One Mile At A Time thinks boycotting frequent flyer programs like Lifemiles is silly. Is he correct or is he missing the point?
Boycotting Frequent Flyer Programs: Why It Can Make Sense
Earlier this week, after its second major devaluation in a short period, I wrote I would be personally boycotting Lifemiles, the loyalty program of Avianca. That means, at least for the time being, I’m not buying any more Lifemiles and also will refrain from writing about the program, including coverage of frequent promotions on purchased miles.
Ben thinks that is silly, arguing, “Besides, if we’re going to start boycotting certain programs, please do tell me which programs we’re not boycotting, which haven’t seen devaluations in some form or another.”
Ah yes, a logical fallacy called a strawman.
No one is talking about boycotting all programs which devalue, which would encompass every program over time. As I argued, devaluations are natural and expected in the evolution of any frequent program.
Speaking only for myself, I was talking about one program in particular that is unique in both its size and scope.
Hot Take: Not All Devaluations Are Equal
If my business is to fly airplanes and I have the global network to back that up, then a boycott becomes much more difficult. I’m not calling for a boycott of United Airlines MileagePlus or Delta Air Lines SkyMiles even though both have recklessly devalued without notice, representing a slap in the face of its members. It’s just a non-starter.
But Avicana LifeMiles is different: it’s a loyalty program that has functionally served as a clearinghouse for cheap Star Alliance award tickets and functioned independently from Avianca, a carrier that has struggled to find its identity, offers an inconsistent and poor product onboard, and yet is easy to avoid for Lifemiles’s primary customer base in North America.
And I don’t view these Lifemiles devaluations as business as usual…I view the recent double-devaluation from a company which exists to sell points and offer cheap redemptions differently. The draw (and the only draw) of the program is cheap redemptions.
What A Boycott Can Meaningfully Accomplish
A boycott need not be emotionally driven…it is a calculated and pragmatic move meant to encourage a certain outcome. The scope and duration are important, but less so than what it seeks to achieve: policy change. The objective to punish is secondary to the objective to halt or reverse bad behavior.
Why would it be inherently less serious to say I am boycotting United MileagePlus versus boycotting Avianca Lifemiles? For straters, I live in a United hub and am a MillionMiler in the program, representing decades of loyalty. Plus, I fly United a whole lot…something I cannot say about Avianca.
Lifetimes is not a massive frequent flyer program like SkyMiles or MileagePlus. It’s a boutique program whose business model is geared toward monetizing points. That’s a huge difference and it’s a reason why a boycott against LifeMiles could work.
If instead of mocking a boycott, someone like One Mile At A Time would encourage others to boycott, his voice would magnify far more than mine in making Avianca think twice before its next unannounced LifeMiles devaluation.
Because programs do listen. We saw even large carriers like Delta walk back some of its most punitive lounge access restrictions after pushback or British Airways re-add a segment-based earning method for elite status after great outcry.
But some folks seem content just to bend over and take it. Not me; I don’t think we should accept two massive devaluations coupled with increased blocking just because “that’s what programs do.”
How great would it be if we all said, you went a step too far Lifemiles? We’re not going to reward you with any coverage at all, even if there are still sweetspots, if you’re going to treat customers that way.
Here’s a parallel. If President Trump’s tariff threats have the effect of 1.) stemming the flow of illegal drugs and migrants and 2.) reducing trade barriers against US goods, then I’ll give the man some credit…that’s what his supporters tell me he is attempting to do.
And if that is the case, like the boycott I am proposing, the issue is not the boycott at all, but changing the behavior of the bad actor.
My voice alone won’t change anything, but if others travel bloggers all got behind holding Lifemiles accountable for its unethical practices, it would listen…because it depends on those same folks to push its product.
The sanctions against Russia after it invaded Ukraine never fully worked because there were too many countries–China, Israel, Turkey, and India to name a few–who would not go along.
A boycott from Live And Let’s Fly and my readers is similarly not going to accomplish much…but it does not have to be that way.
Still Find Lifemiles Useful?
Ben points to redemption rates between Sydney (SYD) and Tokyo (HND) to argue that there is still great value to be found in redeeming points via Lifemiles. Let me add that there are still good rates between Canada and Europe…
And it is true that even the worst frequent flyer programs have relative sweet spots and these particular redemption pairs are objectively and comparatively a good deal.
