November 15, 2018

AerClub Celebrates One Millionth Member

 

•  Aer Lingus loyalty programme reaches sky-high membership figures
• AerClub boasts Ireland’s largest travel loyalty programme
• AerClub members can collect Avios through simple everyday purchases
• 20% of average Irish household annual spending equivalent to one-way Aer Lingus economy flight to US East Coast, when collecting Avios through AerClub

 

15 November 2018: AerClub, the loyalty programme of Aer Lingus, is celebrating its millionth member milestone. Maria Healy from Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, became the millionth person worldwide to sign up to the programme which sees Aer Lingus guests reap rewards not only when travelling with the airline but with simple everyday purchases.

 

AerClub is the first Irish airline loyalty programme to give its members the opportunity to collect Avios ‘in the air’ each time they fly, ‘on the ground’ with partners such as SuperValu and Kildare Village, and ‘online’ via the AerClub eStore which is home to hundreds of top name brands including retail, hotels and car hire, across Ireland, Europe and North America, allowing members to collect up to 12 Avios for every euro, dollar or pound they spend.

 

According to 2015-16 data from CSO Ireland*, 20% of average Irish households annual spending is on holidays, food (grocery), clothing and footwear (€8,528), all of which could earn AerClub members valuable Avios to spend on reward flights. For example, the average AerClub member completing all of their grocery shopping in a given year (€5,044) at SuperValu could collect enough Avios to be spent on an economy Aer Lingus flight to the UK during peak season (excluding taxes, fees and charges). The average member who is also completing all of their clothes and footwear shopping (€1,768) with top retailers via the AerClub eStore and booking holidays with Aer Lingus and its travel partners (€1,716) in that same year, could potentially collect enough Avios to get a one-way economy off-peak reward flight to the US East Coast, including 23kg checked baggage (excluding taxes, fees and charges).

 

As AerClub’s one millionth member, Balbriggan-based DJ Maria Healy, was rewarded with Platinum membership with AerClub, a €500 shopping trip and personal styling session from Kildare Village, a personal chauffeur courtesy of Devine’s Chauffeur Service to drive her to and from her shopping spree in style, dinner at the five-star Merrion Hotel, and 240,000 Avios, enabling her to enjoy business class return flights to the US or up to 30 flights from Ireland to Europe (excluding taxes, fees and charges).

 

Speaking on her milestone membership, Ms Healy said:

“As a DJ I travel to the UK, Europe and further afield regularly so joining AerClub made total sense for me. Never did I expect that I would be the millionth member and am delighted to receive Platinum membership and a VIP day out. I can’t wait to use my Avios to book another getaway!”

 

Mike Rutter, Chief Operating Officer at Aer Lingus, added:

“We are delighted to have reached 1 million members before AerClub’s 2^nd birthday. It is great to be recognised for having the largest travel rewards programme in Ireland. AerClub is a unique rewards programme as it allows members to collect Avios not just when flying but every day when making everyday purchases. We work with partners that we know will appeal to our members and we plan to continue to develop the AerClub offering, creating even more ways for our members to collect and be rewarded.”

 

AerClub has welcomed members worldwide, including 450,000 Irish members, 267,000 US members and 152,000 members from across Europe and the UK. Since the programme launched in November 2016, AerClub members have taken 2.4 million flights with Aer Lingus and flown approximately 2.58 billion miles – equivalent to 103,700 trips around the world!

The most frequently travelled routes by AerClub members include Dublin – Heathrow, Dublin – Gatwick and Cork – Heathrow.  When it comes spending their Avios on reward flights, AerClub members are making the most of Aer Lingus’ Stateside destinations, jetting off to the popular US cities including New York and Boston, as well as locations a little closer to home such as Faro, Malaga and London.

 

AerClub is made up of four membership tiers – Green, Silver, Platinum and Concierge. Each tier has a unique combination of travel benefits which may include lounge access, priority check in, priority boarding and bonus Avios earning. In recognition of each Aer Lingus flight taken, AerClub award Tier Credits - the more Tier Credits collected, the quicker members will move up to the next membership tier and the more travel benefits they will enjoy.

 

For further information on AerClub and to sign up to the loyalty programme, visit www.aerlingus.com/AerClub.

 

*CSO Ireland Household Budget Survey 2015 – 2016 – see full report here

 

ENDS

 

For media information, please contact:

Greta Murphy – 086 168 9482

Jessie O’Malley Glynn – 086 378 5034

Teneo PSG

aerlingus@teneopsg.com

01 661 4055

 

Additional information on AerClub

AerClub is powered by Avios a leader in travel rewards that manages the reward currency for multiple global loyalty programmes, including the British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus. Working with Avios, Aer Lingus can give AerClub members access to a global network of partners where they can collect Avios and turn them into flights and travel experiences.

 

Click here to see detailed list of Aer Lingus routes and the equivalent Avios needed for a reward flight - https://www.aerlingus.com/media/pdfs/EI_routes_avios_amounts.pdf

 

Additional information on Avios

Avios Group (AGL) Limited operates the Avios reward currency for the British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, AerClub, Vueling Club and Meridiana Club, as well as the Avios Travel Rewards Programme in South Africa.  It is also the currency for kulula.com and Flybe frequent flyers.  Millions of customers collect Avios in over 190 countries world-wide.  Part of International Airlines Group, Avios is headquartered in the UK, with a global office network in Madrid, Johannesburg and New York City.

Customers can collect Avios when booking cash flights with partner airlines as well as on international hotel stays, car rental and on everyday purchases through partners.  Avios can be used for travel rewards including towards flights, hotels and car hire, as well as for days out and leisure experiences. 

Collecting Avios

In the air

AerClub members will collect Avios each time they buy a flight with Aer Lingus and its partner airlines - British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and United Airlines.

On the ground

AerClub has teamed up with a number of partners to ensure members can collect Avios in lots of ways – weekly shop at SuperValu, retail therapy at Kildare Village, a getaway to the five-star Merrion Hotel or a chauffeur with Devine’s Chauffeur Service for a special occasion, together with other retail partners such as Holidays with Aer Lingus, and hotel providers such as Agoda, Kaligo.com and Rocketmiles.

Online

Online shopping via the AerClub eStore also allows members to collect Avios with over 100 top name Irish and international brands.