Aer Lingus to operate some Dublin and Hamburg flights for British Airways from February

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

Whilst BA has yet to make an announcement, Aer Lingus will be flying some Dublin and Hamburg flights from February on behalf of British Airways.

I assume that these will be ‘economy only’ services with Club Europe passengers downgraded. On the upside, economy food and drink may be free (or will Aer Lingus impose their own usual prices?). The crew and pilots will be Aer Lingus employees and the plane will be an Aer Lingus aircraft.

If you have any BA Dublin or Hamburg flights booked from mid February then you may want to check your bookings.

Here is an example to Hamburg from ba.com:

This is presumably linked to BA’s two current operational issues – some short haul planes are out of service to ‘have more seats rammed in’ (that’s the technical term, apparently) whilst others are being used at Gatwick to fill the slots acquired from Monarch which are on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis.

If you are booked on an Aer Lingus flight, BA should give you the option of cancelling or moving to another flight if you call.

How to earn Avios points from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (December 2021)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways BA Amex American Express card

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up, no annual fee and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending ….. Read our full review

British Airways BA Premium Plus American Express Amex credit card

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the UK’s most valuable credit card perk – the 2-4-1 companion voucher Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points, such as:

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital On Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios:

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus:

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

(Want to earn more Avios? Click here to visit our home page for our latest articles on earning and spending your Avios points and click here to see how to earn more Avios this month from offers and promotions.)

Category

Aer Lingus and AerClub, British Airways and Avios

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

Frenske says:

26 Jan26 January 08:26

OT though Aer Lingus has this too. It looks like Schiphol Amsterdam is looking at Clearing US customs and immigration at Schiphol airport.
- Rob says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 10:01
  
  Quite a few airports put their hands up didn’t they? Wasn’t Manchester in as well? The problem as I understand it is that the airport must pay for EVERYTHING – including the salaries and housing costs of the US immigration officials. Unless your US flights are confined to a small window of the day you are looking at a lot of people to provide 7 / 365 coverage.
- John says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 12:38
  
  Is it? AMS was looking at US preclearance in 2015, but I thought the talks fizzled out because the government was anti-Trump.
  
  I read a forum post that BRU was going to agree something with the US in 2018.
  
  In my view, ARN is likely to introduce US preclearance facilities before AMS, if either airport goes forward at all.
  
  Interestingly, MIA is planning to introduce Cayman Islands preclearance, though it looks like it won’t be a permanent facility with the Caymans officers just flying out and back on the same flight.
NA says:

26 Jan26 January 08:41

OT: does anyone have a Airbnb referral link to share? I remember seeing one on HFP in the past but can’t locate it.

Thanks!
- Frenske says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 08:59
  
  http://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/newu5651
  
  £25 for you
  - Rob says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 09:58
    
    It’s in the right hand sidebar! But feel free to use Frenske’s as Anika just books more time off work in order to spend it all if you use hers 🙂
AlexT says:

26 Jan26 January 09:47

OT, but thought I’d ask:

I currently have an AMEX Gold and am thinking of using the link people have shared in comments to upgrade to Plat for the 20k bonus. If I haven’t received a specific invite from AMEX to do ti, would I still get the points? If so, could someone please reshare the link?
- mark2 says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 10:41
  
  Yes
  https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/content/platinum-charge/upgrade/
  - AlexT says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 13:11
    
    Thanks!
- AndyW says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 16:02
  
  I have been thinking about this, as hopefully going to get another gold in before rules change. I was going to do the upgrade, but my thinking now (having never had a plat before) is that it would actually be better to not go down this road, and instead leave the Plat as a card I have never had before – and as such eligible for the full opening bonus in the whatever the future world looks like.
  - Ali says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 21:39
    
    Beware that the wording for plat states that having held any MR enrolled card (this includes gold) in last 6m will preclude you from the signup bonus
Nicole says:

26 Jan26 January 10:14

OT but related – have booked an Aer Lingus flight to Toronto through Executive Club using avios, and now basically can’t access the booking online – only most basic stuff (ie not seat booking) through BA and not at all through Aer Lingus, where it comes up as a technical issue. Aer Lingus staff says it’s because it an avios booking, so nothing to be done. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this always the way for Aer Lingus avios bookings? Fairly annoying if so!
- Nick_C says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 11:34
  
  Aer Lingus will be using a different record locator to BA. If you can’t see the Aer Lingus record locator on “manage my booking”, contact BA and ask them for it. You can probably then use that locator on the Aer Lingus website.
  - Brian says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 14:22
    
    Yeup, it’s a well known problem, I’m afraid. Avios actually tickets on BA 125- stock, so it’s texhnically a “travel agent” booking as far as EI’s antique systems are concerned.
    
    Some people have had luck getting seats assigned, but not many.
    - Nicole says:
      
      26 Jan26 January 17:52
      
      Ah thanks, was afraid of that. Have been trying to get seats booked as travelling with children…was told someone would do it and email me, but not holding out hope!
  - Nicole says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 18:02
    
    Ah thanks, was afraid of that. Have been trying to get seats booked as travelling with children…was told someone would do it and email me, but not holding out hope!
Jonny says:

26 Jan26 January 11:31

OT – worth the upgrade (using Avios) from CW to First, on 5-hour flight LHR to TLV? Boeing 777. Travelling with my family (wife + kids aged 2 & 4).
I’m thinking “yes” as on a 2-4-1 so only 22,500 Avios extra for all of us. And get access to Concorde room / seat selection / bit more luxury.
Welcome thoughts though!
- Nick_C says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 11:39
  
  Wouldn’t you be better in CW where you can get the middle block of four seats, you can see your children, they can see you, and they will be close to each other?
  - Jonny says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 11:43
    
    Yeah I did think that (assuming can book a 4-seater – am BA Bronze, and not paying £££ to choose seats!!). But just seemed a decent opportunity to fly First…
    - Scallder says:
      
      26 Jan26 January 17:05
      
      I’d say go for it. For that price, for 4 of you is very good. Doubt you’ll get much cheaper opportunities…
- Mark F says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 22:43
  
  Similar thought from me. My wife (never turned left on a plane before) and I are using Avios and Amex 2-4-1 voucher to fly LHR to JFK, out Club World, back First. Downside is no Tier points earned for me. Could I subject to availability use extra Avios to upgrade outward leg to First and earn Tier points, as well as Concorde Lounge etc? First World problems territory I know!
Fraser says:

26 Jan26 January 12:26

I just looked at EDI-DUB yesterday for mid-Feb travel.

It is the same Aer Lingus flight, but almost £100 more if you book it via BA. Be warned!
Travel Strong says:

26 Jan26 January 14:57

O/T: is there a was to print itinerary details for 2015 trip that I no longer have the booking ref for? I can see it in my ‘flightpath’ on the BA website but get no more info. BA call centre cut me off twice, then put me through to India who gave me duff info on how to get access to the itinerary. I need evidence of my travel for a particular trip.
- Jonny says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 15:12
  
  Avios statements go back 3 years on the BA site, so if you select the appropriate time period the info should be there
Rhys says:

26 Jan26 January 15:10

Apologies for the OT but no Bits today. I will be going to a conference in Miami in April and can either stay in the JW Marriott Marquis or the Hotel Beaux Arts, Autograph Collection. I am Gold through the Amex Plat. Any views on which one to choose or likely benefits from being Gold? Thanks
- Nick says:
  
  26 Jan26 January 17:55
  
  Ditch them both and go for Conrad, one of the best hotels in the world.
  - Rhys says:
    
    26 Jan26 January 18:53
    
    Sadly it’s for a conference so corporate policy is to stay in the conference hotel(s) only.