Lifemiles Tricks and Strategy

by Canadian Kilometers 52 Comments

Just like my US Airways Share Promotion strategy, I thought I’d write a post about lifemiles strategy and leveraging the purchase promo. By the way, I’ll be leaving some hints about amazing lifemiles tricks, so you want to read between the lines here. Or as always, you can send me an email about lifemiles tricks. I do not support publishing lifemiles tricks in the public available to all, so if you do see bloggers trying to do that and you’re curious, just send me an email about who’s doing it and I will try and tell you what they are writing about. Honestly for everyone who’s spent hours and hours searching for these lifemiles tricks, it’s only fair that their hard work doesn’t get destroyed. I’ve put quite a few hints in here, so continue reading.

Lifemiles Tricks and Purchasing Overview:

So to begin, just a few things that everyone should keep in mind with the purchase promotion:

  • To buy Lifemiles (and thus use Lifemiles Tricks) your account must be open before December 3rd.
  • You can purchase up to 150,000 miles in one calendar year.
  • Purchases are not processed by points.com, so you are likely to earn category bonuses.
  • Use a card with no forex fees to purchase (both in the USA and Canada).

One more thing that I want to note is that you can purchase Lifemiles at 1.5 cents with Cash and Points, but you will need to use 50% of cash rather than 60%. If you’re doing 60% of cash, you’ll end up purchasing points at 1.567 cents which is a poorer value.

Lifemiles Trick for 22.5k

Cash and Points Purchase

As you can see here, I’m purchasing 12000 miles f0r 180 USD, which is 1.5 cents.

If you’re eligible to purchase miles, you also want to remember that Lifemiles is quirky. It will error out at random points in time, so expect to be frustrated when booking. As well, the only Lifemiles itineraries that are bookable are ones that shows up on Lifemiles.com. If you look at the image, then that means the only other 

Lifemiles Tricks and Strategy for Cheap First Class

Cheap FC

This means that First Class is only available on December 11th and while united.com, and ANA may show available on other days, lifemiles will not show it. The two most likely reasons for this is that lifemiles will not show mixed class itineraries, and lifemiles will not show 99% of itineraries with long layovers, so if you think if you have come up with a potential lifemiles trick, you want to make sure that it doesn’t break those two “rules.” Also, remember, especially with 2/3 segment itineraries shown by lifemiles, you’ll need all legs available on the alternate days you want the space to show up to make it bookable.

A big hint in helping you find a lifemiles trick and showing up certain itineraries is forcing the time. That is all I will say about that.

Finding Lifemiles Tricks:

Now, lets talk about what lifemiles tricks there are. If you’ve never heard of lifemiles tricks, basically what they are certain routings that will reduce the cost of your trip. So instead of paying 75000 miles of whatever it is to go with Lifemiles on a regular routing in first class to South Asia, you can pay less than 30,000 if you use a lifemiles trick. I’ve been able to do TPAC and TATL for less than $600 (30,000 miles) and first class segments for less than $800 (53,000 Miles).

There are two main types of lifemiles tricks. The first is a mispriced city, where a city is mispriced. The second is a routing one, where you throwaway the second leg to make it cheaper. If you want an example, I mentioned one here briefly here in my trip report. As always, if you need help feel free to comment or send me an email about lifemiles tricks and I’ll see what I can do to help. For Americans other than buying miles you can apply for the Lifemiles credit card, issued by US Bank, which you can find through my links if you wish. (I don’t have affiliate links in this post.)

Lifemiles Tricks

Lifemiles US BANK Visa

As always, I prefer not to spell out lifemiles tricks in full, unless other bloggers do so and I will not know how I will react then. But if you do want ANY help about finding a lifemiles tricks, my email is always open. My email is canadiankilometers @ gmail.com.

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Comments

  2. What TPAC to central asia Biz in 30k?
    Can you please share the info via email?

    Thanks much for the gem of an info.

    ~Manikandan

    Reply

  6. Hi Jeff,
    Could you please also send me some tips for the 30K or others?
    I maybe be able to help you in return with a trick of my own.

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  7. I am trying to use it for my honeymoon trip. I have never flown business and I wanted to make it a special surprise for my bride. Could you please share the information per e-mail?
    Thanks!

    Reply

  8. Hi Jeff,

    I am sitting on a few lifemiles that I purchased to get my family to and from Asia. Any tricks you can share would be a huge help.

