Gold Circle Membership - Now What...?

WetDaddy

Hi Folks,

I just received my Aer Lingus Gold Circle membership card + bag tags in the post yesterday. However, I'm quite confused by the information they provide in the letter vs. what's online on their site. I believe it's deliberately done this way.

If you read the letter, it gives you the impression you can avail of benefits that only Gold Circle members have, such as priority check-in boarding on certain flights, redeeming points again upgrades, free flights and lounge access.

It's this highlighted part I'm most interested in. My wife, son & I are travelling to Spain in October for a holiday with Aer Lingus. It would be a great help if we could avail of the Gold Circle lounge, which I was under impression we could. Now I see *some* parts of the Aer Lingus site saying something about redeeming points in order to access the lounge.

If the latter is the case, then what really is the point (no pun intended) of having full Gold Circle Membership I now have? I can't get a straightforward answer from Aer Lingus, so thought I'd ask here instead

coylemj

Can't answer your question but why would you be bothered to use an airport lounge at your home airport? For a flight to Spain I'd go to the airport an hour before the flight is scheduled which wouldn't leave much time to crash out in the gold circle lounge.

There's free Wi-Fi in the airport these days, that would have been the only attraction for me of being able to use any of the lounges.

Maybe you're intent on raiding the free bar, or the unlimited coffee and pastries?

WetDaddy

coylemj wrote: »

Can't answer your question but why would you be bothered to use an airport lounge at your home airport? For a flight to Spain I'd go to the airport an hour before the flight is scheduled which wouldn't leave much time to crash out in the gold circle lounge.

There's free Wi-Fi in the airport these days, that would have been the only attraction for me of being able to use any of the lounges.

Maybe you're intent on raiding the free bar, or the unlimited coffee and pastries?

Thanks for the reply and all the faith in me...

I've no intention on availing the bar since I wouldn't drink when flying nor am I likely to raid anything else. I just wanted to check out the lounge, *if* it's something I'm entitled to as a member. I will also be going on about 3 or 4 more trips in the next 12 months or so, most of which are for business and are to LHR so it would definitely be beneficial to have somewhere comfortable to work.

I hope that answers your question.

Yamanoto

In my opinion, the greatest benefits Gold Circle provide are:

a) Quick check in / bag-drop at the dedicated counter

b) Fast Track lane at security

c) Lounge Access

d) Priority Boarding

As for lounge access, you're entitled to bring one guest in with you, provided they're also travelling on EI. So, you'll need to either purchase access on the website or spend 250 miles to get the third person in.

Current Gold Circle members can bring one guest free and up to a maximum of three guests at 250 points per person.

Compared to most other freq flyer programmes, I've found Gold Circle a fairly mean operation when it comes to how earning / spending points are handled and calculated.

Yamanoto

coylemj wrote: »

why would you be bothered to use an airport lounge at your home airport?

Why would you not bother?

It's hardly a piece of heaven on earth in the lounge, but it is quieter and it's certainly more comfortable - I sit and read the paper, have an OJ or two, then head for the gate.

WetDaddy

Yamanoto wrote: »

In my opinion, the greatest benefits Gold Circle provide are:

a) Quick check in / bag-drop at the dedicated counter

b) Fast Track lane at security

c) Lounge Access

d) Priority Boarding

As for lounge access, you're entitled to bring one guest in with you, provided they're also travelling on EI. So, you'll need to either purchase access on the website or spend 250 miles to get the third person in.



Compared to most other freq flyer programmes, I've found Gold Circle a fairly mean operation when it comes to how earning / spending points are handled and calculated.

That's great info Yamanoto, thank you very much! Surprised it wasn't made clearer to me, but that makes sense. I can go to the lounge with, say, my wife (if we're travelling on the same flight) in that case? And if I want to bring a third person, it would cost me 250 points?

Last question: I know that, to bring the third person in, you need to apply for it online and get a voucher printed. In order to bring just one guest with me, can I just go directly to the lounge?

Yamanoto

WetDaddy wrote: »

I can go to the lounge with, say, my wife (if we're travelling on the same flight) in that case? And if I want to bring a third person, it would cost me 250 points?

That's it, yep.

Alternatively, if you wanna hang onto your points, you can pay €25 for lounge access via their website or at lounge reception itself.

WetDaddy wrote: »

Last question: I know that, to bring the third person in, you need to apply for it online and get a voucher printed. In order to bring just one guest with me, can I just go directly to the lounge?

Yes. Once you have your card and your guest has their EI boarding pass, you're good to go.

WetDaddy

Thanks very much!