[PatJordan]

I have received and read the emails from Aer Lingus introducing their new Aer Club loyalty programme. One of the most radical changes is that tier progression and avios are now based on the fare paid rather than the number of flight sectors. No different from most hotel programmes, it makes a great deal of sense for the higher spending members, if not quite so attractive for those who make frequent trips on lower fares.

But isn’t that what a loyalty programme is meant to do: most rewards for those who contribute most to the company’s coffers?

A brief look at the benefits for the highest Aer Club tier shows some really useful benefits for business travellers; not least of which is the waiving of cancellation and change fees for all bookings.

https://www.aerlingus.com/aerclub/using-aerclub/tiers-and-benefits/#/tab-0-green

At the other end of the scale there is a dilution of benefits for lower tiers. For example, Silver grants access to Aer Lingus operated lounges only, and then only for the card holder. That said, the threshold to advance to the next level (Platinum) isn’t all that hard to achieve, and once there all lounge benefits are available.

No doubt there will be differing views from readers, and indeed I find myself in the situation that my former status (Gold Circle Prestige) has become Aer Club Silver, an effective reduction in benefits. However the new membership levels were based on passengers recent travel patterns, and as I spent less time in the air than in previous years, this is perfectly understandable.

Having a look at some travel dates in the future, I noticed a small (but very welcome) change to the “Plus” fare (which earns double the tier points of cheaper fares). Using this fare now offers complimentary seat selection for ALL rows. The front rows and exit seats used to be excluded from this, and if required at the booking stage cost an additional fee.

I think that Aer Club has much to offer regular Aer Lingus passengers, even though there is now a higher spend required to reach the highest tier. I particularly like the increased complimentary seat selection facility.

What do other posters think?

[WillieWelsh]

Good summary of the new scheme Pat.

I wonder how many members Aer Club will attract who are not resident in Ireland and how many who are resident in Ireland it will fail to attract as it’s an IAG only scheme and not part of wider oneworld.

[rferguson]

What is really not cool is what they have done with the DUB-BOS flight in terms of redemptions.

This route has always been a stellar deal for redeeming points because Aer Lingus uses a distance based award chart and Boston falls justwithin the under three thousand mile bracket (its 2985 miles). So it was a good buy points wise – by far the cheapest alternative in terms of miles on a transatlantic journey.

However the new award chart states:
Please note the exception of Dublin/Shannon to Boston is in zone five.

Eh??? SO they have effectively shifted BOS 16 miles further away – because they don’t want to honour their own distance based chart because on a particular route it doesn’t suit them. I think that really stinks – you either have a distance based award chart, or you don’t.

Rant over 🙂

[FDOS_UK]

RF

In my experience, all airlines like to do stuff like this, when it suits them – e.g. QR and their lounge access BA policy.

I do not much like airlines.

[1nfrequent]

Most of my travel is on BA but I’m looking at having to make a number of trips to Ireland during 2017 and our corporate travel policy is changing to use the cheapest fare so it may make sense for me to credit them to the Aer Lingus scheme because I’d get both the Avios and the tier points but it’s really hampered by the fact that you can only get tier points on Aer Lingus flights and if the Avios earn rate is less than I’d get for crediting to BAEC then the use becomes questionable for me. (But obviously YMMV).

1F

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