You can now book Aer Lingus award flights online using American Airlines miles
Editor's Note
It just got easier to book Aer Lingus award flights with American Airlines AAdvantage miles — and just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
Booking Aer Lingus flights with AAdvantage miles has long required calling a phone agent. Now, travelers can do it themselves online, making it easier to find award space and book it before it disappears.
Here's how you can redeem your AAdvantage miles for Aer Lingus flights, plus some of the best deals and what to consider before you make an award booking.
Related: What it's like flying Aer Lingus' Airbus A321XLR to Ireland
How to book Aer Lingus flights with American miles
Aer Lingus and American Airlines have had a codeshare agreement for a few years now, but historically, booking an Aer Lingus flight with American miles required calling the reservations desk. Now, passengers can finally do this online.
This makes it easier and faster to redeem your AAdvantage miles for Aer Lingus seats — and you won't have to worry as much about award space getting snapped up while you wait for someone to pick up the phone.
To book, simply log into your AAdvantage account at aa.com.
Sample flights I found include this direct flight from New York to Dublin for 57,500 AAdvantage miles plus nearly $6 in taxes and fees in business class.
Or, you can book an economy seat from various cities for 22,500 miles plus about $20 in taxes and fees. This often involves a mix of flights operated by Aer Lingus and American or its other partner airlines.
Dublin's rich history, lively pub culture and proximity to the Wicklow Mountains make it a fantastic destination year-round, but there's no better time to visit than during the massive St. Patrick's Festival. This year's event is scheduled for March 14 to 17, and there are still flights available.
Related: A review of Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin, where location meets value
Another option is to fly into Shannon Airport (SNN) on Ireland's west coast, which has easy access to popular attractions like the Burren, Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher and the college town of Galway. American's award prices from the U.S. to Shannon are similar, starting at 22,500 miles in economy or 57,500 miles in business class, plus about $6 in taxes and fees.
You can earn American miles quickly by transferring points from Citi ThankYou Rewards, a 1:1 transfer partner of AAdvantage. Or, consider adding one of the following cobranded cards to your wallet:
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
- Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
However, keep in mind that for some routes, you may find significantly lower award rates or more desirable flights on Aer Lingus' site. For instance, I've booked direct flights between Denver and Dublin for just 16,250 Avios plus $147 in taxes and fees each way through Aer Lingus.
But unfortunately, this particular flight isn't available on American's site. Instead, I'd have to pay 27,000 American miles one-way for a connecting flight. I couldn't find Aer Lingus' new nonstop flight from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Dublin on American's site either.
Now that it's possible to book Aer Lingus flights online with American miles, you can spend more time finding the best deals and less time on hold waiting for an agent.
Bottom line
Although the carriers have been codeshare partners for years, the ability to book Aer Lingus award flights online through American Airlines' site is a big win for travelers with AAdvantage miles. There are some worthwhile deals on flights to the Emerald Isle — just be sure to compare your options before booking.