Is there a reason why the Avios website is jacking up the cash portion of an avios ticket? Last year I paid 4500 avios +50 USD for AMS-DUB, and today the cash portion has increased to $82.27. The website now requires 9000 avios if I want to lower my cash portion down to similar rate last year. It also shows 9000 avios as default price, rather than 4500. Did I miss a recent devaluation?

It does seem like a devaluation. They had been playing around with pricing options allowing you to reduce the cash portion by paying more avios (usually at a bad rate of return for the extra avios) but the previous base avios fare remained. Does seem like here they've doubled the avios cost and altered (or not altered) the cash portion to reflect it. For example on BA which should use the same system and first trialed this optional pricing. The same flight (which is also zone 1 from LHR) has an option for 9000 avios but only 50 CENT (euro), the 'normal' 4500 avios option prices at €23 (BA has reward flight saver option which makes these routes cheaper with a set price versus EI).

Either EI are being devious with the new pricing options and massively devaluing avios in this instance or its an IT issue and the cash pricing is messed up. There have been issues like this popping up where booking identical flight via avios.com versus on BA meant you could pay less avios and the same cash portion.

Having said all that not sure what you can do about it. Maybe ring BA to book the EI flight via a BAEC account (you can transfer avios for free between aerclub and BAEC as long as details match) and see if the price magically improves, just make sure they don't charge you the phone booking fee (they should wave this as you can't book it online using the BAEC portal).

Indeed, the Avios rate has doubled!

The off-peak/peak Avios fare has gone up to 8,500/9,000 each way. When I last booked this route, it was just 4,000/4,500.

Last year, it was either 4000/4500 Avios plus �44.64 as the starting point for this route....

I wouldn't discount this. Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to incompetence!

When Aer Club first moved to Avios, for the longest time the cash element charged along with the 4k or 4.5k Avios on this route was closer to €75 or €80 - I can't remember, exactly, but it was often more than it cost to just buy a one-way with cash, which is what I used to do. Only later on did they "correct" this such that the €44.64 became a fixture.

Came here to post a question along the lines of the OP for an autumn booking DUB-FAO.

Booked last year for 7500 Avios + �36.05 now quoting options including:
- 12000 Avios + �36.05
- 7500 Avios + �61.05

Looks like a stealth devaluation to me. Hope to be proved wrong...

I wonder does [MENTION=29245]Raffles[/MENTION] from headforpoints have any insight on this?

I just went to the avios.com website and the following notice was displayed, so hopefully it is just an IT issue rather than a devaluation.

"We apologise, but we're experiencing technical difficulties at the moment that means the prices for Aer Lingus flights on Avios.com are currently incorrect. Please contact the contact centre to make a booking on 0344 49 333 49."

So as suspected it does seem an IT mess up. Wonder if or how many people booked at higher prices and will they be refunded either cash or avios....

When you see a quote like this, accurate or not, does it not send you to cross-shop cash tickets on competitors that might fly you at or below the cash portion alone of the EI Avios offer? I can see Ryanair DUB-FAO return trips for as little as US$91 / �83. If the above is a one-way quote it would peg the value of the Avios in the equation close to or less than 0.

For the July dates and approx departure time I want FR is over �150 (one way) without a checked bag, seat selection or priority boarding.

An Avios ticket on EI for 7500+�36 includes a checked bag (20kg) per PAX, seat selection and my EI status get priority boarding for the whole family.

While there are plenty of routes where it�s hard to get good value from Avios EI there are a few Ski and summer holiday destinations when there is decent value IMHO.

Look likes this is now fixed and redemption rates are back to normal.