The Beginners Guide to AerClub – And Why You Should Join
Would you shop in Boots without an Advantage card, or Tesco without a Clubcard? So why fly with Aer Lingus without joining AerClub? Check out my beginners guide to AerClub below and find out why you should join!
If you have booked an Aer Lingus flight within the last few years, you have probably been asked to join their frequent flyer programme, AerClub. I’m assuming if you haven’t joined AerClub yet, its because you thought you had to fly regularly with Aer Lingus to get the benefits. Believe me, you don’t! With the recent announcement of AerClub’s newest partner, Tesco Ireland, you can now collect Avios with your grocery shopping! My beginners guide to AerClub will explain why you should join and give you lots of tips to help you boost your Avios balance.
What is the difference between AerClub and Avios?
AerClub is Aer Lingus’ loyalty programme, which now boasts over three million members. Avios is the reward currency that Aer Lingus and many other international airlines such as British Airways, Iberia and Qatar Airways use.
As an AerClub member, you can collect Avios points when you fly with Aer Lingus and their partner airlines, as well as with a range of other retail, travel and leisure partners. Once you have accumulated Avios, you can use them pay, or part pay for flights, hotels, car hire, or to upgrade an economy class ticket to business class.
How do I get free flights and upgrades?
When you collect a certain amount of Avios, you can use them to pay, or part pay for flights. There are so many variations, depending on when and where you travel, but currently 8,000 Avios points will get you a return flight to Paris. For 17,000 Avios you can have a return flight to the Canary Islands, and if you can save 26,000 you can have a return flight to New York.
You can also choose to upgrade your fights with Avios. I used my points to upgrade a flight to Orlando a few years ago, and just recently used 42,000 Avios to upgrade my ticket to Chicago to business class during peak season. For full list of fights click here, and date bands for peak and off peak season click here.
If you have only collected a small amount of Avios you can still use them as a part-payment off your next flight. There is no filling out forms, no application necessary, simply select ‘Pay With Avios’ when booking an AerLingus flight on AerLingus.com or via the Aer Lingus app.
TOP TIP: It is also usually cheaper to upgrade a flight with Avios rather than paying the business class fare. So even if you don’t have enough Avios to upgrade your flight, you can buy Avios to make up the required amount. Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways often run promotions where you will receive bonus Avios if you purchase or gift them, so make sure to join all the airline members frequent flyer clubs in order to avail of the best deals.
I am not a frequent flyer so should I still join AerClub?
YES! Absolutely! Over the years I have collected thousands of Avios, and most of them were by shopping, not flying! And with the recent announcement of AerClub’s newest partner, Tesco, you can collect Avios with your grocery shopping! You will be surprised at how quickly Avios build up and how many different ways you can collect Avios without flying.
Even if you have no plans to fly with Aer Lingus this year, you can still join AerClub. Don’t worry if you have left it late to join, with this beginners guide to AerClub answers my most frequently asked questions, so you will be saving money off your next Aer Lingus flight in no time!
What are the best ways to collect Avios?
Avios is constantly adding new partners, so be sure to check in regularly for the latest updates. I have listed five favourites below, you can see lots more here:
Read: 10 Ways to Collect Avios
1. Flying:
Collect Avios when you fly with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair and many more airlines. Simply add your AerClub number to your booking and Avios will automatically be added to your account.
2. Shopping at Tesco
Aer Lingus and Tesco Ireland unveiled a new partnership recently and now AerClub members can convert their Tesco Clubcard vouchers into Avios. Every €2.50 in Tesco Club vouchers can be converted into 600 Avios.
€17.50 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers is enough to book an Aer Lingus a one-way reward flight to Paris for 4,000 Avios plus taxes. Alternatively simply use these Avios to part pay for your next Aer Lingus flight, flight upgrades, hotel stays, car hire, and more.
3. Online Shopping
Over the years I have found the AerClub eStore to be the easiest way to collect Avios. Once you are logged into AerClub you will see your favourite brands listed and its simply a matter of clicking through to the shop website via the AerClub portal.
You shop in the same way as you would normally shop online, but instead of searching directly on the shop website, you access it via the AerClub website – it works in a similar way to an affiliate link. There is no extra cost to you for shopping in this way.
Let’s use some of AerClub’s partners, Arnotts and Brown Thomas, as an example.
If you spend €100 online with Brown Thomas or Arnotts via the AerClub eStore, you normally receive will receive 400 Avios. Coincidentally as I write this post there is a promotion on where I will receive double Avios, so I would actually receive 800 Avios if I spent €100 today. Promotions like this are on regularly with various retailers, especially during the lead up to Christmas time, when I tend to collect most of my Avios.
Top Tip: You can also collect Avios in retailers such as Fields, Clarks, Harvey Nichols, Sketchers and Oliver Bonas. You simply link your credit or debit cards online and once you use your card in any of the AerClub retail partners, Avios will be added to your account.
4. Credit / Debit cards
Did you know you can collect Revpoints when using Revolut? You just need to opt-in to Revpoints on the Revolut app and make three purchases to start collecting them. You can then exchange RevPoints to Avios. Every 1 RevPoint you earn can be exchanged to 1 Avios. You can also choose to upgrade to Revolut Premium – this has a monthly fee but offers bonus RevPoints.
Aer Credit Card is an Aer Lingus credit card that is available to Irish residents. It offers the same benefits as a regular credit card but you collect 1 Avios for every €1 you spend with Aer Lingus and 1 Avios for every €4 you spend on all other transactions on your Aer Credit Card.
There is an annual charge of €78 (this is made up of 12 monthly charges of €6.50), plus the annual Government stamp duty fee of €30, but you can avail of huge benefits including:
2 Return Flights to Europe – minimum spend of €5,000 per year
2 Fast Track and Priority Boarding passes
2 Lounge passes
Worldwide multi trip travel insurance
5. UBER
By linking your AerClub card in the UBER app, you can now collect Avios on every ride taken in the UK and Ireland. Collect 1 Avios per €1 spent on Uber trips in the Republic of Ireland and 1 Avios per £1 spent on Uber trips, trains, coaches, boats, and 2-wheels in the UK.
Read: 10 ways to collect Avios
What are AerClub Tier Credits?
As well as rewarding you with Avios, AerClub reward their frequent flyers with Tier Credits. Tier Credits are only given when you fly with Aer Lingus or the airline partners – it differentiates frequent flyers from people who collect most of their Avios by shopping.
If you can manage to collect 301 Tier Credits in one year, you will move from a Green Tier (the basic introductory level) to a Silver Tier and can avail of huge benefits, like business class check-in, fast track and lounge access subject to availability. The higher tiers have even more benefits including complimentary upgrades.
Read: 5 Tips and Tricks to Boost Your AerClub Tier Credits
How to Join AerClub
If by any chance you have not joined AerClub yet – now is your chance! It is so easy to join, simply click here.
Where can I see my membership number and Avios balance.
Once you have joined AerClub, log in on AerLingus.com with your username and password, where you will see your membership number, Tier Credits and Avios balance. You can also log in on the app to view your membership number and account details.
Note it can take up to four weeks for Avios to be shown on your balance, depending on where you have collected them. For hotels and car hire, your Avios will be added to your account after you have completed your booking.
I hope that you enjoyed my beginners guide to AerClub and that it will help you to accumulate lots of Avios! Watch out for more tips and tricks on collecting Avios soon. While every effort was made to ensure accuracy, details are subject to change.
