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After several years of a codeshare partnership and nearly a year of an earn-only relationship, American Airlines and Aer Lingus have decided to take the next step. Effective immediately, elite members of both airlines now have access to reciprocal benefits. Here's a look at what you can expect the next time you take an Aer Lingus flight as an AAdvantage® elite — and vice versa.
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Aer Lingus Benefits for AAdvantage Elites
American Airlines AAdvantage elites can now enjoy a suite of benefits when flying Aer Lingus. Most of the benefits are streamlined across the board, but there are a few key differences. Here's a simple breakdown:
- AAdvantage Gold
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- AAdvantage Platinum
- All of the above.
- Fast track security at Dublin (DUB), London Heathrow (LHR), Shannon (SNN), and Amsterdam (AMS)
- Access Aer Lingus lounges (and bring a guest)
- One free checked bag (economy class only)
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro
- All of the above.
- One free checked bag (in any class)
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum
- All of the above.
Earn miles and Loyalty Points on Aer Lingus-operated flights
Earning rates on Aer Lingus- and affiliate-operated flights are a function of a few things, including the ticket's cash price, your AAdvantage elite status, and the fare class you've booked. On Aer Lingus flights, the only prerequisite to earning is booking into an eligible fare class, as detailed below:
- Business: J, C, D, I, R
- Economy: Y, B, H, K, L, M, N, S, V, G, O, Q, F, Z, A
The number of AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points you'll earn is the product of the base fare plus any carrier-imposed fees (less government-imposed taxes and fees) and your AAdvantage status. As a refresher, the bonuses tied to each level of AAdvantage status can be found below:
- General member: 5 miles for every $1 spent
- AAdvantage Gold: 7 miles for every $1 spent
- AAdvantage Platinum: 8 miles for every $1 spent
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 9 miles for every $1 spent
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 11 miles for every $1 spent
For example, if you hold AAdvantage Platinum status and book a ticket with a cash price of $1,000 (after subtracting the government-imposed taxes and fees), multiply the cash price by 8X. On this mock itinerary, you'd earn 8,000 redeemable AAdvantage miles and 8,000 Loyalty Points.
American Airlines Benefits for Aer Club Elites
The Aer Lingus press release issued on November 19, 2024, details that Aer Club elite members can look forward to status-dependent benefits when flying American Airlines. But the details are pretty slim. The airline will likely share more in the coming days, but here's what it's listed so far:
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Fast track security
- Lounge access
- Additional baggage allowance
Additionally, Aer Club elites can earn Tier Credits and Avios on American Airlines flights. However, your exact earnings will depend on which airline issued your ticket. You can view the full breakdown by fare class here.
Coming Soon: Redeem AA Miles for Aer Lingus Flights
Since rolling out Aer Lingus as an earn-only partner in December 2023, American Airlines has teased that redemptions are coming soon. It appears that's still the plan, as the bottom of AA's partner webpage for Aer Lingus still says as much. Unfortunately, there's no official timeline for this, though.
Related: All the Airlines You Can Book with AAdvantage Miles
Final Thoughts
American Airlines is growing its relationship with Aer Lingus. This means AAdvantage elites can enjoy select benefits on Aer Lingus flights — and vice versa — and earn AA miles and Loyalty Points (or Tier Credits and Avios) along the way. And sometime soon, American Airlines should start making Aer Lingus awards available with AAdvantage miles.
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