Aer Lingus Introduces Exclusive Avios-Only Flight to Tenerife

Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, has announced its first-ever Avios-only flight, marking a new milestone in the carrier's efforts to reward its most loyal customers. This special flight, exclusively bookable using Avios points, follows similar initiatives by other International Airlines Group (IAG) members like British Airways and Iberia. The inaugural flight is scheduled for the upcoming Easter holiday period in April 2025.

The Avios-only flight will depart from Dublin Airport (DUB) and head to Tenerife South/Reina Sofía Airport (TFS), a popular destination in the Canary Islands known for its sunny weather. The flight is set to leave Dublin on April 19th, 2025, at 15:00 and will return from Tenerife on April 26th, 2025, at 12:35. The Airbus A320 aircraft will operate these flights, providing AerClub and British Airways Executive Club members with an exclusive travel experience.

To celebrate the launch, Aer Lingus offered a limited-time discount of 50% off the usual Avios cost, allowing members to book a round-trip for just 10,000 Avios, plus taxes, fees, and carrier charges. The promotion also includes a complimentary checked bag and carry-on for passengers. This special offer proved highly popular, with all seats selling out within five hours of going on sale.

Susanne Carberry, Chief Customer Officer at Aer Lingus, emphasized the airline's commitment to rewarding customer loyalty through unique opportunities like this Avios-only flight. She noted that with nearly 3 million AerClub members worldwide, Aer Lingus aims to continuously enhance the value and benefits offered to frequent flyers.

This initiative by Aer Lingus is part of a growing trend within the IAG family of airlines. British Airways pioneered the concept of "points planes" with its inaugural Avios-only flight from London Gatwick to Sharm El Sheikh in November 2023. Following suit, Iberia launched similar flights, offering members of its Iberia Plus program exclusive travel opportunities to destinations like Santorini and Catania. The popularity of these flights suggests that more such services are likely to be introduced across the IAG network in the future.

In other news, Aer Lingus has announced a reduction in frequencies between Dublin and London Heathrow due to decreased business demand and the ongoing passenger cap at Dublin Airport.