Great news: You can now earn British Airways tier points when you fly Aer Lingus
British Airways Executive Club members can now earn tier points when flying with Aer Lingus.
Although there has not been a formal announcement of the changes, Aer Lingus confirmed the news with TPG. Travel-Dealz first reported the news after discovering BA's website had been updated.
"As of the start of April, AerClub members can earn Tier Credits, in addition to collecting Avios, when flying with British Airways," an Aer Lingus spokesperson said. "Great news for our members as it will help them collect Tier Credits more easily, and BA Executive Club members can also earn Tier Credits on Aer Lingus."
British Airways' website states the new tier point collection for Aer Lingus flights is effective from Monday.
It is currently unclear whether the Aer Lingus flights will also count toward qualifying flights for Executive Club status or whether Aer Lingus will now also be rolled into the BA Holidays double-tier-points promotion. TPG has contacted British Airways for more details, and we'll let you know as soon as we hear back.
Executive Club members previously earned tier points on Aer Lingus flights that codeshared with British Airways (with a BA flight number); however, they could not earn tier points when flying Aer Lingus' own operated flights with Aer Lingus flight numbers.
Given that Avios could be earned on Aer Lingus flights, being unable to earn tier points was occasionally a sore point for British Airways and Oneworld loyalists.
The news that tier points can now be earned is exciting, particularly for Executive Club members. Aer Lingus flights are often cheaper than those on British Airways, and the airline frequently runs deals and sales.
At present, despite allowing flyers to earn Avios on its flights (and now tier points), Aer Lingus is not a Oneworld partner airline as it left the Oneworld airline alliance in 2007; however, this announcement will likely spur speculation that the Irish flag carrier could one day rejoin.
These tier point changes follow the recent news that British Airways is changing its tier point collection year-end dates.
How many British Airways tier points and Avios can I earn with Aer Lingus?
British Airways Executive Club members can earn Avios on both Aer Lingus and Emerald Airlines flights.
Avios earnings are set, and members do not receive Avios tier bonuses based on their status. Depending on the purchased fares, travelers flying in discount economy flights may receive fewer Avios.
Here's an example of the tier points you could stand to earn on an Aer Lingus flight between London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
| Class | Avios | Tier points |
|---|---|---|
Economy lowest (L, S, R, W) | 1,729 | 35 |
Economy flexible (Y, M, N) | 3,458 | 70 |
Business lowest (D) | 5,187 | 140 |
Business flexible (J, C) | 8,645 | 140 |
Here's a look at an example of a shorter flight between LHR and Dublin Airport (DUB).
| Class | Avios | Tier points |
|---|---|---|
Economy lowest (L, S, R, W) | 150 | 10 |
Economy flexible (Y, M, N) | 300 | 20 |
Business lowest (D) | 450 | 40 |
Business flexible (J, C) | 750 | 40 |
Bottom line
British Airways Executive Club members can now earn tier points on Aer Lingus flights, and AerClub members can also earn tier points on British Airways-coded flights. This is great news for members of both loyalty schemes, opening up new ways to earn status across both airlines and the Oneworld alliance.
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