So would I begrudge any reader for using Lifemiles?
No, of course not. You do what works for you.
But I cannot in good conscience advise you to do so because I’m not convinced Avianca would not pull the rug out from under you if you bought the miles this afternoon in hopes of redeeming as soon as the miles hit. Over and over Lifemiles has shown it cannot be trusted and the frequency and degree in which it sells miles, basically that is its business model, makes it unique.
CONCLUSION
I’m not buying the argument that boycotts of frequent flyer programs are silly. When boycotts are seen as unemotional tools to influence behavior, they can work. There’s no boycott for the sake of a boycott. I’m fairly confident that if enough travel writers had come out on the attack for the latest Lifemiles devaluation, we may have seen at least a partial rollback.
Instead, we see acceptance…a vote of confidence for a program and a greenlight for further unannounced devaluations.
So caveat emptor…no one has ever argued otherwise. Miles are always a depreciating asset, not a nest egg. I’ve also argued that for years.
But for a program that so aggressively sells miles and points and offers so little else, I simply cannot reward the latest devaluation by encouraging business as usual.
What Ben didn’t share in his post is how often he has been sponsored by Lifemiles or about his historic lucrative commission arrangement with Lifemiles on points sold via OMAAT. Follow the money. He’s a bootlicking shill and laughing all the way to the bank every time a sucker buys these points.
That’s quite a charge considering Ben made clear he has no financial relationship with Lifemiles.
I’ve never known Ben to be anything but honest, so I have to strongly question what you’re alleging.
Ben and I may disagree on this issue, but it’s in good fun and in the spirit of respect.
Going back many years now, OMAAT had links that got readers better pricing when buying LifeMiles. I think the mentions have all been scrubbed from OMAAT, but other blogs have examples. Ie. Instead of a 130% bonus, the OMAAT link would get you 140%. I don’t know if OMAAT ever benefited from such an arrangement, or if it was solely just done as a reader benefit.
https://milelion.com/2016/12/13/lifemiles-140-bonus-is-back-plus-a-special-offer-on-redemption/
Do you and Ben agree, at a minimum, that Sky Scholar needs to get voted off the island?
LOL. I won’t speak for Ben, but I find it very annoying.
Thank you. The whole AI using the first person is really creepy unless we’re talking about Skynet.
I find the strawman argument to be a frequent tool of creepy homosexual Ben Schlappig, It’s one of several reasons I stopped reading his blog. That and he’s a big crybaby about the comments and I’m not interested in his boy toy or their rent-a-uterus kid.
I doubt anyone misses you or your racist, homophobic, and ignorant rants in the comments.
You and your gay bashing can go to HELL where your kind belongs
I’m with Matthew on this one. For this issue, Ben is an idiot. Sorry, Ben. On the other hand, idiots make great politicians!
“But I cannot in good conscience advise you to do so because I’m not convinced Avianca would not pull the rug out from under you if you bought the miles this afternoon in hopes of redeeming as soon as the miles hit. Over and over Lifemiles has shown it cannot be trusted and the frequency and degree in which it sells miles, basically that is its business model, makes it unique.”
But what makes the risk with Lifemiles any greater than any other FF program? All of the other FF programs that are generally pushed as top-tier program for points junkies – Aeroplan, Mileage Plan, Flying Blue, etc. – have all done no-notice devaluations at one point or another. The bottom line is, I don’t trust any of them any more than I do Lifemiles not to push through a sudden devaluation between when I buy/transfer miles and the miles hit – and I’d argue that you shouldn’t, either.
The risk is that unlike United, where you get a host of benefits for being loyal, there are no benefits at all beyond the award redemptions.
Yes, of course, try not to stock up miles in any program. But multiple steep devaluations and then maliciously blocking space is not the way to win any trust.
@ Matthew — My problem with LifeMiles is that it is a flat out scam.
Hence my boycott.
Devaluations are not always scams, but the sort of devaluations this program does strike me as nothing less than a scam.
So United increasing prices 100% v lifemiles increasing 10-20 (or zero) is fine because they have an airline?
Do you use mileage plus miles for flights much Matthew? I haven’t seen any opportunities to use them in a year. You are more flush with airline miles than me but I can’t stomach wasting them. Eg 200k miles from Asia to the USA in biz. At 2c a mile. Vs lifemiles at 90k and 1.3c
It’s like Trader Joe’s doubling its prices and Aldi adding 20% and you boycott Aldi because they’re “shonky” and don’t have name brands.
