Hey everyone, welcome back to Smart with Points. I'm Jack, and today we're talking about something that's genuinely exciting, a partnership that's got me slightly jealous I don't live just a bit further west.
If you've ever wished your weekly shop could turn into flights to New York or Paris, well, this one's for you.
Though I should warn you, there's a catch if you're in the UK, but stick with me because this is still fascinating.
So Aer Lingus and Tesco Ireland have just launched a partnership that's honestly turning heads across the entire travel rewards community.
And I'm not exaggerating when I say this might be one of the best Avios earning opportunities we've ever seen. Let me break down why this is such a big deal. Here's the headline figure.
Every two pounds fifty in Tesco Clubcard vouchers converts into six hundred Avios. Now, if you're thinking that sounds good, but you're not sure how good, let me put this into perspective for you.
When you factor in the exchange rate from euros to sterling, you're effectively acquiring Avios at just zero point three seven pence per point.
To compare that with what we normally see, buying Avios directly from British Airways typically costs around one point five pence per point.
Even the very best transfer bonuses we cover on this podcast rarely bring that below one pence per point. This Tesco Ireland partnership is offering a rate that's genuinely unprecedented for a grocery loyalty scheme.
It's absolutely bananas in the best possible way. So what does this actually mean in practice? Let's talk real flights.
With Aer Lingus reward flights starting from just four thousand Avios plus taxes, a mere seventeen pounds fifty in Clubcard vouchers could secure you a one-way flight to Paris, London, or Amsterdam.
Think about that for a second. A few weeks of grocery shopping could literally get you to Paris.
For those with bigger travel dreams, fifty-five pounds in vouchers converts to thirteen thousand two hundred Avios, which could help fund a transatlantic journey to New York.
That's not small change, but it's also not an unrealistic amount to accumulate through regular grocery shopping over a few months. The timing here is particularly interesting.
Tesco is issuing Clubcard vouchers to almost one million members next week, meaning there's likely a substantial pot of vouchers ready to be converted into travel rewards right now.
If you're in Ireland and you've been saving up those vouchers without a clear plan for them, well, congratulations, you've just found an excellent use. The process itself is refreshingly straightforward.
You simply need your Aer Club membership number ready when exchanging Clubcard vouchers for Avios. You can do this through the Tesco app or at the website tesco.ie/clubcard/rewardpartners.
Both Tesco Clubcard and Aer Club are free to join, so there's no barrier to entry here. One particularly useful detail worth noting, Clubcard vouchers last for two years and can be found in the tesco.ie app.
So vouchers you've already been issued can be used for this reward. If you've been stockpiling Clubcard vouchers for a rainy day, I'd argue that rainy day has arrived.
Now, here's where I need to address the elephant in the room for those of us based in the UK.
This partnership is currently exclusive to Tesco Ireland, which means you'll need to be shopping at Irish Tesco stores to benefit.
So if you're sitting in London or Manchester right now, you can't just pop into your local Tesco and start converting vouchers to Avios. I know, I'm disappointed too.
However, for anyone living near the Irish border or those who regularly visit Ireland, this presents a genuine opportunity. And here's something important to understand.
The redemption possibilities extend well beyond just Irish routes. Avios earned through Aer Club can be used across the entire Avios family.
That means flights on British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, and Finnair are all within reach. You can even transfer Avios freely between these programs to maximize your options.
Let me give you some strategic perspective on this. This partnership comes as Aer Lingus approaches the tenth anniversary of Aer Club and follows successful partnerships with Uber, Revolut, and Bank of Ireland.
The airline seems genuinely committed to building out its earning ecosystem beyond just flights, which is exactly what we like to see. What strikes me most about this partnership is really the mathematics.
At zero point three seven pence per Avios through Tesco vouchers, you're getting better value than virtually any other Avios earning method available to UK or Irish consumers.
Even the business credit cards we regularly recommend on this podcast, which earn one Avios per pound spent, would need you to value those Avios at significantly more than zero point three seven pence to compete with this earning rate.
It's that good. So if you're accumulating Avios through this partnership and wondering where to redeem them, let me give you some ideas.
Aer Lingus itself offers some excellent value, particularly for transatlantic travel.
Their off-peak economy awards to North America start at just thirteen thousand Avios one way plus taxes, whilst business class can be had for fifty thousand Avios.
That's competitive with what you'd pay using British Airways Avios, but often with better availability. You can use our Avios calculator on the Smart with Points website to work out pricing for British Airways flights.
We'll put a link in the show notes. Or check out Award Travel Finder to search for availability across multiple programs. Here's the bottom line.
Whilst this partnership is currently limited to Tesco Ireland, it represents one of the strongest Avios earning opportunities available anywhere.
If you have any connection to Ireland, whether through family, business, or proximity, it's genuinely worth exploring whether you can take advantage of this.
Tesco Ireland expects to give back over seven point five million pounds in vouchers to customers, which could theoretically convert into enough Avios for hundreds of thousands of flights That's a significant pool of travel rewards being unlocked through everyday grocery shopping.
It's genuinely transformative for anyone who can access it. For those of us in the UK hoping for something similar, we can only watch enviously and hope that Tesco might extend this partnership across the Irish Sea.
Given the success of similar schemes in the past, and some of you might remember when Tesco Clubcard could convert to BA Avios years ago, perhaps there's hope for a future UK partnership.
I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed. Until then, Irish shoppers have stumbled upon one of the best Avios deals around. If you qualify, my advice is simple: make the most of it.
Start converting those vouchers, build up your Avios balance, and plan some amazing trips. I'd love to hear from you if you're in Ireland and planning to take advantage of this.
Message me on Instagram and let me know how you're planning to use your newfound Avios. Are you heading to Paris for a weekend? New York for a week? I'm genuinely curious to see how people use this.
That's it for today's episode. Thanks so much for listening to Smart with Points. If you enjoyed this episode, please do subscribe to the podcast.
You can find us on all major platforms, or head to our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. It really helps us out and means you won't miss any future episodes when we cover amazing deals like this.
Before you go, I've got a quick message about a tool that can really help with your award bookings. Looking for the best award flights?
Use awardtravelfinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and more. Try it for free with our link in the show notes.
Thanks again for listening, and I'll catch you on the next episode