Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. SWIFT/BIC code

Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. SWIFT code: AIBKGB41

Whether a recipient gives you AIBKGB41 or AIBKGB41XXX, you are looking at the identical address for Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. in United Kingdom. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to route payments between countries to the right institution. In daily life you mostly see it on international invoices, in payment forms and in the bank details that Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. provides.

On this page you can read what the code means, when it matters and which other details a transfer to or from Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. requires. A SWIFT code identifies a bank or branch, not a single account.

AIBKGB41 or AIBKGB41XXX – which one to use?

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: the first four letters stand for the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Combined, these eight characters make up AIBKGB41 – the version you usually see online.

Most banks and apps accept both lengths. If yours asks for eleven characters, use AIBKGB41XXX; if it wants eight, use AIBKGB41.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals. Pasting the code is safer than typing it by hand.

How up to date is this code?

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on public sources. Even so, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Figures such as the number of codes are from our own dataset and may differ from what Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. publishes.

Use our data as a reference, not as the last word: the recipient’s bank details come first. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Spotted outdated information? Tell us via our contact form and we will look into it.

What a transfer from Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad costs rather more than the listed fee. On top of a fixed fee, banks in between can deduct a fee, and when currencies are converted the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest item, and it is easy to miss. A simple test: set the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. Before your next transfer, take a minute comparing the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. You can still use your account at Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.: head office code versus branch codes

Having 2 codes, Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. belongs to the banks that use individual codes for branches. The head office code is AIBKGB41XXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with AIBKGB41XXX or its short form AIBKGB41. If you have been given a specific code, stick to it rather than replacing it with the head office code.

The best way is to take the code straight from the recipient’s invoice. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than the head office code.

Paying into Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. in GBP

The currency in United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). If you send money in a different currency has to be converted somewhere along the way. Each conversion eats into the amount, even when no fee is shown.

Which bank converts the money matters. Sending the amount already in GBP often avoids an extra conversion, provided the rate you get is fair.

Exchange rates move all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate add up over a year.

When will the money arrive at Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.?

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Every gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the sender should contact the bank that sent it rather than Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

Watch out for payment fraud

One of the most common tricks goes like this: an email arrives with a request claiming that a supplier now has new bank details. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Before paying, confirm changed bank details through a phone call. Pressure and requests to keep it quiet are warning signs – a real supplier can wait a day. Acted too fast? Call your bank without delay and ask them to start a recall.

People receiving money can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. Wait until the money has really arrived – ask Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. if something looks wrong.

What to give a sender who pays you at Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.

A sender in another country needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. The basics are: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, AIBKGB41XXX or AIBKGB41 and in many cases your postal address.

You can add Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. and London as well. A typo in the IBAN is harder to fix than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C.. For business payments, it is common to agree who bears the costs.

Paying Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. in euros within SEPA

Because United Kingdom is part of the SEPA zone, a euro payment to Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. from within the SEPA area usually only needs the IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

You still need AIBKGB41XXX when sending payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Some banks and apps still ask for the BIC; if so, enter AIBKGB41 or AIBKGB41XXX.

Instant euro transfers have become widely supported across SEPA. Provided no currency is converted, a SEPA transfer is cheap; it is the conversion that costs money.

Before you send: check the Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C. code

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details. When the code you were given does not match AIBKGB41 or AIBKGB41XXX, stop and ask – contact the recipient or Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C..

An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees along the way. Remember the account number: an error there is harder to undo than a wrong code.

Many banking apps validate the structure of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. If your bank offers it, a payee name check before sending gives extra certainty. For a first payment, many people send a small test amount.