden sweet spots and incredible value, you’re well on your way to an unforgettable adventure.

Here are some key takeaways to keep in mind:

• LifeMiles offers incredible value: Standard rates are great, but the hidden sweet spots can save you even more miles on flights across Europe.
• Be flexible with travel dates: Availability is easier to find when you can adjust your travel window slightly.
• Consider nearby airports: Don’t limit yourself to your local airport. Positioning flights to a sweet spot airport can be a smart strategy.
• Plan your return journey strategically: High taxes and fees can sometimes be avoided by departing from a different European city.

Remember: Flexibility with dates is key to unlocking the best deals.

Happy travels!