I’m just speaking to my position. As someone who constantly buys and uses lifemiles to fly biz and first!!
I don’t know where you get the 10-20% versus 100% numbers…for the redemptions I focus on, NA to Europe in J, United has gone from 70K to 88K over the last two years. Still terrible and without notice, but not a 100% increase. Lufthansa First Class has gone from 121K to 145-165K. Terrible as well…but not 100%.
And I do punish UA too…I don’t hold the credit card and I’m no longer chasing status. But it still makes sense for me to fly UA domestically and it still makes sense to credit those flights to MileagePlus considering my lifetime MMer status.
When I go to Asia, I prefer to use AA or AS miles…it’s not like Lifemiles was the only deal in town.
As for your example, I just don’t see the parallel. I don’t view miles and points as a commodity like groceries. Airlines print that currency and control its distribution. They control its value. It’s 100% arbitrary. Reimbursement rates for partner carriers have not changed, to my knowledge. It is therefore pure bait and switch, which undermines trust and assumes people are suckers.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Look how Air Canada at least gave 6-weeks notice before the coming devaluation…that’s all I am asking for.
Ok that’s all fair. Unfortunately a lot of my favorite redemptions being based in aus have doubled (40k to 90k and 90k to 200k or thereabouts from Sydney to Asia and Asia to the USA). Rates to Europe from the USA have gone up a lot on mileage plus but maybe that’s over 5 years. AA and lifemiles charge 40k for business to Asia and United charges that for economy.
A lot of United mileage earning was over years with chase cards too and those miles would have become a lot less useful with their sudden devaluation(s).
I’m actually waiting for American to ramp up their rates from the pacific to Asia and the USA.
Blocking availability seems endemic to a lot of point selling programs now (Alaska, lifemiles and aeroplan).
Devaluations seem to be a natural state of the game and i don’t think lifemiles is close to egregious with its rates when compared to United.
Is the issue that it wasn’t announced? Would it have been fine if 3 months warning was given. Or points already in an account could be used at the old rates for three months?
Lifemiles is almost constantly selling its points. I am not sure there are many clued on people who would have bought hundreds of thousands of points and then be be gobsmacked by a reasonable devaluation. You buy them when you need them. They’re almost always on sale. I keep my balance at around 150k points in case they aren’t on sale and I want to go somewhere. Never 3-4-500k.
I speculatively bought some Alaska miles (through Hawaiian airlines) in November as the price looked amazing and I still thought of Alaska fondly (70k first class on Qantas or Cathay to Australia from the USA) etc). That was a mistake. Almost no access to Qantas or JAl Biz or first from Australia to Japan (I used AA points eventually). PE seats shown on every day which don’t exist.
Had a much fouler taste in my mouth from Alaska than having to refresh the lifemiles website each day in hope that a Thai flight would populate from Bangkok to Sydney (obviously using the Thai airways search not the “smart search”).
I’m rambling but my ultimate point is lifemiles has a very very relevant spot in my go to programs list. It used to be lifemiles and united for star alliance as the latter was close in redemption cost and has better availability and cancellation policies. Now I just don’t bother with United. Not boycotting them. Just don’t find opportunity anymore.
Gene,
I do not know that scam is the correct term. Lifemiles has certainly taken mileage programs to an extreme – practically being a consolidator and not a program which is designed to provide benefits for flying the airline. But what is a bit refreshing is that Lifemiles confirms that this is true for pretty much every FF program.
I’ve never found Lifemiles to be worth bothering with. The idea of actually PAYING real money for Lifemiles – or, frankly, for ANY airline miles/points – is laughable. Only a complete idiot would spend real money buying points/miles, and anyone who suggests that buying points with money is a reasonable way of traveling cheaply is absolutely a boot-licking shill – I mean, we are talking Donald Trump Talking Fish Monument-level boot-licking here.
But the problem with being a boot-licking shill is that you’ve been licking boots so long you have completely bought into your own BS and now believe the nonsense you’ve been spewing. Typical blogger dishonesty and self-delusion.
So the howls of outrage over Avianca Lifemiles are only coming from those shills and the suckers who follow them.
You know what a “boycott” of Lifemiles is going to do to them? They’re going to laugh out loud at it. Yes, coffee-spewing, laugh-out-loud. Because the last thing they want is miles and points “gamers” to be “loyal” to them.
