Boston and Dublin Were Just Moved Seven Miles Farther Apart
Update 12/10/16: The original post mistakenly stated that you were able to book at British Airways off-peak rates for Aer Lingus flights. While this wasn't formerly possible, you can now redeem Avios for Aer Lingus flights using the off peak rates.
The distance between Boston (BOS) and Dublin (DUB) just grew by a few miles. No, there wasn't a great earthquake that made the Atlantic wider. With a stroke of a pen, British Airways just stretched the distance between the airports by at least seven miles.
While the Bureau of Transportation Statistics still lists the official distance between the airports at 2,993 miles — which Great Circle Mapper agrees with — British Airways and Aer Lingus are now treating the flight as being over 3,000 miles for award booking purposes. So, the Avios award cost for booking these flights just jumped.
Backing up, one of the long-time sweet spots of the British Airways award chart are Aer Lingus flights between Boston and Dublin or Shannon (SNN). These transatlantic economy flights used to cost just 12,500 BA Avios each way in economy or 37,500 BA Avios each way in business. This means that you could fly round-trip from US to Europe for just 25,000 Avios. With this change, that sweet spot just got a lot less sweet:
| Avios (one-way) | Old Price | New Price | Increase | Approximate Value Lost* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Economy Off-Peak | 12,500 | 13,000 | 500 | $8 |
Economy Peak | 12,500 | 20,000 | 7,500 | $113 |
Business Off-Peak | 37,500 | 50,000 | 12,500 | $188 |
Business Peak | 37,500 | 60,000 | 22,500 | $338 |
*Based on the latest TPG valuation of British Airways Avios
This British Airways Avios repricing comes as Aer Lingus is launching its new AerClub Avios program, the AerClub. The mileage bands are identical to British Airways, though there's a small, but important note at the bottom of the chart: "Please note the exceptions of Shannon/Dublin to Boston which are based on Zone 5".
Since AerClub is a brand-new program, it's intriguing that Aer Lingus chose to call out this exception, rather than just setting mileage band 4 slightly narrower (i.e., 2001-2980 miles).
If you're still interested in booking these flights, remember that British Airways' website doesn't show availability. You'll have to check award availability on the United website and then call British Airways (1-800-247-9297) to make the booking.
Bottom Line
It's a major bummer that British Airways decided to further devalue these cheap transatlantic award flights on Aer Lingus. With that said, you can still fly transatlantic for just 26,000 Avios (plus about $139) for Off Peak dates and 40,000 Avios for standard dates. While this sweet spot is a lot less sweet, there's still value to be had booking these flights if you're based near Boston. However, positioning to BOS for this award redemption is going to make a lot less sense.
H/T: Rapid Travel Chai
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.