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I recall getting this wrong last time so would be grateful if someone could remind me how to do this the right way.
If booking Aer Lingus ( actually Emerald Airlines for Aer Lingus ) on the BA website will I get Avios and tier points ?
I don’t remember how I did it before but know that I got neither.
Thanks.Someone more informed will tell you but I’m pretty sure you get Avios whether you book with BA or Aer Lingus (though depends on class)
If you want tier points then you must book via BA and on a BA flight number (marketed by)
https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/09/30/earn-british-airways-tier-points-when-flying-aer-lingus/
Hopefully explained here!
If you book EI on a BA flight number, you do. If you book EI in any other way, you do not.
Watch out: BA.com will sell you EI and BA numbered flights. Purely BA ones tend to be a little more expensive.If you can’t find what you want on BA.com (e.g. it’s always giving at least one sector on an EI number), call BA and ask for the BA numbered flights. If you tell them that the website doesn’t let you choose this combination, they’ll usually waive the £35 booking fee, too.
@AL is correct. I flew LHR to Cork and back last weekend, booked via BA with BA fight numbers, and got 15 tier points plus 1,458 avios. The annoying thing is you cannot pick your seat – you used to be able to call and book one for free, but not you can only choose a seat if you ring and pay (it can’t be done online)
Popping up to make my regular pedantic point that EI tickets on EI flight numbers earn EI tier points. Which for some readers outside of London should not be discounted. EI Silver status at 301 TP, Platinum at 601.
Ive just booked at EI (emerald air) on aer lingus website ad added my BA FF number, so sounds like that may have been a waste of time.
However I when I happened to look on BA to book, the same flight was £115 on BA vs £80 on Aer Lingus, with same luggage & seat selection…..
So check both espeially if TPs and meage Avios arent top priority
Popping up to make my regular pedantic point that EI tickets on EI flight numbers earn EI tier points. Which for some readers outside of London should not be discounted. EI Silver status at 301 TP, Platinum at 601.
Good point – though I think that for most people here, a low OneWorld status is more valuable than a higher EI status, especially when it comes to benefits and redemption
Ive just booked at EI (emerald air) on aer lingus website ad added my BA FF number, so sounds like that may have been a waste of time.
However I when I happened to look on BA to book, the same flight was £115 on BA vs £80 on Aer Lingus, with same luggage & seat selection…..
So check both espeially if TPs and meage Avios arent top priority
For that much of a difference, you are right, it is not worth it unless you need the tier points. It won’t be the same seat selection and luggage etc though. You don’t get seat selection if you book via BA with a BA flight number, you do get better checked luggage allowance, and you get the same hand luggage allowance (so confusing!) Note, to add to the fun, Emerald air usually has different hand luggage allowance to mainline EI!
The Emerald hand luggage size is small but I’ve found they never question bag size leading to bags being left all over the (small) cabin wherever overhead space can be found and/or large men sitting with their knees up to their chin cos they’ve had to place their bag by their feet.
Popping up to make my regular pedantic point that EI tickets on EI flight numbers earn EI tier points. Which for some readers outside of London should not be discounted. EI Silver status at 301 TP, Platinum at 601.
Good point – though I think that for most people here, a low OneWorld status is more valuable than a higher EI status, especially when it comes to benefits and redemption
If you’re never going to reach BA elite status, still worth having EI Silver if only for the Avios elite earning bonus. Aer Club status is also one of the few free ways of entering the DUB lounge post-US immigration. No one wants to be out by the gates in that barren narrow part of Dublin Airport
Jumping on this as the EI experts seem to be out today! I have avios flights booked MAN-DUB in November. In MMB it says we can have 20 kg of hold baggage each, but refers me to the EI website for hand baggage allowances. EI website states only a small bag is permitted BUT I can book 10 kgs of hand baggage for 9.99 euros – OR check this in free at the airport.
I’m confused now – is this 10 kg in addition to our 20 kg checked allowance? This will be a max baggage trip due to OH’s diving gear (final destination is Mexico)!
Jumping on this as the EI experts seem to be out today! I have avios flights booked MAN-DUB in November. In MMB it says we can have 20 kg of hold baggage each, but refers me to the EI website for hand baggage allowances. EI website only a small bag is permitted but I can book 10 kgs of hand baggage for 9.99 euros – or check this in free at the airport.
