Banco Popular has sent letters to Avianca credit cardholders to advise them that their partnership with LifeMiles has ended and as a result they’ll be closing all Avianca credit cards from March 31, 2022.
The letter from Banco Popular states the following:
Thank you for being a valued member of Avianca Vida Visa. We are notifying you that the Credit Card Program between Banco Popular of Puerto Rico (BPPR) and LifeMiles has ended. Therefore, BPPR will terminate the Avianca credit card agreements, including Avianca Vida Visa and Avianca Vuela Visa. Under the Credit Card Agreement (Agreement) for Avianca Vida Visa and Avianca Vuela Visa, both BPPR and you have the right to close the account at any time. BPPR has chosen to exercise this contractual right and through this communication we hereby notify that the abovementioned account will be closed effective on March 31, 2022.
As you can see, all Avianca credit cards will be closed rather than being converted to a different type of credit card issued by Banco Popular.
Avianca credit cards weren’t overly popular because the Vida and Vuela cards had $59 and $149 annual fees respectively. People therefore only tended to get them when their welcome offers were increased to 40,000 LifeMiles and 60,000 LifeMiles respectively when spending $1,000 in three months, with these increased offers requiring the use of a promo code rather than being automatic.
Although it came with a $149 annual fee, the Avianca Vuela card did have a few things going for it that had the potential to make it worthwhile for someone who frequently flew on Avianca metal and spent a lot on the card:
- 3x points on Avianca purchases
- 2x points on gas & grocery
- Free bag for travel between the US & South America
- 50% off one award ticket to Colombia or Central America after $12K spend
- 50% off a 2nd award ticket to Colombia or Central America after $24K spend
The good thing is that it won’t be hard to maintain activity on LifeMiles accounts seeing as they not only run frequent sales on their points, but they’re also a transfer partner of a number of currencies:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Citi ThankYou
- Capital One
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Brex
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don`t cancel the card let them do it
It was a free second bag between US and Central America. When I tried to add to a flight to COLOMBIa I got denied. Sux they closed the card as I liked multiply miles with it. They did refund my annual fee however.
I’m going to venture a guess that another bank may be courting them so it makes sense to close this relationship down.
Maybe, but doesn’t closing this relationship down actually give them less leverage in negotiating with another bank?
Well. I didn’t get that letter, and I just paid the annual fee. (Called to see about an offer to keep the card and there was none, so I paid the fee. I use these miles for United flights regularly.) I don’t suppose there is any chance of getting that $149 back….
Call them so you could get your annual fee
You should see a refund automatically post.
I never saw the annual fees as an issue. They were always willing to quickly cancel the AF each year with no argument whatsoever – even with pretty much no spend on the card.
Maybe writing off so many AFs led to the cards being unprofitable for Banco Popular.
transferring miles in did not extend my lifemiles. Not sure if buying will.
The expiration counter doesn’t update immediately, but I transferred miles from Citi in July and it extended my miles until July 31, 2022
Yes
Second year of my card is up for renewal soon. They did waive it last year. Was going to cancel anyway. I’m guessing if I cancel it will look better on my credit report.