Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of my favorite frequent flyer programs, thanks to the fact that they continue to award miles based on distance flown, have unique airline partners, have low award redemption rates, allow stopovers on one-way awards, and offer generous elite benefits.
While Alaska Airlines doesn’t belong to one of the major global alliances, they have valuable airline partners, including airlines that belong to the major alliances, and also some airlines that are independent.
However, there is one thing that really frustrates me about the program — they add new airline partners, but then they take forever to add award redemptions. Often it even takes a couple of years for them to add redemptions.
Alaska’s partnership with Aer Lingus
Alaska and Aer Lingus announced a partnership in March 2018, around the same time that Aer Lingus began flying between Dublin and Seattle.
Then as of May 2018, Alaska Mileage Plan added the ability to earn miles for travel on Aer Lingus.
Well, it has now been over a year since that happened, and up until now it hasn’t been possible to redeem Alaska miles on Aer Lingus.
That has finally changed, and there’s something very interesting about the redemption rates.
Aer Lingus A330
Redeem Alaska miles on Aer Lingus
Alaska Mileage Plan has just added award redemptions on Aer Lingus, and tickets are bookable directly on alaskaair.com.
You can redeem Alaska miles for travel between North America and Europe at the following rates:
- One-way economy tickets cost 30,000-80,000 miles one-way
- One-way business class tickets cost 60,000-280,000 miles one-way
For intra-Europe travel:
- One-way economy tickets cost 8,000-30,000 miles
- Redemptions in business class aren’t possible because up until now Aer Lingus hasn’t offered business class within Europe; that is changing soon, so hopefully Alaska also introduced business class redemptions within Europe
A few things to note:
- Alaska allows stopovers even on one-way awards, so any of these awards you could have a stopover in Dublin enroute to your final destination (this even applies to intra-Europe flights — you could fly from London to Dublin to Frankfurt with a stopover, for example
- There are no carrier imposed surcharges on these redemptions
- Alaska has access to one fewer business class award seat per flight than Aer Lingus otherwise has available; Aer Lingus uses the “U” fare class for business class awards, so the flight needs to have two “U” seats for Alaska to see one seat
Aer Lingus A330 business class
Okay, now on to the big picture question — what the heck is going on with 280,000 mile one-way business class redemptions?!?!?!
Well, Alaska is doing something interesting here, and I’m not sure what to make of it. If Aer Lingus has award availability on a flight, then the lowest cost shown above applies. That means you’ll pay 30,000 miles in economy or 60,000 miles in business class for a one-way transatlantic award, or you’ll pay 8,000 miles for a one-way economy award within Europe.
However, Alaska also seems to have near last seat availability on Aer Lingus, and you can redeem 280,000 miles for a one-way ticket on just about any flight.
This is a very interesting precedent, as it’s the first time Alaska has what can only be described as revenue based redemptions on a partner.
My take is that:
- Nothing is being taken away here, since saver awards are still pricing at a consistent level
- There simply are no circumstances under which redeeming 560,000 miles for a roundtrip Aer Lingus business class ticket represents a good deal
- So while seeing the 280,000 mile one-way pricing is jarring, I don’t take issue with it; I just ignore it
Aer Lingus business class catering
Earn Alaska Mileage Plan miles
If you’re looking to acquire Alaska Mileage Plan miles for redemptions on Aer Lingus, you have a couple of good options. First of all, Alaska often sells miles at a discount, which can be a great way to score a deal on premium travel.
On top of that, Alaska also has two great credit cards, which can earn you a lot of bonus miles:
Bottom line
I’m happy to see Alaska finally add award redemptions on Aer Lingus, which is long overdue. It’s disappointing how long it often takes Alaska to add partner redemptions, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s intentional, or what.
The entry level redemption rates are quite good — 60K miles one-way with a stopover and no carrier imposed surcharges for business class to Europe is excellent. My only real complaint is that they have access to one fewer award seat per flight than other programs, because Aer Lingus often only makes one business class award seat available.
Anyone plan on redeeming Alaska miles on Aer Lingus?
I am just trying to get to my first MVP. I want to make sure my Air Lingus flight counts towards my AK mileage plan, so is there anything I "must" do to make sure that happens. I would hate to take the flight and miss out on earning mileage because I missed a step. Also... does anyone know what the contract conversion is? Does Air Lingus offer only 0.5 AK mile for every mile flown? Thanks for info everyone!
The business class awards for 60k are now available, but if I read between the lines, it would seem as an AS elite I can only book one seat. The problem is I need 2 seats!
When will Alaska honor the baggage agreement with AerLingus and visa versa! I just travelled from Sacramento to Seattle on Alaska and they would not check our bags through to Dublin! Same issue coming back on AerLingus , Dublin to Seattle, what a hassle checking in twice!
