summary
- Aer Lingus will end its codeshare agreement with United Airlines, so United MileagePlus members will no longer earn points when flying with Aer Lingus.
- Previously, British Airways Executive Club members were able to fly and earn miles on United Airlines through a complex points transfer process that included Aer Lingus. This option will no longer be available.
- American Airlines will be the clear winner in this situation, making it an unrivaled partner for Aer Lingus and the go-to choice for passengers connecting across the Atlantic to US destinations. United Airlines, on the other hand, is likely to be in a weaker position.
Aer Lingus, the flag carrier of the Republic of Ireland, is a rather unique airline, breaking many of the accepted norms within the industry. Despite being owned by the same company as British Airways and Iberia, the airline does not maintain membership in the Oneworld Alliance.
Apart from this, the airline has quite a variety of codeshare agreements, some of which are actually quite interesting, such as codeshares with both American Airlines and United Airlines. Today, however, things are changing with United Airlines and Aer Lingus ending their codeshare agreement on October 27th. United MileagePlus members will no longer earn points on Aer Lingus flights, and vice versa.
The strangeness of partnership
This codeshare agreement has always stood out from others in the industry and has enabled several benefits that have traditionally been overlooked by travelers. Although the two airlines do not have a codeshare agreement and are part of different alliances, British Airways Executive Club members can earn miles while flying United Airlines and are eligible to earn miles while flying United Airlines. I was able to earn miles and then transfer to British Airways.
-One of the things that made this previous partnership stand out was the fact that United wasn’t the only US legacy airline with which Aer Lingus maintained a codeshare agreement. Notably, the Irish flag carrier has actually become much closer to American Airlines, even entering into a licensed revenue-sharing joint venture with American Airlines on its North Atlantic flights. be.
Oddly, American Airlines AAdvantage members have not been able to redeem points for travel with Aer Lingus, even though American Airlines and Aer Lingus share revenue across the Atlantic. Yet United MileagePlus members have always been able to do just that. However, things are about to change dramatically, with United and Aer Lingus ending their codeshare agreement in just six days.
So what’s next?
With the end of a major codeshare deal looming, many may be wondering where Aer Lingus, United Airlines, British Airways and American Airlines will stand as a result. Naturally, there are both winners and losers following this announcement.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
American Airlines will be Aer Lingus’ unique U.S. partner, so it’s very easy to identify a winner. Because United Airlines no longer maintains a codeshare agreement, American Airlines immediately becomes the obvious choice for passengers flying across the Atlantic with Aer Lingus and connecting to other U.S. destinations via the airline’s extensive domestic network. There will be no option.
For United Airlines, there are multiple reasons why the end of this partnership leaves the airline in a vulnerable position. First, the airline will no longer be a strong option for people traveling to Ireland on connecting itineraries. Second, British Airways loyalty program members will no longer be able to earn points on United flights, leaving United once again in a vulnerable position.
Photo: ThaKlein/Shutterstock
But for Aer Lingus, the net result of the partnership being canceled is that there will be fewer options available to the airline’s passengers. Ultimately, fewer codeshares mean fewer destinations that can be efficiently accessed by passengers from all airlines involved.
sauce: view from the wing
