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Aer Lingus releases details of new lie-flat seats for your Avios redemptions

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I reported back in April that the Aer Lingus CEO had told the media that the airline was planning to introduce lie-flat seating.  There was no further information given apart from a hint that San Francisco would be the first route to get the new seats – a logical choice given the distance.

Aer Lingus has now launched a website highlighting the new seat.

There is even a video:

It looks pretty darn good especially the solo seats by the windows in certain rows.  The bed is 6 foot 5 inches which should keep most people happy, and all seats face forward.  Your feet slot under the seat in front when the seat is in bed mode which allows the airline to maximise the number of seats.

Note, too, that business class passengers will receive free in-air wifi!  BA becomes less attractive by the minute ….

Aer Lingus is, of course, a British Airways redemption partner.  Dublin to Boston is possibly the best Avios redemption you can do, coming in at just 50,000 Avios return in business class or 25,000 Avios return in economy.

Taxes and surcharges are generally around £75 return, saving almost £500 per person on a comparable BA Club World redemption – although you need to get yourself to Dublin of course.

You will also clear US immigration in Dublin, allowing you to land as a domestic passenger and walk straight out of the airport – potentially saving you an hour queuing in Passport Control.

Full details of how and where to redeem on Aer Lingus can be found in this Avios Redemption University article.  You cannot book online and you cannot even search for availability online – the Qantas website shows some Aer Lingus reward seats but that does not match what BA can access.

The airline has historically made two business class seats available per flight for redemption.  Given that the new business class cabins looks large – the video implies that the current 24-seat business class cabin will be expanded to 32 seats – I am hopeful that this situation will not change.

The only downside from this news is that the launch date has slipped from 2014 to March 2015 – but it looks worth the wait.

Category

Aer Lingus and AerClub

Comments (43)

  • Mikeact says:
    12 Aug12 August 11:12

    Can anybody remind me of what major cities fall into which mileage bands for onward travel in N America , as I’m trying to work out the ‘best’ Avios way to, say, Vancouver or Seattle from the UK and/or Dublin. ? Thanks.

  • tangey says:
    12 Aug12 August 12:16

    Watch out for the new Aer Lingus routes out of Dublin for Summer 2015, that will be announced in another month or two.

    Indications are one to Texas, and one to a new East coast destination (MIA).

    If MIA became a reality, would open up a whole host of Avios redemption options with little taxes to Carribean/Mexico, with MIA being an AA hub.

    http://www.goingonrewards.com/2014/08/aer-lingus-new-ireland-to-usa-routes-in.html

    • Farringdon says:
      12 Aug12 August 20:16

      DUB-MIA would also mean immigration pre-clearance in DUB, wouldn’t it? That seems like a huge advantage.

    • Jammers says:
      12 Aug12 August 21:37

      Taxes on rtns on AA back to MIA from the Caribbean seem to be higher though, for most Caribbean islands they charge GBP12 for the outbound but GBP70ish for a return.

    • Kipto says:
      13 Aug13 August 06:38

      I flew from Dub to Sfo last week with Aer Lingus and was speaking with an off duty Aer Lingus pilot who told me that Aer Lingus are looking at flying from Dublin to Las Vegas next year.

      • S says:
        13 Aug13 August 09:02

        That would be very interesting. Due it being a very popular route, it is usually excluded from any ‘offers’ that BA or Virgin have. It would also be a decent Business Avios redemption as well 🙂

  • tangey says:
    12 Aug12 August 12:16

    should have be a question mark in there, i.e. “(MIA?)”

  • Sam says:
    12 Aug12 August 13:36

    Never seen the TopDeals before – but never flown Air Berlin. Some great deals there.

    But 150 miles per hotel review looks like it could be a goldmine at https://secure.holidaycheck.com/hotelrate.php?hc_cid=HCCOM_B2B_AB_airberlin&tsource=AB_HBAUF – it would be easy to just copy those i’ve done on Trip Advisor and pick up a quick flight to AUH/NYC.

    Anyone?

    • John says:
      12 Aug12 August 15:22

      You can earn max 1500 a month from the hotel reviews but if you credit hotel stays plus signing up bonuses (1000 for jo9ing sixt mailing list recently) can really add up. But, yeah, theoretically single transatlantic or Mid East trip per year with minimal taxes although I find multiple inter-europe hops connecting to BA best use.

      Nice efficient airline as well.

  • Mr Bridge says:
    12 Aug12 August 17:41

    hi Robfles,
    thanks for the inspiration, I have just booked my holiday to bermuda for next year.

    It was worth the 48min wait on baec.
    fly dublin to boston 1 way 2 people in business class 50k avios +£106.54 taxes
    used my marco polo club (which for some odd reason the extended by 6 months) to book the seats 1a+1c.
    for the return booked bda-lgw in ist class ( thanks to tims calculator) 120k avios and total £352
    logged into finair and change ff no to book the seats for free with marco polo!

    just got to arrange to get to dublin, and then boston to bda( any ideas!)

    would never had been able to any of this if HFP didn’t exist! will be topping up on amazon gift vouchers for your tip…hope you saw i bought a tv last month!

    J

    • Rob says:
      12 Aug12 August 17:57

      American flies JFK to Bermuda cheaply, and BOS to JFK (or take the train). You can also route via Philadelphia. Decent redemption as no tax.

    • Brendan says:
      12 Aug12 August 19:14

      I didn’t think you would be able to use CX Gold to select seats on an EI flight considering they aren’t a oneworld carrier?!

      • tony says:
        12 Aug12 August 20:58

        Yes, this doesn’t make sense. Aer Lingus offer free seating assignments in J to all and BA F would be a free seating assignment, too…

      • Mr Bridge says:
        12 Aug12 August 22:06

        was told can book seats, then i asked about cx, he putin me number and then could select seats. yes i think i changed via finair was not needed!

    • Scott says:
      12 Aug12 August 22:12

      My Marco Polo hold card has been extended by 6 months as well. Also very interesting that they’re offering reduced thresholds for Amex Platinum holders than ‘normal’ Marco Polo members (although I ditched my Platinum card in March so don’t even hold it anymore)

  • Lady London says:
    12 Aug12 August 20:01

    This makes a big difference. Think I’ll be taking my first EI flight for many years soon.

  • Kipto says:
    13 Aug13 August 06:48

    I flew from Dublin to San Francisco last week with Aer Lingus . The flight took off at 2.30pm and three hours into the flight the lights in the cabin were turned off and we were asked to pull the window blinds down so that we could ‘take the opportunity to rest” . I could understand it if was late evening or later but 5.30pm !!! . I refused to drop my blind and don’t like to be told when I should be “resting” ! The lights weren’t turned on again for another 6 hours . I have not experienced anything like that before.

  • Garry says:
    17 Aug17 August 14:13

    This is interesting. Free parking at Heathrow and a 50 minute flight is well worth it for a £1,000+ saving.

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