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AerClub is the frequent flyer program of Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus, which is headquartered at Dublin Airport in Cloghran, Dublin County. Through the Aer Lingus AerClub program, members can earn Avios, a rewards currency shared with British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Qatar Airways and several smaller airlines. Avios can be freely transferred between any of the programs that use the currency.
However, when used through the AerClub program, Avios can be redeemed for flights with Aer Lingus, upgrades on Aer Lingus flights, hotel stays, car rentals and experiences. Plus, by logging into your Aer Lingus account on Avios.com, you can also use Avios to purchase flights on British Airways, Iberia and Vueling.
However, if you want to maximize the value of your Avios through Aer Lingus AerClub, redeeming them for flights is the best way to do so. It’s also worth noting that you can widely expand your redemption options by transferring your Avios to other Avios-using programs, such as British Airways Executive Club.
If you plan to redeem Avios through the AerClub program, you should be aware that Aer Lingus prices its own award flights according to a distance-based award chart. Award prices also vary based on the cabin class you’re flying in (economy or business class) and whether you’re flying on peak or off-peak dates.
Aer Lingus publishes a calendar for peak and off-peak dates on its website.
AerClub Award Chart for Flights on Aer Lingus and Partner Airlines
Aer Lingus publishes an award chart for its flights (as well as flights operated by British Airways, Iberia and Vueling) based on distance. The award chart is divided into six zones and redemption rates vary based on your cabin class and whether you’re traveling during off-peak or peak dates.
The redemption rates in this award chart are based on one-way flights. If you want to find out the price of a round-trip itinerary, you can simply double the values listed below:
| Zone | Distance (in miles) | Off-Peak Economy | Off-Peak Business | Peak Economy | Peak Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 - 650 | 4,000 | N/A | 4,500 | N/A |
| 2 | 651 - 1,151 | 6,500 | N/A | 7,500 | N/A |
| 3 | 1,152 - 2,000 | 8,500 | N/A | 10,000 | N/A |
| 4 | 2,001 - 3,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | 3,001 - 4,000 | 13,000 | 50,000 | 20,000 | 60,000 |
| 6 | 4,001 - 5,500 | 16,250 | 62,500 | 25,000 | 75,000 |
As you can see, Aer Lingus doesn’t offer any Zone 4 redemptions. This is because Aer Lingus doesn’t currently operate any flights that are between 2,001 and 3,000 miles in distance. Aer Lingus also only offers business class on long-haul international flights, which is why business class awards are only available for awards in Zone 5 and 6.
As an example, flights between Dublin, Ireland, and Lisbon, Portugal, would be considered Zone 2 redemptions. So, if you were to book an economy award flight between Dublin and Lisbon during off-peak season, it would cost 6,500 Avios one-way and 13,000 Avios round-trip. Booking an economy award flight between Dublin and Lisbon during peak season would cost 7,500 Avios one-way and 15,000 Avios round-trip.
It’s worth noting that Aer Lingus-operated award flights can be booked directly through the Aer Lingus AerClub website. However, if you want to use Avios that are in an AerClub account to purchase flights operated by British Airways, Iberia or Vueling, you’ll have to login at Avios.com with your AerClub credentials.
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Aer Lingus AerClub Award Chart for Upgrades on Aer Lingus
AerClub members can use Avios for upgrades on Aer Lingus flights. However, since business class is only available on long-haul international flights, these are the only flights on which you can redeem Avios for upgrades.
The following tables include how many Avios you’ll need to upgrade from economy class to business class on one-way Aer Lingus flights. If you want to know the price of a round-trip upgrade, you can simply double the values below:
| To and from Ireland and North America | Off-Peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Hartford, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington D.C., Minneapolis | 37,000 | 44,750 |
| Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle | 46,250 | 55,000 |
| To and from Manchester and North America | Off-Peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 37,000 | 44,750 |
| Barbados, Orlando | 46,250 | 55,000 |
For example, if you wanted to upgrade from economy class to business class on an Aer Lingus-operated flight from Dublin, Ireland, to New York during peak season, it would cost you 44,750 Avios. Upgrading from economy class to business class on an Aer Lingus-operated flight from Manchester, United Kingdom, to New York during off-peak season would cost you 37,000 Avios.
Note that you must be already booked on an Aer Lingus long-haul international flight in order to redeem Avios for upgrades through the AerClub program.
The Bottom Line
You can earn Avios through the Aer Lingus AerClub program in a variety of ways, including flying with Aer Lingus and partner airlines, spending on Aer Lingus co-branded credit cards, transferring points from credit card rewards programs and more. Then, you can choose to redeem those Avios in a variety of ways.
But, if you want to get the most value possible out of your Avios through the Aer Club program, the best way to do so is by redeeming them for award flights, which are priced according to the award chart above.
Unfortunately, the AerClub program only currently allows members to redeem Avios for award flights on Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. So, if you want more redemption options for your Avios, we recommend transferring them to another Avios-using program, such as British Airways Executive Club.
Still, if you want to redeem your Avios for flights on Aer Lingus, AerClub is a good program through which to do so. In that case, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the Aer Lingus award chart above.
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Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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