Points and miles gamers are an annoyance to them, and they would love you all to “boycott” them forever. So go ahead, make their day, “boycott them”, and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out – they’ll love it.
Lolllll. These websites are for points gamers mate. I fly premium by buying points all the time. It’s effectively 80% off. And all airlines like this business because they can sell premium cabins through the back door without advertising prices that would kill their corporate business.
I used to fly a lot for work. $7-8k return to London from Chicago on the company dime. Then on leisure I’d pay $1500 return on the same United flight with lifemiles. That’s why you have to be flexible and book close in. Because no true business traveler is going to accept those conditions.
There’s nothing shonky or nefarious about it. It’s just business mate.
Devaluations are like any business raising prices. Kmart doesn’t say “in three months deck chairs are going up 100%” aka United.
But Kmart doesn’t bait you to be loyal for years under the promise of free flights and then pull the rug out when you have finally earned enough points for a free redemption.
No sensible person is buying lifemiles for years to then finally be able to book a flight and see a devaluation ruining their dreams?!? If you’re buying points of a columbian airline you should have some clue about the machinations. Ie they are constantly on sale!!!
I’m still a big fan of lifemiles and I respect your arguments Matthew, especially about boycotting so as to bring change.
But I disagree that lifemiles should be treated differently based on it not being a real airline. I couldn’t care less about Alaska or Avianca and the services they provide. I’ve barely flown either of them.
But I take lifemiles exactly as you portrayed them. A somewhat innovative business that makes money from selling points and providing business class flights for cheap. Obviously the star alliance airlines are happy most of the time to have them fill this void.
Devaluations suck but every business has the right to raise their prices. You can boycott them or not use them (case in point I’ve given up on mileage plus because they doubled their redemptions – I was mad but did not feel like United did something unethical. It’s a business).
If people don’t want to use lifemiles that’s their choice. I’ve got enough in stock right now but won’t be buying in this sale. But right now I see some seats for four people on ANA to Tokyo from Sydney for 45 or 36k points. Why would I not use those?
The pure business risk is that they double redemption rates at some point and my points become worthless.
I was really lucky as I splashed 110k mileage plus points for my daughter and wife to fly ANA on business from Sydney to Chicago literally a week before United raised the cost to like 200k!!! The fact United is in a hub makes no difference to my loyalty to their ff program. I’d still fly United. But prob using lifemiles!!
Lifemiles can be treated differently precisely because it is smaller and has a different business model. Yes, of course a business can, to some extent, do what it wants. But there is power in boycotting and I know the folks who run Avianca…they may not laugh, but they won’t listen to me. They would listen to Ben.
And asking for a little bit of notice is hardly unreasonable before a punitive devaluation. Domestic rates doubled here in the USA via Lifemiles…I don’t know where you get this 10-20% rise.
I know you travel the world, but you’re mostly in Australia, right? It’s fairly easy to avoid United…not so for me in LAX. The dominant loyalty program outside of redemptions and the worldwide network (plus the massive number of members) make any boycott of UA/AA/DL laughable and impractical.
I don’t hold any Lifemiles right now, but imagine you had just bought 500K for redemption ex-Australia and the price doubled overnight. Do you really think that is okay versus a nefarious bait and switch?
If you just accept the status quo and keep buying, Lifemiles will continue to devalue without notice…and next time it will hit your sweetspots from Australia. There is no need to accept that inevitability.
Some parts of lifemiles suck but I agree with Ben that it’s almost unethical not to cover them because the program is so useful. I’ve prob made 20x business class redemptions in the last two years using them. $1200 return to Japan in biz!! Singapore to Chicago for 700$. Bangkok to Frankfurt 1000$ and so on.
In regards to the added miles that Ben used to get readers, he always said he did not get paid and I believe him. I assume the extra clicks and readership from such promotions is where he gets paid and I’m fine with rhat.
I’m truly happy that you have received so much value from this program. I have found the space generally blocked, even before the latest increased blocking, on the routes I needed/wanted, like traveling from LAX to ZRH on LX or FRA on LH.
Matthew, I’m sorry you bought LifeMiles that are worth less. But that’s the game we play. I can’t think of an airline that hasn’t done shady things in the past 20 years. Your argument would much more sense if you also boycotted UA, DL and several other programs, which have behaved worse than LifeMiles. I left United a couple of years ago after being a longtime 1K as there were other programs with a bigger bang for my buck. But I didn’t completely stop flying them or using MileagePlus strategically. I would do the same for LifeMiles – use them when it’s suitable. Earn and burn.
