Is Aer Lingus AerClub a good option for British Airways refugees?

The Aer Lingus AerClub could be a good option for refugees from the British Airways Club. While it is not usually bandied about as a viable option, it would work depending on your travel pattern.

For the uninitiated, AerClub uses the same Avios currency as British Airways, Finnair, Qatar Airways, Vueling and Iberia. You can also transfer your points from Aer Lingus to BA and from there onwards to the others. This makes it attractive for collectors.

A Quick Overview of AerClub

There are four levels within the programme. When you join, you are a Green member, then you can progress to Silver, Platinum and Concierge. You need 301 Tier Credits to reach Silver, 601 for Platinum and 1,051 for Concierge. Luckily they are cumulative and don’t reset at each level.

Silver level gives you Priority Check-In, Fast-Track security, Priority Boarding, Lounge Access and a complimentary cabin bag on Aer Lingus. These are all the lovely tangible benefits that I like!

Platinum adds lounge access for a guest travelling with you, which is handy. The main benefit though is an upgrade coupon, meaning you can upgrade one transatlantic Aer Lingus flight to business class for nothing. With the Irish airline serving 18 cities in North America, there are plenty of options for that.

The top tier is Concierge and those people receive four complimentary upgrade coupons, a dedicated helpdesk and the ability to gift Silver status to someone else. They also receive a Companion ticket, were someone can travel with you and only pay taxes. Certainly one to use when flying business class for the most bang for your buck. The full list of benefits is here.

Will AerClub suit British Airways refugees?

The short answer is, it depends. If you are travelling between Ireland and UK frequently, it very much will. Those people who travel transatlantic will also benefit, particularly at the higher tiers. Considering both Dublin and Shannon offer US immigration pre-clearance (meaning you land in the USA as a domestic passenger – so no queues on arrival), it’s a no brainer to connect over Ireland.

Aer Lingus partner with both British Airways and American Airlines and there are reciprocal benefits, however there are carve outs. Silver members of AerClub will receive Priority Boarding (in Group 3 with BA, Group 4 with AA), as well as priority check-in. However, there is no lounge access or Fast-Track security permitted, unlike when flying Aer Lingus.

Platinum and Concierge will have the addition of Fast-Track security when flying BA and AA, plus lounge access. However, the lounge access is only available when travelling on a transatlantic itinerary. That is a serious carve out and could reduce the attractiveness for some people.

Of course, the other big issue is that Aer Lingus is not part of oneworld. That is a non-issue if you’re mainly flying between the UK and Ireland or flying transatlantic – or both – but will be detrimental if you are flying anywhere else. Full details of these benefits are here.

How many Tier Credits will I earn?

The earning is relatively straightforward and echoes how BA used to do things. Importantly, British Airways Club Europe tickets will earn 50 Tier Credits per flight on Aer Lingus. Premium Economy on long-haul earns 100 per flight, and Club World 125 or 175 depending on the fare. However, a word of warning – the upgrades BA offer in Manage Trip book into U class. This would mean you would not be awarded for flying in business, it would be awarded per your original economy cash booking.

If you are regularly flying in the premium cabins at BA, it’s going to be a quick journey to decent status with Aer Lingus. On the flipside, economy tickets earn far less, but that’s no different to other airlines.

Overall Thoughts

The benefits to British Airways refugees really depend upon your travel pattern. I think going for Platinum or Concierge could be a good idea, particularly due to the upgrade coupons. The fact you also earn Avios which are transferrable is also helpful.

Of course, if Aer Lingus joined oneworld it would be a game changer and it would make sense to switch to EI. However, for now if your travel pattern worked, getting status on the Irish airline could work out very well for you. It’s certainly a lot easier to get than the BA spend thresholds as they are.

What do you think of Aer Lingus AerClub? Is this going to be an option for you? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Featured image by Adam Moreira via Wikimedia Commons.