Bits: Tesco trialling 12000 Avios bribe for Premium Credit Card, developments at Aer Lingus

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News in brief:

Tesco trialling a 12,000 Avios sign-up bonus for the Tesco Premium Credit Card

I was unexcited in my review of the Tesco Premium Credit Card when it launched a couple of months ago. Whilst the benefits package could work for some people, most would struggle to get any value unless you spend £5,000 per year in Tesco to trigger the annual bonus.

There aren’t many of those people. I would also guess that many of those who do are feeding large families – not filling their trolley with lobster – and wouldn’t want to pay a £150 annual fee for a credit card.

I get a feeling that my lack of enthusiasm has been contagious. A reader sent me a targetted email yesterday offering him 5,000 Clubcard points – 12,000 Avios – as a sign-up bonus. There wasn’t even a spending target to hit!

Given the £150 fee, even 5,000 Clubcard points doesn’t necessarily make the card worth it. As I don’t need the travel insurance benefit, am not planning on buying any Club Europe flights in the next two months and won’t spend £5,000 this year in Tesco, it wouldn’t swing it for me.

If you were thinking of getting the card I would hold off. An ‘open to all’ sign up deal may be on the way.

Interesting Aer Lingus traffic statistics

Aer Lingus sent me a lengthy press releases yesterday to remind me how wonderful it is. I will spare you the details but there were some interesting numbers in it which made it clear how successful the airline has been in picking up North America traffic from the UK regions.

you can now connect to North America flights on Aer Lingus from 19 UK airports

Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool have seen 18% year on year growth in Aer Lingus departures to North America via Dublin

Manchester is the most popular Aer Lingus starting point for a US trip, followed by Birmingham

Dublin was the fastest growing major European airport in H1 2016

For Head for Points readers, the more important facts about Aer Lingus are:

You can redeem Avios points on Aer Lingus, but only by calling British Airways (see this article for details)

Tax in Business Class is under £75 return if you ticket from Dublin to avoid UK APD

Dublin to Boston is under 3,000 miles and so costs only 75,000 Avios return in Business Class

You can clear US immigration and customs in Dublin, allowing you to enter the US with no delays

There is a brand new lounge just after US immigration at Dublin Airport

Whilst delayed, Aer Lingus will be launching its own Avios scheme, AerClub, very soon. I am currently thinking about how we will integrate this into HfP.

I am also very keen to review the new Aer Lingus business class seat and the Dublin lounges and this will be our key travel priority for the Autumn.

Category

Aer Lingus and AerClub, Tesco Clubcard

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Alex W says:

11 Aug11 August 18:17

OT:
I am coming up to the anniversary for the Lloyds Premier Avios card and don’t want to pay the £140 fee. I rang Lloyds to downgrade to the £24 Avios card, I have been told that I can’t do it, as it is effectively a new application and I am showing as ineligible to apply for a new product?! Therefore I have to either pay the £140 fee, or cancel the card.
I have just checked my credit score (via Barclaycard) and it’s 831 which should be fine.
I am about to cancel Amex Plat as I have got all the value I can out of it after 5 months’ use.
I have a BAPP and earned the 241 and have 4 months left to run.
I have several other non-Amex cards – Hilton, Santander 123, Nationwide Select and my main card at the moment is the new Creation IHG card.
I will be selling my house and applying for a new (joint) mortgage next year.

1. Should I cancel the BAPP (£195 fee due in December)?
2. Given that I am not allowed to downgrade, should I just cancel the Avios Premier (£140 fee due in August)?
3. Can I pay for the BA 241 taxes with a Supp to my wife’s Gold Card?
4. Should I be worried about the effect on getting a new mortgage next year?

Many thanks!
- harry says:
  
  11 Aug11 August 18:41
  
  there is definitely a negative effect as regards your mortgage application but it goes away after a few months
- Alex W says:
  
  11 Aug11 August 19:02
  
  Thanks Harry… I am thinking I should cancel the Lloyds card and downgrade to the free BA card… any thoughts?
  - harry says:
    
    11 Aug11 August 19:19
    
    many! you already get it AFAICS, cancelling cards does impact negatively but it goes away after time
James67 says:

11 Aug11 August 18:20

OT bit: Could somebody please advise how long it usually takes to process Club Carlson gold upgrade via the amex platinum route? Thanks in advance.
- Andrew* says:
  
  11 Aug11 August 22:06
  
  I think it was a couple of weeks for me – having put in my existing membership number when applying for the upgrade…
pauldb says:

12 Aug12 August 12:34

OT and not exactly deal of the century: have just done a Tesco delivery order and found I had a 150 point “Just for you” e-coupon pre-loaded. An old account I use with a physical card but not for a grocery delivery in probably 6-12 months.
zaza says:

12 Aug12 August 13:35

Does anybody know if, now that they’re in IAG, there are any plans to facilitate BA passengers using the Aer Lingus lounge on a USA – LHR – DUB route? Specifically, when Aer Lingus operate the LHR – DUB leg (on a BA codeshare), they don’t have Business class. This not only means that your Club World ticket gets you an economy seat on the last leg, but also that you have to transfer to T2 at LHR and BA don’t have a lounge there. And previously, Aer Lingus have said that as an economy class ticket holder I’m not coming into their lounge. Would seem a small courtesy to allow that……
- Alex W says:
  
  12 Aug12 August 14:16
  
  Interesting… on a separate note, if you have to change terminals, does that mean you can pick your bags up at LHR or will they be checked through to DUB?
  - zaza says:
    
    13 Aug13 August 09:14
    
    Nope, they’re checked through