If you’ve ever dreamed of flying Business Class, Avianca upgrade options can make that dream a reality. Whether you’re planning a special occasion or simply want to treat yourself, an upgrade can take your flight experience to the next level—and for a lot less. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to take advantage of Avianca’s different upgrade options.
A Snapshot of Avianca Upgrade Options
From extra legroom to gourmet meals and personalized service, an upgraded seat on Avianca can get you a lot more for fairly less. Below is a snapshot of Avianca upgrade options. Go through the points and decide for yourself whether it’s worth the extra cost.
- Avianca upgrades allow you to enjoy the benefits of a higher class of service without paying the full price of a premium ticket. Upgraded passengers enjoy a range of benefits, including access to premium lounges, increased baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding, and enhanced in-flight services.
- Avianca upgrades can be made in the following ways:
- By bidding for an upgrade
- By purchasing an upgrade with cash or miles (LifeMiles)
- By purchasing a last-minute upgrade at the airport
- Upgrades are available for both domestic and international flights, depending on availability and eligibility.
- Bid Upgrades allow you to make an offer based on how much you are willing to pay for an upgrade. The highest bidders have a greater chance of securing an upgrade.
- Avianca Upgrades can be requested at the time of booking or later through the airline’s website or customer service.
- Avianca Upgrades are available on flights operated by Avianca Airlines, as well as partner airlines within the Star Alliance network.
- Elite members of Avianca’s loyalty program, LifeMiles, are entitled to complimentary upgrades as well as priority access to upgrades based on membership level.
- Not all fares may be eligible for upgrades, so it’s best to check the fare conditions of your ticket before making your booking.
- The availability of upgrades is limited and can vary by flight route, date, and demand. So always plan and secure your upgrade as early as possible.
Avianca Bid for Upgrade
If you’re tired of cramped airplane seats and limited legroom but don’t want to break the bank, Avianca Bid for Upgrade program may just be the solution you’ve been waiting for. In this section, we’ll explore how Avianca upgrade bids work and how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity to elevate your travel experience.
Business Class Upgrade Auction
Avianca Business Class Upgrade Auction allows you to bid for an upgrade to Business Class (i.e., the highest available class of service) on eligible flights. After you have booked your ticket in a lower class (such as Economy), you can bid for an upgrade, specifying the maximum amount you are willing to pay. The highest bidder(s) at the end of the auction will be awarded the coveted Business Class seat(s). If you’re looking for a chance to elevate your travel experience without breaking the bank, you may find Avianca Business Class Upgrade Auction worth considering.
To participate in Avianca Upgrade to Business Class program, follow the steps below to place your offer:
- Go to Avianca.com
- Select the Upgrade to Business Class option
- Enter your Reservation code and First surname
- Click on the I want an upgrade! button
- Make your Avianca upgrade offer
- Choose the amount you’re willing to pay for the upgrade on each leg of your trip.
- Your upgrade offer (bid amount) is in addition to the price of your ticket.
- The bid amount (upgrade offer) will apply only to the route you select.
- Enter your payment details
- Provide your credit card information.
- If you’re granted an upgrade, your credit card will be charged with the bid amount.
- If your bid is unsuccessful, your card will not be charged.
- Review and submityour upgrade offer
- Check that the information provided by you is correct.
- Submit your upgrade offer.
- Confirmation message
- Avianca will send you an email confirming the receipt of your upgrade offer.
- Status of your upgrade offer
- If your bid/upgrade offer is successful:
- You will be notified by email at least 24 hours before departure.
- Your credit card will be charged for the upgrade.
- You will receive your upgraded e-ticket.
- If your upgrade offer is unsuccessful:
- Your credit card will not be charged.
- You can keep your original seat.
- If your bid/upgrade offer is successful:
Important
- Avianca upgrades are handled by Plusgrade.
- Elite members of Avianca’s loyalty program, Lifemiles, are entitled to complimentary upgrades.
- Elite Silver and Gold tier members will receive priority when bidding for upgrades.
- If your offer through the Upgrade Your Experience program is accepted, you will be entitled to the following Business Class privileges:
- VIP Lounge access (if available)
- (Increased) Business Class baggage allowance
- Priority Check-in
- Priority boarding
- Priority baggage handling
- The comfort of a Business Class seat
- Even if your upgrade offer is accepted, the fare conditions of your original ticket will continue to apply in relation to flight cancellation policies, change policies, penalties, and the accrual of miles under LifeMiles.
- If your bid for upgrade offer is accepted, Avianca’s system will put a temporary hold on your credit card for the full amount of the bid. You could receive an SMS or email from your bank as a pending charge on your account.
