Aer Lingus Gold Circle to close on June 30

Aer Lingus has confirmed that its existing Gold Circle loyalty scheme will close on June 30, with the rollout of the new Aer Club programme beginning in July. The Irish carrier first announced details of the new scheme – which will use Avios as its loyalty currency – in November last year (see Aer Lingus joins avios loyalty programme. At the time it said that the Gold Circle programme would close on March 31, 2016 (it is already closed to new members), but that date has come and gone, and the webpage for the new Aer Club scheme now confirms that it will launch in July. It’s still not clear exactly how Avios flight redemptions will work within the Aer Club, with Aer Lingus stating simply that members will be able to “use your Avios to get a discount on the cost of your Aer Lingus flights”. The carrier has however confirmed that “In response to guest feedback, there will be an increase in Aer Lingus flights available to our members for purchase and upgrade”. The airline also says that “The move away from our traditional air miles model means you will be able to earn points with every flight you buy, giving you more opportunities to build up your balance”. Business Traveller will publish further information on the Aer Club scheme as soon as it is available. aerlingus.com