Aer Lingus Visa Signature Credit Card Review: Full Details

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Aer Lingus Visa Signature Overview

He Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card Avios offers a great bonus and decent earning potential on Aer Lingus, Iberia and British Airways flights. However, it falls a little short in terms of airline-specific benefits. Loyal Avios members can benefit from the card, but most casual travellers will be better off with a card that generates transferable currency. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card classification is based on the opinion of TPG editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

He Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card It is best suited for travelers who frequently travel between the US and Europe.

The card only charges a $95 annual fee and offers you a couple of nice airline perks. However, the earnings structure is nothing to write home about.

What sets this card apart is the possibility of earning a good amount of Avios with the welcome bonus. We’ll go into detail about the bonus and how you can earn it below, but that remains one of the card’s strong points overall.

The recommended one Credit Score for this card is at least 670 or higher.

Let’s look at the details of the card to see if it’s right for you.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Aer Lingus visa

Advantages	Cons
Earn valuable Avios Avios can be transferred between all IAG Group airlines. Low annual fee	Limited benefits and most only apply to transatlantic flights Free checked baggage is not allowed

Aer Lingus Visa Welcome Offer

He Aer Lingus Visa Currently offering 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Those 85,000 Avios are worth $1,190, according to TPG’s September 2024 report. ratings.

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This bonus is the biggest draw of the card overall, as you can use it Tackle At Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways alike, earning an Avios bonus offers a little more flexibility to earn and spend rewards compared to other airline loyalty programs.

Remember that since this is a Chase card, it meets the Chase 5/24 Rule: If you have opened five or more accounts with different issuers in the past 24 months, you will almost certainly be declined for this card.

Aer Lingus Visa Benefits

As you’d expect from a mid-tier co-branded airline card, the Aer Lingus Visa offers minimal advantages. With it, you will get:

Economy class companion ticket:Earn one Economy Class companion ticket every calendar year in which you spend at least $30,000 with your card. This allows you to add a companion to a paid Economy Class flight at no extra cost to you, as long as you book by emailing Aer Lingus directly.
Priority boarding:Primary cardholders and authorized users are eligible for priority boarding on any Aer Lingus flight to or from the US.
No foreign transaction fees:You will not be charged any additional fees when using your card abroad.
Visa Signature Benefits:As a Visa signature Card, you will get additional benefits such as luggage protection, purchase protection, Rental car insurance and access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.

While these benefits are nice, we are disappointed not to see an onboard discount or free additional checked baggage. When comparing the Aer Lingus Visa to the British Airways Visa Signature® Cardthe card really falls short in terms of benefits.

One of the biggest benefits of the British Airways Visa Card is the ability to save 10% on British Airways flights and the Travel Together Ticket Card benefit. This companion card is earned after spending at least $30,000 in a calendar year and you can add a companion to your Avios booking with no additional points, up to First Class, or use it for yourself to reduce the cost of a redemption by 50%.

How to earn Avios with the Aer Lingus Visa Card

With the Aer Lingus Visayou will win:

3 Avios for every dollar spent on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Level
2 Avios for every dollar spent on hotel accommodation when purchased directly from the hotel
1 Avios for every dollar spent on all other purchases

For flights, it’s not a bad return for a… Co-branded airline cardHowever, you’ll get a better return on investment if you use a premium travel card like The Platinum Card® from American Express either Reserve Chase Sapphire® instead.

Redeeming Avios on the Aer Lingus Visa Card

The Avios you earn with the Aer Lingus Visa are a valuable travel currency that you can redeem for Aer Lingus or partner flights or transfer to other airlines that generate Avios to redeem there.

But for those looking to take advantage of Aer Lingus’ route network, there are some strategic reasons to book with Aer Lingus. One of the competitive advantages is that it charges fewer taxes and fees, which can save you hundreds of dollars on award flights.

In addition, Aer Lingus has a robust route network in North America and allows American travelers flying from Dublin or Shannon to clear U.S. immigration in Ireland rather than waiting until they land in the United States.

Whether you book Avios award flights on Aer Lingus, British Airways or another partner airline, Avios offers you plenty of redemption options, including Aer Lingus A321 Business Class from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) for just 50,000 Avios and $152 in taxes during the off-peak season.

Transferring Avios to the Aer Lingus Visa Card

You can freely transfer Avios between Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways. And as the last four are part of the Oneworld Alliancewhich opens many doors for redemption options between airlines, including flights Qatar Airways‘ famous Suite Q.

You could also take a cue from TPG’s senior writer Ben SmithsonThe British Airways book regularly uses it to book one-way and short-haul flights from London to Europe for as little as 4,750 British Airways Avios each way, plus a reasonable $22 in fees, taxes and surcharges.

What cards compete with the Aer Lingus Visa?

You can earn Avios with co-branded credit cards from Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia. Plus, Aer Lingus is one of Chase Ultimate Rewards’ transfer partners, so you’re better off getting a card that lets you earn that currency and transferring your points as needed.

If you prefer a more flexible currency and are subject to the 5/24 rule: He Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a solid card option that earns Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to Aer Lingus or any of their other hotel and airline partners. With it, you’ll earn 3 points for every dollar spent on dining, 2 points for every dollar spent on travel, and 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases. For more information, read our Full Review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you prefer a flexible currency and agree with the 5/24 rule: He American Express® Gold Card Earn Membership Rewards points. With it, you’ll receive 4 points for every dollar spent on dining at restaurants (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 3 points for every dollar spent on flights booked directly from the airline or amextravel.com, 2 points for every dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked through amextravel.com, and 1 point for every dollar spent on everything else. For more information, read our Amex Gold Full Review.
If you prefer another airline that generates Avios: He Iberia Visa Signature® Card is an airline card that allows you to accumulate Avios. You get 3 points for every dollar spent on Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Level. This card has useful benefits such as a 10% discount when booking flights through a special link and a $1,000 discount coupon every year after spending $30,000. For more information, read our Full review of the Iberia Visa.

For additional options, please see our The best airline cards.

Is the Aer Lingus visa worth it?

If you want to earn Avios, the Aer Lingus Visa It may be worth adding to your portfolio. With a low annual fee, a valuable welcome bonus, and minimal perks like priority boarding and the ability to get a companion ticket, this card is a decent one for Aer Lingus fans. Still, you may be better off applying for the British Airways Visa to save 10% on British Airways flights and get an even more useful companion certificate.

In summary

If Aer Lingus is the primary airline you fly with between the U.S. and Europe, taking advantage of this offer and the card’s benefits makes sense. However, if this is not your primary airline, you will need to choose a Different options to earn Avios.

Apply here: Aer Lingus Visa

Related: The best ways to use Avios

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