- You can modify or cancel your bid for upgrade offer up to 26 hours before departure through the link appearing on the e-mail you would have received informing you that your bid has been received.
- If your bid for upgrade offer is accepted before you could modify or cancel, you must pay the price indicated in your initial offer. Similarly, if your offer is accepted after modification, you must pay the modified price stated in your offer.
- The total amount charged by Avianca will include the value of your offer plus applicable taxes and fees (if any) toward the Upgrade.
- If for some reason your upgrade cannot be processed, the temporary hold on your credit card will be released within 5 – 10 business days, and under no circumstances will your credit card be charged.
- Once accepted, upgrade offers are non-refundable and non-transferable.
- You will only be entitled to a refund of your upgrade payment if:
- Your flight is cancelled by Avianca.
- If your flight is rescheduled and no Business Class seat is available to accommodate you.
- You could not be assigned a Business Class seat due to a change of aircraft, delayed connection, etc.
- To request a refund (as described above), you will need to complete the following form no later than 3 months after departure. If approved, the refund (minus applicable bank charges) will be made in the same currency and to the same credit card that was used to pay for the bid.
Other Bid for Upgrade Must-Knows
- Upgrade offers can only made using a credit card.
- Upgrade offers apply only to the flight segment(s) and flight(s) mentioned in the email you received to bid for an upgrade.
- Before submitting your final bid upgrade offer, you will be able to see the total bid upgrade amount.
- If your booking includes multiple passengers, you must bid for all the passengers in your booking. For example, if your booking has 4 passengers, an offer for USD 25 will add up to USD 100. Before submitting the offer, you’ll be able to see a total of USD 100 for the upgrade.
- Upgrades are subject to the availability of seats in Business Class.
- If your upgrade offer is accepted, you cannot be guaranteed a specific seat.
- After you submit a bid upgrade, your card will be subject to a temporary authorization hold of up to USD 1 for validation purposes. The charge will be reversed within 5-10 business days.
- If your credit card is declined, your upgrade will be forfeited.
- The price of the winning bid is confidential.
- You will be entitled to a full refund if you cannot be upgraded due to a force majeure situation or operational issues. If you have already accepted your upgrade offer, you must request a refund via customer care.
- You will not be entitled to any refund if you change, cancel, or miss your flight due to reasons attributable to you (unless due to a majeure force situation) even if your original flight ticket is refundable.
Avianca Upgrade with Miles
- Avianca Upgrades with LifeMiles
- You can upgrade your flight with Avianca’s LifeMiles. The number of miles required for an upgrade will depend on your route.
- Diamond tier members are entitled to 2 complimentary cabin upgrades (per year), subject to availability. You will be notified on the day of travel if your upgrade is granted.
- If you’re a LifeMiles member:
- You can redeem your LifeMiles for a cabin upgrade on eligible flights by calling Avianca’s call center as well as find out how many miles you will need per route for an upgrade.
- You can redeem your LifeMiles to request an upgrade from Economy to Business or from Business to First Class on some Star Alliance member airlines.
- Avianca Upgrades with Miles & More
- You can upgrade your seat through your local Miles & More team.
- To request an upgrade, contact the local Miles & More team (be sure to have your reservation number ready).
- The number of miles you’ll need to upgrade will depend on your route and travel class, as shown in the tables below:
| Flights Between Europe & Central/South America/the Caribbean | |||
| Original Travel Class | Booking Class | Upgrade to | Miles Required |
| Economy | B, Y | Business | 40,000 |
| Flights Between North America and the Caribbean/Central America | |||
| Original Travel Class | Booking Class | Upgrade to | Miles Required |
| Economy | B, Y | Business | 15,000 |
| Flights Between North America and South America | |||
| Original Travel Class | Booking Class | Upgrade to | Miles Required |
| Economy | B, Y | Business | 30,000 |
Avianca Upgrade Purchase
If you’ve already purchased your ticket, you can request an upgrade to Business Class by phone or online up to 4 hours before your flight’s departure. Paid upgrades are available on wide-body aircraft in the Americas and for flights from and to Europe.
Avianca Last-Minute Upgrade at the Airport
Avianca offers last-minute upgrades at the airport, providing passengers with an opportunity to enjoy a more luxurious and comfortable flying experience. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, this option allows you to enhance your journey by accessing premium amenities and services. From spacious seating to gourmet meals, dedicated flight attendants, and increased baggage allowance, a last-minute upgrade ensures that you have a more enjoyable flight.
To upgrade at the airport, all you need to do is ask for an upgrade to Business Class. If seats are available, you will need to pay an additional fee at the counter after which you will be issued a new boarding pass.
