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Is Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights within 60 days of departure (again)?

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It’s back – the 60 day block on booking Aer Lingus redemptions with Avios.

In November 2023, we reported how Aer Lingus was blocking Avios redemptions made within 60 days of the date of travel.

Within two days of our story, Aer Lingus had a change of heart and the cut-off was moved to six days.

Now it’s changed back.

Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights

This isn’t good news, clearly.

Here’s what I found two nights ago. On 23rd June (this search was done on Thursday 24th April), there was a lot of Aer Lingus availability between Heathrow and Dublin:

Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights

However, if I jumped back 24 hours to 22nd June, inside the 60 day window, there was nothing. Not a single Aer Lingus seat on any of the many flights. There’s nothing for any day before that either. All you see are BA flights:

Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights

Here is the real proof.

As I said, the screenshot for 23rd June was taken on 24th April. I am writing this on 25th April. When I go back to 23rd June today, this is what I see for Aer Lingus flights:

Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights

…. nothing. Only flights on British Airways. All availability for the four flights in the top screenshot above was pulled overnight.

If this is a new Aer Lingus policy, it’s obviously not one to like. 60 days is, frankly, a very arbitrary deadline.

As I said originally, when Aer Lingus trialled this in November 2023 it rolled back within a couple of days. Let’s hope it sees sense again in 2025.

For clarity …. you can still redeem Avios for Aer Lingus flights using ‘Part Pay With Avios’. This is where you can get roughly 0.5p per Avios to reduce the cost of a cash flight booked on aerlingus.com. These redemptions are poor value for your Avios though, especially in premium cabins.


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Comments (37)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • W says:

    Rewards flights available from ORK&SNN early May. Not checked DUB as don’t fly from there

  • ADS says:

    it’s a disgraceful way to treat customers

    but it’s even more disgraceful that they don’t tell customers

    i’ve wasted so much time looking for flights within the 60 day window

  • Cuchlainn says:

    Noticed 2 weeks ago on rewards.aerlingus.com ( EI Avios site ) that you are unable to book a one way from abroad ( eg ACE ) to Dublin WHATSOEVER date you choose before 1st September – blocking the whole summer out to maximise cash fares, or can you not do a one way Avios only flight starting outside Ireland ??

    • ADS says:

      that’s new – I booked TFS-DUB single flights a couple of months ago

      • Cuchlainn says:

        Yep, I snagged 2 x ACE-DUB single redemption flights in February for last night coming home ( Sat 26th April ).

        Further research ( sad I know ! ) shows one-ways ACE-DUB live from 1st September again……

  • David says:

    The use of 241 on Aer Lingus must be in low numbers. It’s so hard to find any route of use and with no guaranteed business seats the number might even be tiny.

  • Daniel says:

    The 60 day change has been back over the last few weeks and is a step backwards. The biggest impact for me is when you want to fly on Aer Lingus non London routes on which there are no other avios options. It really does diminish the value of the redemption process.

  • Will says:

    I’ll flag this as more evidence that some regulation around loyalty points would be in the customers interest.

    Minimum some notice period for changes and having to inform customer of limitations of use.

  • sohan says:

    Thanks this saved me from missing out!

  • apbj says:

    As Rob says, it makes little sense to “protect” regional fares like this. Revenue tickets on Emerald booked through BA are generally a steady (high) price and the Avios availability is not infinite so it creates a large annoyance for sake of very little marginal profit.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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