Avianca Vuela Visa® Card Review
By: Heather Hanks Sep. 11, 2019
The Avianca Vuela Visa® Card is the best way to save while you travel. It allows you to earn LifeMiles that can be redeemed for various perks and rewards. You'll get three LifeMiles for every dollar you spend on eligible Avianca purchases. This includes a welcome offer of 40,000 LifeMiles when you use your card within 90 days of account opening.
There is an annual fee of $149 tied to the card, but you’ll make up for this in other ways. There are no foreign transaction fees, and you’ll get free additional checked bag on trips between the United States and Central America. The Avianca Vuela Visa® card also allows you to save big on everyday purchases. Check out our Avianca Vuela Visa® Card review below.
What is the Avianca Vuela Visa® Card?
The Avianca Vuela Visa Card is one of two cards offered by Avianca, which is an airline that specializes in traveling to Latin American countries. The airlines is not as widely known in the United States as other airlines, but you’ll want to get to know it if you travel to Costa Rica or Columbia often. Avianca allows its card members to save money and earn points by charging their purchases to their Avianca Visa Cards.
The Avianca Vuela Visa card is the top tier card among the two offered. It comes with a higher annual fee, but you’ll also get more perks. It works by enrolling you in a LifeMiles program and assigning you LifeMiles for all of your purchases. You’ll earn the most LifeMiles when you make purchases at Avianca. You’ll still earn when you use it on other everyday purchases, but the LifeMiles won’t be as valuable.
Here are some of the basic fees and perks associated with the card:
APR rate
The Avianca Vuela Visa card has an annual fee of $149 and the APR ranges from 14.99% to 27.99%, depending on your credit score. Your APR will also be influenced by the Prime Rate. There are several other fees to be aware of. For example, the APR for cash advances is 25.99% to 29.99%. There is also a penalty APR of 29.99% that goes into effect if you miss a required minimum payment approximately 60 days after its due date. Your APR will return to normal after you pay off your balance and keep paying on time for another six billing cycles. We think that this is good motivation to make sure you never miss a payment! Doing so can also hurt your credit score.
Balance Transfer
You can transfer your credit card balances from other cards to your Avianca Vuela Visa card at 0% APR for the first 12 months. This is a great way to save interest on balances that you owe. Your APR will return to the normal rates of 14.99% to 27.99% after your 12 months is up. You must transfer your balances within the first 90 days of account opening to take advantage of this offer. We also like that the Avianca Vuela Visa Card gives you a welcome bonus of 40,000 LifeMiles after your first use (plus additional 20,000 bonus miles after at least $1,000 spend on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Don't forget to use Promo code SB4060 when completing an application in order to receive the additional 20,000 welcome bonus miles after qualifying purchases). Other credit card companies will try to entice you to spend more to get this bonus.
For example, American Express offers similar welcome bonus rewards. But you have to spend around $1,000 to $3,000 within the first three months to get it. Avianca does not set a limit on your purchase to get the welcome bonus. In other words, there is not a set spend limit on purchases for the base welcome bonus of 40,000 (since there is a spend limit on the additional 20,000 bonus). This means that your first purchase can be as small as a cup of coffee or as large as an out of country business flight. We like this type of no-strings-attached policy. It shows that Avianca wants to reward you for your business no matter how big or small your purchases are.
What does Avianca Vuela Visa® Card offer?
The Avianca Vuela Visa card offers more perks that the Vida Visa card, but it also has a higher annual fee. Because it’s a Visa card, you’ll enjoy amenities such as emergency card replacement and fraud protection for unauthorized charges. We also like that the card has a chip for added security. You’ll earn the most rewards and savings on travel-related expenses. These include an auto rental collision damage waiver for car rentals, a 50% discount on award tickets redeemed for travel on eligible purchases, and a free additional baggage when you travel between the United States and Central America.
Here are some other perks that you can expect from your Avianca Vuela Visa card:
Built-in chip for added security
Auto rental collision damage waiver (you won’t have to fill one out everytime you rent a car)
Cash advances, balance transfers and convenience check fees are 2% of the amount of each transaction (the minimum fee is $2; the maximum is $10)
Option for auto-pay so that you never miss a payment
Statements can be sent electronically
You can manage your account online anytime and anywhere
Fraud protection and protection against other unauthorized charges
Travel accident insurance
Emergency card replacement
Receive a 50% discount on an award ticket that is redeemed for travel from the United States to Columbia or Central America (only eligible after you spend $12,000 each year)
Receive an additional 50% discount on an award ticket from the United States to Columbia or Central America after you spend $24,000 on your card in one year
15% discount on the purchase of additional LifeMiles
Enjoy a free additional piece of baggage when you travel between Central America and the United States (your first bag is already free, so you get two free bags)
0% APR for 12 months when you transfer your existing credit card balance to your Avianca Vuela Visa card within the first 90 days of opening the account (after 12 months, your APR returns to normal rates of 14.99 – 27.99%)
There is a 15% discount on LifeMiles that comes standard with either your Avianca Vuela Visa card or your Vida Visa card. This is a nice feature because it allows you to buy additional LifeMiles at a discounted rate and use them on airfare redemption. It’s important to note that LifeMiles cannot be redeemed for cash. Each LifeMile has a cash value of about $0.1 to $0.3, depending on what you use them for. Your LifeMiles are valued the most when you redeem them for additional travel or purchases at Avianca and Star Alliance. If you don’t travel out of the country often, then you can use your LifeMiles on United Airlines flights within the United States.
