Choosing the right airline credit card usually comes down to how often you fly with that carrier and its partners — and Avianca’s two cards are no exception.
If you regularly book Avianca or Star Alliance award flights, it’s worth considering both the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card and the Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Elite Card.
The Elite Card may catch your eye with its earning rates and built-in Lifemiles+ Lite membership. However, despite its $249 annual fee (see rates and fees), it doesn’t necessarily deliver enough value to justify the cost for most travelers.
Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite: The basics
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite Card looks like a step up from the cheaper $99 Avianca Lifemiles American Express Card (see rates and fees). It earns more on Avianca purchases, adds redemption perks and includes ongoing benefits through a Lifemiles+ Lite membership.
In practice, though, this card feels more like a niche option for frequent Lifemiles users than a well-rounded mid-tier airline card.
Just like the cheaper $99 version, you’ll receive Avianca Silver status, which includes:
- Avianca lounge access twice per year
- Extra-legroom seat selection
- Select upgrade options
- An extra checked bag (excludes Basic and Light fares)
- Priority check-in and boarding (Group B)
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The Elite Card’s main differentiator is its built-in Lifemiles+ Lite membership, which offers:
- 500 bonus miles per month (6,000 per year)
- An up to 25% discount on Avianca award flights
- A 10% discount on Star Alliance award redemptions
These perks can be valuable, but only if you’re actively redeeming Lifemiles.
Like the lower-fee card, there are no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite; see rates and fees for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex), and the card is issued by Cardless on the American Express network.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite pros and cons
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Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite benefits
The biggest driver of value on the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite isn’t the elite status — it’s the Lifemiles+ Lite membership. You’ll receive 500 miles each month, which adds up to 6,000 miles per year. Based on TPG’s April 2026 valuations, that’s worth $84 per year.
That alone won’t come close to offsetting the card’s $249 annual fee, but the additional perks — particularly the 10% rebate on Star Alliance redemptions — can be meaningful if you redeem miles regularly.
There’s also an up to 25% discount on Avianca award flights, which can help stretch your miles further — though this is most useful if you’re actually flying Avianca rather than booking partner awards.
When it comes to status, Avianca Silver can be useful if you don’t already have elite status with a Star Alliance airline. You’ll get basic benefits like priority boarding and priority wait-listing.
You’ll receive two Avianca lounge visits per year with this card. That said, how useful this benefit is depends heavily on where you’re traveling.
For example, Avianca’s Miami International Airport (MIA) lounge is also part of the Priority Pass network, meaning you may already have access through another card. And outside of Avianca-operated lounges, you won’t get broader lounge access like you would with premium travel cards.
As with the lower-fee version, this card’s benefits are primarily tied to Avianca flights. When flying other Star Alliance airlines like United Airlines or Air Canada, the value of Silver status is fairly limited. That’s ultimately the issue — you’re paying a lot without getting meaningfully strong benefits.
How to earn and use your rewards
How to earn your rewards
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite earns:
- 3 miles per dollar spent on Avianca and Lifemiles purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and travel
- 1 mile per dollar spent on everything else
These rates are fairly standard for an airline card. As is usually the case, I don’t recommend putting much everyday spending on this card. You’ll generally get more value from a transferable points card that offers greater flexibility.
That said, there is one area where this card stands out: buying Lifemiles.
Lifemiles frequently runs promotions offering bonus miles, making it relatively easy to build a balance for premium cabin redemptions. Earning 3 miles per dollar spent on those purchases can make this card useful if you regularly top up your account.
The card also includes a “double miles” feature through Lifemiles+, which matches miles earned each statement cycle — but only up to 1,000 bonus miles per month. It’s a nice perk, though it doesn’t dramatically change the overall earning potential.
How to redeem Avianca Lifemiles
Avianca Lifemiles are most valuable when redeemed for flights on Star Alliance partners, including United, Air Canada and Lufthansa.
One of the strengths of the program is that it often offers competitive award pricing with relatively low taxes and fees, making it a strong option for booking premium cabin flights.
For example, you could fly Swiss business class from Newark to Zurich for 69,000 Lifemiles plus just $29 in taxes. (You could then use cash to upgrade to first class at check-in, like I did.)
The Elite Card’s 10% rebate on Star Alliance redemptions is one of its most compelling perks and can provide ongoing value if you redeem frequently. You would save almost 7,000 Lifemiles on the flight to Switzerland highlighted above.
If you’re only redeeming occasionally, though, this perk alone is unlikely to justify the higher annual fee.
Potential drawbacks to the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite lacks several benefits that are standard on similarly priced airline cards, such as meaningful statement credits and broader lounge access. That makes it difficult to offset the annual fee — unless you’re consistently extracting value from Lifemiles redemptions.
Ultimately, you’re paying a premium price for a set of benefits that is highly dependent on how often you redeem Lifemiles — rather than a well-rounded suite of travel perks.
Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite vs. Avianca Lifemiles Amex
While the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite offers incremental perks, it doesn’t meaningfully separate itself from the more affordable Avianca Lifemiles American Express.
Both cards include:
- Avianca Silver status
- Two lounge passes per year
- Similar overall earning structures
The Elite Card adds:
- 6,000 bonus miles annually (500 per month)
- An up to 25% discount on Avianca awards
- A 10% discount on Star Alliance redemptions
- Higher earning on Avianca and Lifemiles purchases
Those perks can provide value, but for many travelers, they won’t justify paying an extra $150 per year — especially given the lack of additional core travel benefits.
Personally, I’d lean toward the cheaper card unless you’re consistently redeeming Lifemiles and can take advantage of the award discounts.
Is the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite worth it?
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite‘s overlap with the cheaper Avianca Lifemiles American Express, combined with limited elite benefits and average earning rates, makes the card a difficult sell unless you’re deeply invested in the Lifemiles program.
If you regularly redeem Lifemiles, especially for premium cabin Star Alliance awards, the Elite Card can offer some incremental value. However, for most travelers, I don’t think it does enough to justify its $249 annual fee.
When to apply for the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
Currently, new Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite Card holders can earn up to 100,000 miles:
- 60,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening
- An additional 40,000 miles after spending $25,000 on purchases in the first 365 days from account opening
The first portion of the bonus is fairly standard, but the second requires a very high level of spending ($2,084 per month for a year). In most cases, you’ll get better value by putting that spending on other more lucrative cards.
Keep in mind that you can only earn a welcome bonus on one Avianca card, so it’s important to choose carefully. Since the card is issued by Cardless, you won’t be subject to Amex’s once-per-lifetime welcome bonus rule.
Other cards to consider if you don’t want the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite
If the Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite doesn’t seem like the right fit, consider:
For additional options, check out our list of the best travel cards.
Bottom line
The Avianca Lifemiles Amex Elite has some useful perks — particularly for frequent Lifemiles users — but it’s ultimately a niche card.
If you’re not regularly redeeming Lifemiles, it’s hard to justify the $249 annual fee. And even if you are, the cheaper Avianca card may offer better overall value.
For most travelers, this isn’t the obvious upgrade it’s positioned to be.
Apply here: Avianca Lifemiles American Express Elite Card
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