I’m confused now – is this 10 kg in addition to our 20 kg checked allowance? This will be a max baggage trip due to OH diving gear (final destination is Mexico)!
Yes, you get your 20Kg large case and then your 10Kg hand luggage case….goes in the hold. Unless you’re an EI elite in which case you must board with your 10Kg hand luggage case. It is confusing I grant you.
It is to do with EI Avios tickets booking into the Saver fare type. I would advise printing off the full Avios ticket paperwork as check in agents at outstations can claim no 20kg entitlement on what they see is a Saver fare.
Thanks @BWS! Yes, I have the email and booking confirming the 20 kg allowance safely filed away as I’d read about this on FT, but it didn’t cover the hand baggage scenario.
That’s pretty good then, effectively 30 kg of hold baggage pp? So far I’m loving this plan of a mini break in Dublin funded by the savings from our DUB-LHR-MEX redemption in F with still plenty of cash left over for spends!
Also – presumably you get a seat at OLCI? It’s not an issue with it being a very short flight but it’s our first time with EI so not familiar with their procedures.
Thanks @BWS! Yes, I have the email and booking confirming the 20 kg allowance safely filed away as I’d read about this on FT, but it didn’t cover the hand baggage scenario.
That’s pretty good then, effectively 30 kg of hold baggage pp? So far I’m loving this plan of a mini break in Dublin funded by the savings from our DUB-LHR-MEX redemption in F with still plenty of cash left over for spends!
Also – presumably you get a seat at OLCI? It’s not an issue with it being a very short flight but it’s our first time with EI so not familiar with their procedures.
Yes 30Kg checked baggage. You can call Aer Lingus to book seats on Avios tickets, though they do charge. You will also need the EI booking ref to check in online so make sure you got that from Avios.
Thanks again! I booked on ba.com, so only have that booking reference, is that going to be an issue? Not bothered about where we sit and checking in at MAN would be ok as we need to check the 30 kg of bags anyway!
Thanks again! I booked on ba.com, so only have that booking reference, is that going to be an issue? Not bothered about where we sit and checking in at MAN would be ok as we need to check the 30 kg of bags anyway!
That’s fine. The same Menzies team who do the BA flights at MAN do the EI ones. Some team members more useful than others as you know.
The EI main check in queue can get very long at MAN when both DUB and BHD flights are going.
Noted! Thanks for all this, I’m now going to email myself the link to this thread so I have a reminder of all this and don’t panic if I can’t do OLCI 😂. I am extremely risk-averse and have built in 2 days to get to DUB if it all goes wrong!
Popping up to make my regular pedantic point that EI tickets on EI flight numbers earn EI tier points. Which for some readers outside of London should not be discounted. EI Silver status at 301 TP, Platinum at 601.
Good point – though I think that for most people here, a low OneWorld status is more valuable than a higher EI status, especially when it comes to benefits and redemption
If you’re never going to reach BA elite status, still worth having EI Silver if only for the Avios elite earning bonus. Aer Club status is also one of the few free ways of entering the DUB lounge post-US immigration. No one wants to be out by the gates in that barren narrow part of Dublin Airport
That is definitely true, it would take a lot of trips to get to BA Silver if it’s 15 points return!
Thanks again! I booked on ba.com, so only have that booking reference, is that going to be an issue? Not bothered about where we sit and checking in at MAN would be ok as we need to check the 30 kg of bags anyway!
If you create an Aer Lingus account with the same email address the BA account used to book the EI flight, it always appears in the EI app for me – no need to search for the EI reference (though I think you can find it by putting your BA PNR into the Manage My Booking of some of the other oneworld sites like Finnair or RJ), If you do not ring and pay, you will be assigned a seat when you check in online – you cannot easily change it in the app – I’ve not tried it at the airport, as it is always a short flight, but i assume you could as at the bag drop if you specifically wanted an aisle or something like that.
Enjoy Dublin – the food and drink scene is so improved there, but it’s pricey! If it is your first time, maybe check out Temple Bar, to say you’ve been, but then go to almost anywhere else!
Thanks – will do this. Yes, first visit, which is shameful as we are nearer to Dublin as the crow flies than the U.K. capitals! Planning one day in Dublin centre then maybe visit a castle on the 2nd day. The Neolithic sites are on my bucket list but we’ll probably visit them on a driving holiday one year.
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