Danash

How would this itin work from a points point of view....

Booked on EI

DUB - IAD - Site gave me EI to LHR and BA to IAD - and return.

I want to max my points in EI up to the Aer Club cut off so wonder how this would work rather than booking to JFK and taking a separate US domestic flight...

irishguy28

You will be able to "level up" in Aer Club too, you know!

And it will presumably have a more user-friendly oversight of how you can qualify when flying on partners.

I would be more concerned with buying the best itinerary (in terms of time or money) rather than worrying about something as opaque as the Gold Circle haul you may get...

Dardania

Tend to agree with irishguy - also don't forget that you have US Customs Border Preclearance in Dublin so if you fly direct to US, you land as a domestic flight - I've never flown to the states any other way, but colleagues tell me that landing as an international passenger is a right pain at the end of a flight, with an hour long queue - if you can avoid it, do

Danash

Am not sure what you mean in 'level up'

I am close to 4800 annualised points but am only Gold - not Prestige. It would be an advantage to be moved to Aerclub at the middle tier so want to understand if this itin would pay the US points rate or the BA partner rate on the LHR - IAH sector.

I agree on the comfort angle - have some points to use up so would also like to upgrade on the transatlantic with EI.

irishguy28

"Level Up" means to climb a level - i.e. to get upgraded in status.

It's not entirely clear, though, that they are going to do a direct mapping from the "old" status levels to the "new" ones.



It seems that all members will be matched on the basis of unpublished criteria which may be different to the criteria for attaining status within Gold Circle.

It is not even clear if they are still "upgrading" people within Gold Circle - given that it is now operating in a sort of twilight zone, and the decision on status in Aer Club will be made in a few weeks' time, and which may lead to a different outcome than that made under the old "Gold Circle" rules now in effect.

ROKNA

Its unclear what the rules are and no doubt not communicating them is an attempt to avoid a mad points run game to get in at minimal costs (DUB-AMS/DUB-DUS) on a plus fare during low season can be 3 points a euro, TATL is at best 1 point/euro.

If you are Elite and have the 9200/12 it would be commercial suicide to downgrade someone

If you are Prestige and have the 4800/12 it would be nasty to drop you to Sliver and loose lounge access.

The big unknown is folks in the 2400-4800 range, its already been made clear applicant status will mean Green in the program. So I'd guess you are Sliver might be Platinum if lucky. I rarely if ever see another Elite/Prestige member, everyone seems to be Gold. Its been hinted to me at my 6500-7000/12 I'm good for Platinum


The real unknown is will there be a minimum flight requirement to get in and how partner flights are counted or not

irishguy28

Silvers don't entirely lose lounge access...they get 5 free lounge visits, and can "purchase one lounge access".

Interesting to note that at present, anyone travelling on Aer Lingus can buy lounge access, but going forward, this may no longer be the case - as the Aer Club Green members have a "no" in the "purchase one lounge access" row...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aer-l...fits-tier.html

mb48

In the new Aer Club guide that they were giving out in the EI Lounge in DUB last week, it says "Yes" under lounge access for silver members (but no guest at silver level)

irishguy28

Interesting - and probably explains why they removed the info from the website that forms the basis of that thread I linked to.

Given that this "new" info is not on the website yet - any chance you could scan a copy of this brochure?

Go raibh míle maith agat!!!

Dambus

Note of caution on this - EI have not stated what the qualification criteria for the new Aer Club tiers will be (beyond being based on prior 12 months activity).

There is no guarantee that the entry criteria will be based on the old GC tier point levels for example. (GC phone staff made a point of mentioning this the one time I asked re the expected launch date while they were processing a points upgrade). They did say that my 6000+ tier points should qualify me for mid-tier (Platinum).


-- Dambus

mb48

Yes, I'll do that for you tomorrow.

Dardania

Just to confirm - flew DUB>LCY>DUB with BA on an EI ticket.

Received 100 points within a few days, chased them for the other 100 points and received them too- so it was treated as a normal Ireland > UK flight.

rieffan

Earlier in the year I had to make arrangements to travel to Ireland for business. I am a QANTAS frequent flyer and researched options for earning points. I read the qantas site very carefully and booked 6 Aer Lingus flights. I did not earn a single point! I contacted Qantas and did not receive a clear answer. I appeared to be in the correct booking class for some points and got NOTHING.

ROKNA

Aer Lingus is still a partner with Qantas

Any issues about missing points/miles should be directed (including the boarding card stubs) to your frequent flyer program, i.e. Qantas.

irishguy28

As the programme is operated by Qantas, and earning classes/rates are ultimately decided by Qantas, this has nothing to do with Aer Lingus and should have been posted in the Qantas forum.

However, Qantas clearly show the fare classes that earn on EI on their website. If you booked the cheapest available tickets on EI it is virtually guaranteed that they were not in earning classes.

If however they were, then you should provide the boarding passes and e-tickets, showing the original booking classes, and follow whatever procedure Qantas has in place for correcting/retroclaiming flights.