Who Is the LANPASS Visa Signature Card Good For?
LAN Airlines is the flag carrier of Chile. Its award program, LANPASS, has some very nice features, and since the merger with Brazilian giant TAM, it has become even more valuable. The LANPASS Visa Signature card from U.S. Bank is a great option for earning extra kilometers with the program, so anyone who frequently travels to South America should consider adding it to their portfolio.
U.S. Bank offers three LANPASS visa cards in America:
- LANPASS Visa Signature card: $75 annual fee
- LANPASS Visa card: $45 annual fee
- LANPASS Visa Secured card: $25 annual fee
Although the Visa Signature card has the highest annual fee, it also offers the best benefits. In addition to a higher sign-up bonus and annual renewal bonus, you’ll get 25 percent bonus kilometers and three annual upgrades on LAN flights, plus a 20 percent discount on your first LAN or TAM flight purchased every year.
The LANPASS card rewards miles, but the LANPASS program uses kilometers as its currency. The miles earned on the card are worth about 1.6 kilometers.
Sign-Up Bonus:
The card comes with a 20,000-mile sign-up bonus after the first purchase. That’s worth about 32,000 LAN kilometers. You’ll also get a 4,000-mile annual bonus.
Miles Earned:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on LAN and TAM Airlines
- 1 mile per dollar on everything else
What Do Your Miles Get You?
LAN Airlines is a member of the oneworld alliance, and it has two nonalliance partners: Alaska Airlines and Aeromexico.
Although they’ve merged, LAN and TAM still function mostly as separate airlines. Until the joint reservation system becomes operational in 2017, you have to book LAN and TAM flights on their respective websites.
Usage Perks:
- 20 percent off the first LAN or TAM purchase every year
- 25 percent kilometer bonus when flying on LAN
- No fuel surcharges
- Kilometers plus cash redemption option
- Three free annual upgrades
- Kilometers don’t expire for three years
- One stopover and open jaw allowed
Usage Quirks:
- Low sign-up bonus
- Cumbersome and sometimes buggy website
- Phone booking fee
- No one-way redemptions on partners
How Far Do Your Miles Go?
LANPASS has a distance-based award chart. LAN kilometers are most valuable when used on short- and medium-haul flights, particularly on routes where cash tickets are expensive.
A one-way segment of 1,900 km can get you from New York to Nassau, Miami and Panama City, or from Los Angeles to Vancouver. A 1,900-km flight costs 14,000 LAN kilometers, making round-trip tickets between those locations 28,000 LAN kilometers. That’s a good deal, since those routes are typically expensive.
Additional Cardholder Benefits:
- Zero liability
- Travel delay and luggage insurance
- Visa concierge assistance
- Access to ticket packages to popular sporting events
- Exclusive movie ticket discounts
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- Warranty manager service