    Thanks

    Nate

    Reply

  11. The lonely-American-island trick and the remote-Russian-city trick were leaked. Check milevalue’s latest post. WTF.

    Reply

  12. Good day
    I’m interested in buying lifemiles to make a trip here from Brazil to the USA. Is there any of your tricks that can help me? please send me an email.
    Thank you

    Reply

  13. Hi, Jeff, I just did the island one! However, I still have some concerns about my trip. PLEASE send me an email. I promise that you will like my ticket( need to talk with you privately I think ) lol XD

    Reply

  15. Hi,

    would be great if you could give me some advice of the most mile efficient routing from lax to fra via asia, in c or f.

    thanks for your help, really appreciate it.

    Reply

  16. Hi Jeff.

    I’m going to Central America soon and I’d need to travel between Costa Rica and Panama and the tricks to get Lifemiles would be great. Would you mind to share some tricks to get some miles?

    Thanks.

    Reply

  18. Hi Jeff, I am planning an anniversary trip to Japan (Osaka) and would like to learn more about the LifeMiles trick as tickets are getting pricey toward summer so I am looking into buying miles to exchange for award seats. Is it possible to email me to provide some info on route between SFO/LAX to KIX/TYO? That will be great help! I also have some Delta and US Airways miles that can be used if they are of better use for the route I am looking into. Thank you very much for your time and talk to you later.

    Reply

  20. Hi Jeff! Would you mind to share some tricks to get some miles? I am planning travel with my family to south-america. thanks.

    Reply

  21. Hi Jeff, can you please kindly let me know the tricks? I have bought some lifemiles before and would like to enjoy the F/J class. How does the mispriced and the routing work? Can you personally email me the examples?

    Thank you so much!

    Reply

  23. Hi Jeff, could you kindly let me know some examples how you used the routing trick to largely reduced the mileage cost? Much appreciated!

    Reply

  24. Hi. Just getting to know Life miles. Would you be kind enough to share some of the tricks to get to Korea and Southeast Asia from the US? I know one to North Asia but no availability. Trying to get to Korea this summer and Southeast Asia this fall. Would like to try and take advantage of the promo going on. Thanks and great blog! Just found it!

    Reply

  25. Hello
    Can you please send me the nice City in Canada that I go use to go to EU, will be using Lifemiles.

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

  26. Yes, I would be interested learning these tricks as well. We are planning a trip SFO-TXL-CDG in C or F.

    Thank you so much.

    Reply

  27. I’m in Edmonton, and thinking of buying more Lifemiles for a business class trip to Hong Kong or Thailand.
    I have 48,000 miles now.
    What do you suggest?

    Reply

  28. Rewriting my message after fixing the above typos.
    I am trying to come back from EU to C1 ( J )using Lifemiles. Can you please PM me couple of city pairs I can use to get back to NYC.

    Reply

  29. Would love to travel from U.S. to Asia with options to save on Lifemiles. I’m aware of the a trick with North Asia, however that seems to be closed. Would love to have a PM regarding other possibilities. Thanks!

    Reply

  30. Yes, I agree with Abhinav. I would love to travel from the
    EU to C1 using lifemiles. Can you please PM me a couple of city pairs that I could use to get back to US mainland?
    Thanks!

    Reply

  31. I’m aware of gummy bears and it seems they just fixed that loophole. But I’ve been reading the flyertalk thread still can’t figure out the rest of the “codes” they use. Can you share some ideas with me via email? Thanks!

    Reply

  35. Hi – great post and I’m just learning! Appreciate any insights you can provide to help me fly my family of 4 to EU for summer. Would love the tricks via email.
    Thanks@

    Reply

  37. Hi,

    Its great to see a Canadian having a great travel blog. Hopefully blogs like these will one day revolutionize the FF game in Canada. I am an avid FF mile collector, with my main stash being AA, and currently some Avion and Amex points. Will greatly appreciate some tips from you about breaking into the Lifemiles program.

    Keep up the good work!

    Reply

  38. Any new lifemiles tricks?
    Also, what is the best frequent flyer mile to use for flying with in Australia?
    Thanks

    Reply

  39. Hi Jeff, thanks for your writing.
    can you please kindly let me know the tricks?
    I live in Russia, I’m looking for a good trick from Russia (Europe), Asia or from Asia back to Europe.
    I would like to enjoy the business class. Can you tell me personally the examples to my email?
    bie1969@yandex.ru
    Thank you so much!

    Reply

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