What to do with these EI trips? (Gold Circle)

[meFIRST]

I have some trips on EI planned, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with the EI trips. All of them are from Ireland to Europe and back.

Speficially which freqent flyer program to credit them to.

I've been reviewing the Gold Circle Club and the redemption options look awful. 4500 points for a ticket to continental europe?

The only thing I find attactive is the 4000 point transatlatic upgrade, which I will never use since most if not all of my transatlatic segments will be on other carriers.

The elite program seems easy to reach - 8 trips to continental europe and back qualifies for the low tier.

Thoughts?

[eireman]

to put it mildly, you are wasting your time with TAB, especially if you are not flying EI on TA

I don't even bother with it

you might find that your 4500 point trip might cost you next to nothing anyway as a revenue tix, even if the tix is free , you will pay the taxe etc which are often much more that the tix price

[GoldCircle]

I wouldn't bother with it either... and look at my FT handle!

[flame]

I totally agree with GoldCircle & EireMan, be carefull in thinking that you only need 8 trips to Continental Europe to qualify for the lower tier .... This is true as long as none of your flights are booked in "A", "W" or "Z" classes with EI, as none of these booking classes allow point accrueil.

These tend to be the lower or sale priced fares

Remember that a "One Way" upgrade is 4000 points( SFO is 65000), yet a return economy award ticket is 6000 points

2 SFO one way upgrades will cost you 13,000 points, yet a round trip award ticket to SFO is only 12000 points

INHO, the EI FF programme is going the tubes very fast

[GoldCircle]

EI investigated a new model for the Gold Circle Club last year with a couple of the programme management companies, but nothing seems to have happened subsequently.

I'd say they'll let it fester..