How does Avianca Vuela Visa® Card work?
The Avianca Vuela Visa card works by allowing you to earn LifeMiles each time you make a purchase. Your LifeMiles are worth the most when you use your card to buy travel-related purchases at Avianca. You’ll also earn two LifeMiles for gas station and grocery store purchases and one LifeMile on everything else. You just won’t save as much on those items. We like that this card allows you to use it for business, travel, and everyday purchases. If you’re looking to condense your wallet, then consider the Avianca Vuela Visa card as the only credit card you need if you travel within the Latin American countries often.
When you sign up for the Avianca Vuela Visa card, you’ll be enrolled in the LifeMiles program. You’ll want to make sure you can sign into your account and manage your details by going to www.lifemiles.com. You can also redeem your miles and learn more about the value of your miles by visiting the LifeMiles website. If you fall short of meeting your required miles for a particular trip, then you can buy LifeMiles at a discounted rate of 15% off. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t miss any payments because your APR will increase for six months.
Here is some important information to remember when redeeming your LifeMiles:
Avianca Vuela Visa® Credit Card: PROS and CONS
We like that the Avianca Vuela Visa Card has good value if you use it to travel between North America and Central America. You can earn LifeMiles on just about any purchase you make, including at grocery stores and gas stations. This makes it a great choice for the avid traveler as well as someone who wants rewards on everyday purchases. We also like that Avianca has taken steps to make sure your travels are easier. The card provides discounts and free baggage check. It also includes travel insurance and auto rental collision waivers for rental cars.
However, if you do not travel often to Latin American countries, then these rewards might not be as valuable to you. You’ll earn three LifeMiles for every dollar spent on travels through Avianca. But you’ll earn less miles for daily purchases, such as at grocery stores and gas stations. The card rewards you for spending more money. For example, spending $24,000 on your each in one year allows you a second discounted rate of 50% on an airline ticket. You’ll still earn 50% off if you only spend $12,000 on your card in one year. This means that the more you spend, the more you’ll save.
Here are some pros and cons of the card to be aware of before filling out an application.
Avianca Vuela Visa® Card PROS
Avianca Vuela Visa® Card CONS
How To Apply Vuela Vida Visa® Credit Card
You’ll need to have excellent credit to qualify for the Avianca Vuela Visa card. Keep in mind that Avianca will do a hard pull on your credit to check your credit score. This will show up on your credit report. Be sure this is the right card for you before applying. You’ll also need to make sure that you make all payments on time. If not, your APR will spike for six billing cycles.
When you’re ready to apply, go to the website and click on the apply now button. It helps to have all financial information in front of you to speed up the process.
You’ll be asked for your personal details, such as your address, social security number, and email.
You can also keep your LifeMiles in good standing by redeeming some of your miles on Avianca airlines, an affiliate carrier or through a LifeMiles participant. If you don’t use your card or your miles at least once every 24 months, then your miles and balance will be zero.
The above review on the Avianca Vuela Visa card is based solely on the opinion of Creditnervana. We believe that the Avianca Vuela Visa card is a great value if you travel within the Americas often. You’ll be rewarded in LifeMiles each time you use your card. These LifeMiles can be redeemed for additional purchases at Avianca and its partners for travel-related expenses.
The card comes with a $149 annual fee, but you’ll make up for this in perks and rewards. We like that you can earn two LifeMiles for every dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores. This makes the Avianca Vuela Visa card a great everyday card, too. Keep in mind that your LifeMiles are most valuable when spent on travel. If you travel within the Americas often, then you need this card.
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Disclaimer
CreditNervana promises to keep our information as accurate and up-to-date as possible. However, you should always consult a financial advisor for specific questions about personal or business finances and investment opportunities, especially if you are looking in your area. Working with a trained professional who is familiar with your case is a safe and guaranteed way to make the best investment decision possible. Please review our terms and conditions before making any decision based on the information we provide. Financial institutions are constantly changing. Because of this, it’s a good idea to cross check the information you read here with any company you are considering working with.
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