LifeMiles status tiers and Elite miles thresholds
Star Alliance · Elite miles
Tier thresholds cited to the programme’s own pages as read on 27 September 2026. Calculate your Elite miles ↓
LifeMiles at a glance
- LifeMiles has 4 elite tiers, from Red Plus at 6,000 Elite miles to Diamond at 45,000 Elite miles.
- Annual qualifying period — points accumulate across the full year.
- Gold (24,000 Elite miles) is the lowest tier with Star Alliance Gold lounge access.
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 Elite miles in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. That is 2 returns to Red Plus from zero.
Elite tiers
| Tier | Elite miles required from zero |
|---|---|
| Red Plus | 6,000 |
| Silver | 12,000 |
| Gold Star Alliance Gold | 24,000 |
| Diamond | 45,000 |
Gold confers Star Alliance Gold — the lowest tier in this programme with alliance-wide lounge access. Alliance mapping last verified 6 August 2026. Conditions beyond the threshold: Minimum 12,000 of the 24,000 qualifying miles must be flown on Avianca; Calendar-year qualification window (1 January – 31 December). Compare lounge access across programmes →
Requirements beyond the threshold
- Gold — Minimum 12,000 of the 24,000 qualifying miles must be flown on Avianca.
These apply in addition to the Elite miles figure, so reaching the number alone does not confer the tier.
Every tier carries a minimum flown on Avianca's own metal alongside the total — Red Plus 1,000 of 6,000, Silver 3,000 of 12,000, Gold 12,000 of 24,000, Diamond 22,500 of 45,000 — so there is no partner-only route to any rung. The thresholds shown are the rest-of-world ladder; Colombian residents qualify on a lower one (4,000 / 8,000 / 20,000 / 45,000), which is not modelled. Avianca's own flights earn by fare brand at a flat rate per US dollar of base fare — Basic nothing, Classic 5 miles per US$1, Flex 7, Business 7 — so pick a fare brand, and enter the fare in dollars for Avianca's own arithmetic. Partner activity converts to qualifying miles at 1 per 2 miles earned (Avianca and GOL at 1 per mile, bonus miles at 1 per 20), and Iberia is scored at zero and flagged as unverified: LifeMiles' terms exclude Iberia miles from Elite progress but its Elite page now says all miles count.
How we checked this
Checked against lifemiles.com, August 2026; LifeMiles' terms were read again on 26 September 2026.
Publisher pages read: lifemiles.com.
Programmes change their rules without notice — confirm a figure with LifeMiles before you rely on it.
Part-way up this ladder? See how to reach your next tier in LifeMiles to see how far you are from your next tier and ways to close the gap.
What a return earns
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 Elite miles in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight.
- LHR–CDG: no figure — no rule captured. No published rate captured for this carrier pair in any of the cabin's booking classes — not a statement that it earns nothing.
| Tier | Elite miles | Economy returns |
|---|---|---|
| Red Plus | 6,000 | 2 |
| Silver | 12,000 | 4 |
| Gold | 24,000 | 7 by Elite miles alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder |
| Diamond | 45,000 | 14 |
Computed by the same engine as the calculator, on the reference routes behind the lowest status thresholds. Your own fare, class and route will differ: the calculator below prices them.
LifeMiles: questions and answers
- How many Elite miles do I need for LifeMiles status?
- From a standing start: Red Plus 6,000 Elite miles, Silver 12,000 Elite miles, Gold 24,000 Elite miles, Diamond 45,000 Elite miles. The number alone is not always enough. Gold: Minimum 12,000 of the 24,000 qualifying miles must be flown on Avianca.
- Which LifeMiles tier gives lounge access?
- Gold, at 24,000 Elite miles, is the lowest tier that confers Star Alliance Gold, with lounge access across the alliance. Conditions beyond the threshold: Minimum 12,000 of the 24,000 qualifying miles must be flown on Avianca; Calendar-year qualification window (1 January – 31 December).
- How many flights does it take to reach LifeMiles status?
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 Elite miles in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. On that basis, the economy returns needed from zero are: Red Plus 2, Silver 4, Gold 7 (plus conditions), Diamond 14. Tiers marked with conditions also need more than the points; see the tier ladder. Other cabins, classes and routes earn differently; the calculator on this page prices your own trip.
Calculate your Elite miles
Add further segments and adjust detail in the full builder after calculating.
Earning reference
Booking classesEvery Elite miles rate, by booking class
The full reference table for LifeMiles: each operating carrier crossed with each booking class, the rate we hold, and the earning model behind it. Only classes with a rate we have captured from the programme are listed — nothing is filled in with a guess.
Open the booking-class table →LifeMiles status matches out
Into Kenya Airways — Asante Rewards
- Diamond → Platinum Elite Plus (Status match)
- Gold → Gold Elite Plus (Status match)
- Silver → Silver Elite (Status match)
Into KM Malta Airlines — KM Rewards
- Diamond or Gold → Pioneer (Status match)
- Silver → Explorer (Status match)