Score a 15% Bonus When You Move Amex Points to Avianca LifeMiles

If you've got American Express Membership Rewards points sitting around, here's a chance to stretch them a little further. Avianca is running a promotion that gives you 15% extra LifeMiles when you transfer points from Amex. The offer runs from February 18 to March 28, 2026, so you've got some time to plan, but don't wait until the last minute.

How This Bonus Works

The bonus is offered by Avianca, not by American Express, so you won't see it on the Amex website. You need to initiate the transfer from your Amex account, and the extra 15% will show up in your LifeMiles balance separately. For every 1,000 Amex points you move, you'll get 1,150 LifeMiles instead of the usual 1,000.

You must have a LifeMiles account before you start the transfer. If you don't have one, you can sign up for free at lifemiles.com. The minimum transfer is 1,000 Amex points, and the bonus miles may post in a separate transaction from the base miles.

• Bonus applies only to transfers from U.S. Amex Membership Rewards accounts
• You must be a registered LifeMiles member before transferring
• Bonus miles can be used toward elite status with LifeMiles

When It Makes Sense to Jump On This

A 15% bonus is decent, but it's not huge. I'd only recommend doing this if you already have a specific award ticket in mind with Avianca or their Star Alliance partners. Speculative transfers—moving points without a booking—are risky because LifeMiles expire after 12 months of inactivity. That's a short shelf life compared to some other programs.

If you're a LifeMiles+ subscriber (their paid loyalty tier), you get a 10% discount on all award tickets. That stacks nicely with this bonus. For example, a business class ticket to Europe that normally costs 69,000 miles one way could be booked for around 54,000 Amex points after the transfer bonus and the LifeMiles+ discount. That's a solid deal for premium cabin travel.

• LifeMiles expire after 12 months of no activity unless you have LifeMiles+
• LifeMiles+ subscribers get 10% off award tickets
• Business class to Europe can be as low as 54K Amex MR points with both bonuses

Things to Watch Out For

Once you transfer points to LifeMiles, there's no going back. Make sure you're certain about the booking before you pull the trigger. Also, the bonus is applied by Avianca, so if there's a delay or error, you'll need to work with their customer service, not Amex. The terms say LifeMiles isn't responsible for delays caused by the partner (Amex), so give yourself a buffer if you're booking close to the deadline.

The offer is only for transfers made from the U.S. Amex Rewards site. If you have a non-U.S. Amex account, this won't apply. And remember, the bonus miles might post separately, so don't panic if you don't see them immediately—just check back within 24 hours.

• Transfers are irreversible—double-check your plans first
• Customer support for bonus issues goes through LifeMiles, not Amex
• Only valid for U.S. Amex accounts

Bottom Line

• 15% bonus on Amex to LifeMiles transfers, valid through March 28, 2026
• Best used when you have a specific award booking in mind
• LifeMiles expire after 12 months of inactivity—don't transfer speculatively
• LifeMiles+ subscribers can stack a 10% discount on awards

Common Questions