New Aer Lingus Routes Create British Airways Avios Points Sweet Spots…

Boston may have moved, but these new routes are gems…

Did you know major cities could move? Dublin to Boston was once one of the greatest sweet spots using British Airways Avios Points, so sweet in fact, that the city of Boston moved 14 miles without the knowledge of any resident. Aer Lingus has announced new flying routes to North America, and until the cities of Montreal or Minneapolis move, they present two of the best new options for spending Avios points at brilliant rates…

Distance Based

British Airways bases the number of Avios Points you’ll need on the distance between two cities. Dublin presents interesting options to or from the USA using points, because it’s a bit closer to North America, and therefore some Northeast cities, such as Montreal fall into an advantageous distance band. Well, at least until a city moves again. Here are the outstanding values available using Avios, for the new Aer Lingus routes to Montreal starting in August of 2019, as highlighted by InsideFlyer…

*If you happen to be a U.S. Amex cardmember, the rates below are even lower, thanks to the current 40% transfer bonus in place for transfers to British Airways*

10,000 – 12,500 Economy

One way economy flights between Dublin and Montreal require 10,000 to 12,500 points one way, depending on whether dates are peak or off peak. If booked via British Airways, which is done over the phone, these flights will incur surcharges around £50. It’s not hard to see the value here. Minneapolis will fall into the higher distance band shared by Boston, but is still a great deal.

31,250 – 37,500 Business Class

One way business class flights between Montreal and Dublin will require 31,250 points off peak, or 37,500 for peak dates. With surcharges under £75 each way – these flights are a compelling opportunity for those hoping to enjoy flat beds without massive cash fees. Aer Lingus offers a very nice business class with direct aisle access, so this is a win.

How To Book Aer Lingus Flights With Avios

British Airways Executive Club doesn’t display Aer Lingus availability online, for reasons one may never understand. Avios.com however does, as does United.com. To book these flights, find seats using Avios.com, or if using United.com find seats at “saver” level. Any seats available should then be bookable when you call British Airways, by feeding the agent dates, cities and flight numbers. If you receive anything to the contrary, politely ask the agent if they’d be willing to “manually request the seats”. You can book these flights on Avios.com, but you’ll generally find slightly higher surcharges.

Will you take advantage of great Avios pricing on these new routes?