Summary
- Aer Lingus is launching new winter destinations Malta, Marrakech and Seville from Dublin Airport, offering even more sunny getaways.
- Bank of Ireland’s Aer Credit Card is changing its benefits and now offers 40,000 Avios annually for spending €10,000 in a membership year.
- Cardholders now receive one Avios for every euro spent on everyday purchases, making redeeming rewards simpler and easier.
Irish airline 
Aer Lingus has announced three new destinations for its winter schedule as it changes the benefits of its Bank of Ireland credit card. Cardholders will soon be able to earn 40,000 Avios a year, enough for a round-trip transatlantic flight.
Search for summer sun
Three new destinations will be added to the airline’s program for the winter season. Dublin Airport (DUB), the airline will start flights to Malta, Marrakech and Seville. The 4-hour connection to Malta International Airport (MLA) will start on 25 October and will operate three times a week. Aer Lingus will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while Ryanair (and its subsidiary Malta Air ) offers direct flights on the remaining days.
Flights to the Spanish city of Seville (SVQ) will also begin on October 25. The three-times-weekly service to the Andalusian city, home to the Alcázar Palace used as a filming location for Star Wars, will be available on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Ryanair also serves Seville from Dublin and Cork.
Ireland’s national airline: The story of Aer Lingus
The airline has been in existence for 87 years and now operates over 50 aircraft.
The airline’s only service to North Africa will begin the following day, October 26. The airline’s connection to Marrakech (RAK) will open Morocco to new Irish travellers with connections on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Airbus A320 service will compete directly with Ryanair on most days. Commenting on the new routes, an Aer Lingus spokesperson highlighted the latest opportunities for sunny getaways:
“Aer Lingus’ expanded winter schedule reflects a strong commitment to offering diverse and exciting travel options and ensuring there is the perfect break for everyone this winter.
“Whether you’re looking for the cultural richness of historic cities, the relaxing charm of beach resorts or the adventure of exploring new destinations, Aer Lingus offers its customers the opportunity to enjoy sunshine, discovery and fun all year round.”
In addition, the airline will increase frequencies on several of its most popular routes between Spain, France, Greece, Portugal and Turkey this winter.
A complete overhaul
Alongside the new routes, the airline is also making some major changes to its Bank of Ireland Aer Credit Card. Currently, cardholders receive two lounge passes, two Priority and Fast passes, and two free flights to Europe when they spend €5,000 ($5,466) in the year. From October 23, these benefits will be replaced by an annual bonus of 40,000 Avios when they spend €10,000 ($10,932) in the membership year.
Additionally, the earning rate will increase from one Avios per €4 spent on everyday purchases to one Avios per €3. All Aer Lingus purchases will continue to earn one Avios per euro. The change will make redeeming rewards much easier for cardholders who receive the annual bonus. Under the current system, frequent flyers must manually request reward flights. With the new change, customers will be able to book flights online and use Avios for redemptions worldwide, including on partner airlines.
Photo: Bank of Ireland
The global family multiple trip insurance benefit will remain for all cardholders. On January 7, 2025, existing cardholders will also be rewarded with 5,000 Avios, and new applicants will soon be eligible for a 5,000 Avios bonus when they spend €3,000 in the first three months. The provider’s US card at Chase remains unchanged at press time.
Which American airline credit cards earn Avios?
Three such cards are offered by Chase Bank.
