The Aer Lingus AerClub is once again offering a 50% bonus on Avios purchases. This promotion allows members to buy frequent flyer points that can be used to redeem for award flights. While some may initially dismiss these offers as worthless, I discovered their value earlier this year when I used Avios points to book first and business class tickets to Australia. The savings compared to the regular ticket price were substantial.
It’s worth noting that this bonus Avios promotion is run by the airlines relatively frequently. In March, Aer Lingus offered a 45% bonus for a few days, and British Airways followed suit with a 40% bonus once the Aer Lingus promotion ended. These bonus periods typically occur three or four times a year, with 50% being the highest bonus percentage offered. It’s important to remember not to buy Avios during periods when the extra points are not being offered.
The current promotion by Aer Lingus runs until 23:59 on Sunday, 12 November 2023. This means there are only a few days left to take advantage of the offer. To purchase Avios, you can visit the Aer Lingus AerClub website and make your purchase there. Of course, you will need to have an Aer Lingus AerClub account to do so.
One concern some frequent flyers may have is the lack of award space being offered to them by Aer Lingus. However, it’s important to remember that Avios points can be transferred between different programs. For example, you can transfer Avios points from Aer Lingus to British Airways and Iberia, and from British Airways to Qatar Airways. All of these airlines use Avios as their currency, and all you need is an account in the other programs to transfer your points. This opens up a wider range of options for redeeming your Avios points, as you can access frequent flyer seats on partner airlines such as Finnair, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Iberia, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
Purchasing Avios during the bonus promotion can be a smart strategy, especially if you already know which flights you want to book. Before making a purchase, it’s recommended to check the award space for the dates you desire and see how many Avios points are required for the booking. Next, compare the cash price for the same flights. After gathering all this information, you can then calculate whether buying Avios points and redeeming them for a reward flight will result in savings compared to purchasing the ticket with cash.
In my experience, the points land in your account almost instantly after making a purchase. Transferring points between accounts, officially known as “Combine My Avios,” also occurs instantly. Earlier this year, I paid around €1,200 for return flights in business class on Qatar Airways from Dublin to Doha by buying and redeeming Avios points. The same ticket would have cost me €4,600 if I had paid in cash. This example demonstrates the significant savings that can be achieved by purchasing Avios during the bonus promotion.
If you’re interested in taking advantage of this sale, be sure to act quickly, as the offer ends soon. Have you ever bought Avios before? Did you make significant savings? Let us know in the comments.