Poor Avios value on Belfast flights
Nov 26, 2018, 8:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2
Poor Avios value on Belfast flights
Not sure whether this is a thing but having looked at redeeming Avios on Aer Lingus flights out of Belfast and Dublin, it looks like the southern option provides far better value. Taxes and charges on DUB-LHR return flights come in at £54, while it's nearly double that (£102 or therabouts) on BHD-LHR flights. Indeed, on the dates I checked it hardly made any sense to use Avios, as booking via the Aer Lingus website (without cashing in 8k Avios) would have cost just £20 more. Don't remember it being such poor value when I used Avios to book BHD-LHR flights last year. Anyone else come across this?
Nov 29, 2018, 1:27 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 532
Not sure whether this is a thing but having looked at redeeming Avios on Aer Lingus flights out of Belfast and Dublin, it looks like the southern option provides far better value. Taxes and charges on DUB-LHR return flights come in at £54, while it's nearly double that (£102 or therabouts) on BHD-LHR flights. Indeed, on the dates I checked it hardly made any sense to use Avios, as booking via the Aer Lingus website (without cashing in 8k Avios) would have cost just £20 more. Don't remember it being such poor value when I used Avios to book BHD-LHR flights last year. Anyone else come across this?
The other week I was quoted taxes+charges one way for BRS-DUB was £54 (plus 4,000 Avios). Oddly it was slightly less on Avios.com at £35 (+4000) while a commercial ticket with bags was about £90-100 (hand luggage only was about £70). It felt very expensive compared to a LHR-DUB reward flight saver on BA.
Don't forget the effect of UK APD (does this apply to BHD?) which won't account for all of it but is some of the difference.
Nov 29, 2018, 2:19 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 687
Short haul economy avios redemptions tend to be very poor value for your avios (if any value at all), unless its a busy route or last minute bookings. Long haul flights tend to give better value. Flights subject to UK surcharges seem to suffer more. Maybe check out RFS booking on BA for better value?
Dec 10, 2018, 5:09 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 411
It is very unusual for avios to be any value at all for Aer Lingus short haul. On the BHD-LHR route, it is definitely better value using avios on the BA flights. Unfortunately though since IAG took over Aer Lingus, they seem to have cut back dramatically on the BA flights on the route while retaining the Aer Lingus ones. I wish they would either permit Reward Flight Saver on the Aer Lingus flights, or just replaced them with BA flights to increase the opportunity to use avios.
DUB-LHR flights are also better value on BA than Aer Lingus, although the difference is not as dramatic.
There is some better avios value with Aer Lingus long haul though.
DUB-LHR flights are also better value on BA than Aer Lingus, although the difference is not as dramatic.
There is some better avios value with Aer Lingus long haul though.