@Grant~ Alaska has heaps of fake business awards on offer throughout their program all the time. Pads it out nicely I'm sure, and traps beginners and the unwary, who check-in and find that 90% of their supposed Business award is in Y ! Yikes! How to generate bucketloads of long-lasting ill will !
Nothing is available from IAD to DUB for anything less than 280,000 miles and months go without even that. So in a word: worthless.
There's nothing
These are horrible redemptions! Why would I spend 30,000 Alaska miles when I can spend 13,000 Avios! Also 8,000 points DUB to LHR plus $32 taxes. No Bueno!
I will hold out hope that saver availability gets better in the future. Given that, yay to finally have a non-surcharge way to Europe from SEA. I will have to be backing off LH given my declining UA miles balance and the steady devaluation of business class in LH.
We flew Aer Lingus back to SEA on our latest trip, using UA miles. It was ehh... but at least we could sit together and...
I will hold out hope that saver availability gets better in the future. Given that, yay to finally have a non-surcharge way to Europe from SEA. I will have to be backing off LH given my declining UA miles balance and the steady devaluation of business class in LH.
We flew Aer Lingus back to SEA on our latest trip, using UA miles. It was ehh... but at least we could sit together and pick seats without extra charge. Having to fly tight seat pitch economy intra-europe in a business class ticket was not pleasant. Also not even a snack or bottled water for free... they went out of their way to get us a cup of tap water from the galley spigot... how nice...
Here's another gotcha - I noticed booking an awards redemption within the next 7 days actually costs more - 80k vs 60k in coach from LAX to DUB. I guess it's a good thing I am getting double-miles for all my cross-country travel this year since I'm going to need them!
I noticed it was U code.
I was looking to book award tix for next May and saw 280k one way on Aer Lingus every single day. This was for May 15, as soon as the dates were available.
2 connections from Europe to US west coast and 2 of them in economy, including the longest segment being in economy!
May be a work in progress?
I am glad that Aer Lingus redemptions are available using Alaska Air miles. I had lost faith that this would ever happen. So I redeemed my miles for domestic flights on American. I don't have any regrets about that.
It was at the top of the trending threads last night, now working it's way down the list. I don't blog and I see that list a few times a day...
@Thatguy
Here is the thing, it is pretty much clear that for this price, AS is taking your miles and then buy a ticket with EI with cash, since it has absolutely nothing to do with award inventory... And those tickets book into a fare class that earns miles, "I" class... I am as confused as everyone else but I am very suspicious that it will earn miles... Well, given the fact that you...
@Thatguy
Here is the thing, it is pretty much clear that for this price, AS is taking your miles and then buy a ticket with EI with cash, since it has absolutely nothing to do with award inventory... And those tickets book into a fare class that earns miles, "I" class... I am as confused as everyone else but I am very suspicious that it will earn miles... Well, given the fact that you just paid the price of a small family to fly Cathay first to Asia you might as well get a bit back!
At 280 k for a decent but not great carrier its a complete rip off
I'm losing faith in Alaska fast especially charging elites for premium coach seats
I have words for this 280k award but don't want to get banned from your blog ;) :)
Will never book this award ever and think less of Alaska now
may go back to the legacy carriers AA/UA where I came from
@beyounged, I'm quite sure you don't earn any miles for award redemptions of any kind, regardless of fare bucket.
I looked all the way out to EOS and cannot find any 60K business award space. Everything prices ar 280k. Dynamic pricing is a scam and Alaska is a sham.
That also means your so called explanation of the variable pricing is just dishonest propaganda for Alaska.
Shame on you too!
This is fine, but they need to improve their search engine. Now searching everything becomes wacky and even harder than before to find the actual saver level redemptions.
I just checked ~50 dates, mostly during unpleasant times of the year for SEA>DUB. Not a single seat offered at less than the 280k in J.
Oh, but it shows you can fly BA in ‘business’ via LHR... Only to discover that the business portion is only from LHR>DUB. Thanks, Alaska.
I don’t think it’s intentional- since Alaska is effectively signing new contacts and agreements every time they find a partner. This is probably very unlike an alliance that an airline joins, where there are set rules already in place.
Airlines want to announce ASAP for the sake of marketing, but work out the details of the agreement later.
Where's the credit to your friends over at Flyer Talk for your story!? You seem to H/T other blogs, but don't seem to mention that here...
@ Dogtor -- Our team saw it last night when ticketing an award for a client. If there's a FlyerTalk thread, we haven't seen it yet.
The days I have been fearing are approaching more rapidly than I thought: revenue based partner awards... ugh
Will you still get a free checked bag on the intra-Europe awards? That is what makes most Avios redemptions a good value on infra-Europe; if you will have a checked bag the surcharges are easier to accept.
It looks like the ticket of 280000 miles each way is issued in I class, which earns more than 200% RDM with AS, so this is an award flight, that actually gives you miles back for flying... Well...
so they're essentially doing what United and American do with their Everyday/AAnytime awards