Avianca Business Class Upgrade
Avianca Business Class Upgrades offer a range of benefits to enhance your travel experience. To begin with, you can enjoy spacious and comfortable seating arrangements that provide ample legroom and reclining options, ensuring a restful journey. Additionally, you will have access to exclusive airport lounges, where you can relax before your flight with complimentary food and beverages, Wi-Fi access, and other amenities.
Onboard, you will be treated to complimentary meals (on long flights), accompanied by a selection of fine wines and spirits. Moreover, as a Business Class passenger, you will receive priority check-in, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling, saving you valuable time at the airport.
Major Benefits of Avianca Upgrade to Business Class.
The major benefits of upgrading to Avianca Business Class are provided in the table below.
| Priority check-in | Yes |
| Priority boarding | Yes |
| Priority baggage handling | Yes |
| Personal under-seat item | Yes |
| Carry-on baggage allowance | 22lb/10kg |
| Checked baggage allowance | 2 x 70lb/32kg each (vs 2 x 23/50lb each for others) |
| Flight changes (before departure) | Permitted |
| Flight changes (after departure) | Permitted |
| Refund (before departure) | Permitted |
| Refund of additional services (before departure) | Permitted |
| Airport check-in | Free |
| Priority boarding | Yes |
| Lie-flat seat (wide-body aircraft) | Yes |
| Mileage accrual per USD | 7 LifeMiles |
Avianca Business Class Upgrade Cost.
Avianca upgrade cost for Business Class will depend on your flight route, seat availability, and time of booking. You can check the upgrade cost directly with Avianca or online through the website (select and upgrade your flight but stop on the payments page). Once you know the upgrade price, you can decide whether you’d like to upgrade or not.
If you’re upgrading with miles (via Miles & More), the Business Class upgrade cost from Economy B/Y fares is 30,000 miles for flights between North America and South America; 15,000 miles between North America and Central America/the Caribbean; and 40,000 miles between Europe and Central/South America/the Caribbean.
If you’re upgrading with LifeMiles, call Avianca directly to know how many miles you’ll need to upgrade for your specific flight and route.
Avianca First Class Upgrade
Avianca does not offer First Class seats but it does offer excellent Business Class seats. Avianca business class cabins feature spacious seats that recline into fully flat beds (on wide-body aircraft). The airline also offers a range of premium amenities, including gourmet dining options, top-quality entertainment systems, and personalized service from dedicated crew members—not to forget priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Avianca Upgrades
Avianca offers a range of upgrade options, from upgrading your seat to enjoying access to exclusive airport lounges. In this section, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Avianca upgrades. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or new to the airline, you’ll find some useful information about upgrading your flight with Avianca.
An Avianca upgrade allows you to move from a lower cabin class to a higher class, such as from Economy to Business Class.
To qualify for a free upgrade on Avianca, you typically need to be a member of the airline’s loyalty program (LifeMiles) and should have accumulated enough miles or elite status.
Yes, you can request an upgrade at the time of booking, but availability is not guaranteed. It’s best to book early and check for availability closer to your travel date.
The cost of an Avianca upgrade will depend on your fare type, destination, and availability. It’s best to check with Avianca directly for specific pricing. If you’re upgrading with miles through your Miles & More account, the upgrade cost from Economy Class (B and Y fares) to Business Class will range from 15K — 40K miles, depending on your route, i.e.:
• 15K miles between North America and Central America/the Caribbean
• 30K miles between North America and South America
• 40K miles between Europe and Central/South America/the Caribbean.
Yes, you can use your Avianca miles to upgrade your ticket if you have enough in your account. Keep in mind that there may be additional fees associated with using miles for upgrades.
Upgrades are subject to availability and may not be available on all flights. It’s best to check directly with Avianca.
In most cases, you can only upgrade tickets that are under your name or the name of a family member if you meet certain criteria. However, if a flight booking made by you includes multiple passengers, you will be able to upgrade the booking for all the passengers in your booking.
You should request an upgrade as soon as possible, preferably at the time of booking or well in advance of your flight departure.
Avianca upgrades are non-transferable and can only be used by the passenger whose name is on the original ticket.
If your upgrade request is not approved, you will still travel in the originally booked cabin class.
You can request an upgrade to Business Class via Plusgrade by bidding for an upgrade on flights to and from Europe, as well as on wide-body aircraft to/from the Americas.
To bid for an upgrade to Business Class, go to the airline’s website, select the Upgrade to Business Class option, and provide your booking details in the required fields. Choose how much you’re willing to pay per way for your selected flight and then enter your credit card details, and submit your bid. If you’re awarded an upgrade, you’ll be notified (at least 24 hours in advance), your credit card will be charged with the bid amount, and you will receive your upgraded ticket by email. If your bid is not successful, you will not be charged and you can travel on your original ticket.