Agree
Mileage plus far more reprehensible. But hey they can do what they like.
It’s apples and oranges. I’ll respond to your comments tomorrow.
I haven’t bought Lifemiles in years and my balance was zero…it’s not about that at all.
As for United, I’m still a 1K, but a free agent this year and don’t have a UA-issued credit card. But as I explained, a boycott of United does not make sense precisely because United is already too big.
You’re right from a practical standpoint. It is tough to avoid flying AA, DL, UA if you live in the US. I live in a Delta fortress hub so can’t avoid them even though I can’t stand their hubris. I even have their credit card for free bags and MQD. But as a matter of principle, boycotting smaller programs will only allow the big to get bigger and treat consumers worse. Lifemiles is a niche program that hopefully knows that consumers will abandon them if they behave the same way as the US Big 3 or ME 3 or big European carriers.
Objectively, Ben is the biggest credit card pitch man on the internet. May be he is providing a valuable service. May be he is a reprehensible shill. You make the call. But he is what is and we should not be surprised (or particularly care) that he sees things through the lens of a vacuous corporate marketing guy. Those points offers that you bought paid for his condo.
“And it is true that even the worst frequent flyer programs have relative sweet spots and these particular redemption pairs are objectively and comparatively a good deal.”
Right. I don’t really care about boycotts. I’m always just looking for good deals, whatever the program. So I accumulate miles on cards I can deploy as needed, or on airline cards where they give a 3x or more multiplier on certain purchases. I don’t buy miles unless I have an immediate use for them. Some airline always seems to have a saver award when I need it. Coming up, all in international business, I have 2 VS for 29k each, 3 LH for 80k UA miles, and 3 BA for 57.5k. Deals are out there.
And I try not to park miles on airlines I don’t regularly fly or buy their miles on speculation. Even when I fly DL, I credit to FB, where I know I will use them.
Maybe I’m just boycotting every program that doesn’t offer saver awards in favor of those that do. On a flight-by-flight basis.
And that’s fair, but wouldn’t it be even better if the program didn’t devalue without notice…wouldn’t it be better if it provided notice first?
Most saver type availability is close in. If lifemiles said “you have three months grace period” I’m not sure it would help me that much. Because I don’t have a stack of points parked there. If they doubled syd to Tokyo tomorrow with a grade period (to still be less than United) I probably wouldn’t buy in the next sale. That’s where the supply and demand works. I can’t search for biz seats in October because I doubt they exist.
I just think it’s strange to target lifemiles who have so much value and who in a strange way stick it to the big guys yet no vitriol is directed at United or Alaska.
The avgeek community is a niche market and I don’t think boycotting would impact a program or punish them in anyway. 99% of passengers don’t care where they sit , when they board , how many miles they accrue , etc. The same can be said with sneakerheads and watch enthusiasts. 99% of the people won’t notice you’re wearing $5000 Steph curry Nike or a $100000 AP watch.
Sure, but buying Lifemiles is not for the mass audience…who do you think buys those miles?
Maybe people who read OMAAT. but I don’t think Ben could be clearer with every article he writes… beware of lifemiles. It’s niche. They block partners. They have a horrendous help desk… it’s been the same for years and years and years! But if you have an award impending buy them and have a go! Don’t buy speculatively. I could probably write Ben’s standard article verbatim off the top of my head.
I won’t be boycotting lifemiles. BUT I generally give loyalty programs the same loyalty as they give me. In most cases that’s zero. For a few, and lifemiles has joined that few, it’s negative. For me to buy or transfer to lifemiles I’d need to find availability for someplace I wanted to go at significantly cheaper than any other program because I’d be taking the risk that between getting the miles and booking, prices would change.
Debating another blogger’s obvious clickbait post is silly.
Love your logic. Can’t agree more.
I grew up learning that your most influential vote in life is that of your pocketbook. If the company doesn’t act according to your values then not doing business with them is the best thing. Sometimes it’s difficult to do when the business still. Offers some great value.
As an example, Your unmoderated comments section with gay bashing unrelated to travel makes it increasingly difficult to support your site. Tough sometimes to do because you have some great content