Avianca’s frequent flyer program LifeMiles now allows you lock in a reward seat for a small fee without having to commit all the points.
How does it work?
LifeMiles’ Lock and Fly allows you to secure a reward fare without having to redeem your points straight away. This is a great way to secure a seat on popular routes while you coordinate with friends or family booking the same holiday. It also allows you some time to get enough points for the redemption. You can transfer your bank or credit card points in time to make the redemption.
How long is the hold and how much does it cost?
So the hold will last for the three days, which should give you enough time to transfer enough points or coordinate with other travelers. The price depends on the route and class being locked. For a domestic route on Avianca it can be as little as US$8 and will obviously go up for international flights. Keep in mind the fee to hold the flights is non-refundable.
Is this worth it?
Depends on your situation, for most situations this probably isn’t needed. But for those people who keep all their points in flexible points programs it could be very useful. You can lock in a flight then move your points around as needed. It would definitely be beneficial if you are organising a trip with other people and you aren’t buying tickets all together.
LifeMiles is the Frequent Flyer program of the Colombian airline Avianca. They offer some great redemption using their points as well as great points buying opportunities.
What do you think of this new service from Avianca? Are you going to take advantage of it? Let use know in a comment below. We love to hear how people take advantage of different services offered by airlines.