Aer Lingus Visa Signature credit card review: A solid option for earning Avios

Overview of the Aer Lingus Visa Signature

The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card provides a substantial bonus and good earning potential on flights with Aer Lingus, Iberia, and British Airways. However, it lacks some airline-specific benefits. Dedicated Avios collectors will find value in this card, but casual travelers might prefer one that earns a transferable currency. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card Rating reflects the views of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

The Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card is ideally suited for those who frequently travel between the U.S. and Europe.

The card has a reasonable annual fee of $95 and offers several attractive airline perks. However, its earning structure leaves much to be desired.

What distinguishes this card is its generous welcome bonus, allowing you to accumulate a significant amount of Avios. We’ll explore the details of the bonus and how to earn it below, as this remains one of the card’s main attractions.

A minimum credit score of 670 is recommended for this card.

Let’s take a closer look at the card details to determine if it’s suitable for you.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Aer Lingus Visa

 Welcome offer for the Aer Lingus Visa

The Aer Lingus Visa currently provides a bonus of 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, those 85,000 Avios hold a value of $1,190.

The bonus is the primary highlight of this card. With the ability to use Avios across multiple airlines such as Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, and Qatar Airways, earning Avios provides greater flexibility in accumulating and redeeming rewards compared to other airline loyalty programs.

Keep in mind that as a Chase card, it is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more accounts with different issuers in the last 24 months, you will likely be denied for this card.

Benefits of the Aer Lingus Visa

In line with expectations for a mid-tier cobranded airline card, the Aer Lingus Visa offers limited perks. Here’s what you’ll receive:

• Economy Companion Ticket: Earn an Economy Companion Ticket each calendar year when you spend at least $30,000 on your card. This allows a companion to join you on a paid economy flight at no extra cost, provided you book by contacting Aer Lingus directly.
• Priority boarding: Primary cardholders and authorized users are entitled to priority boarding on any Aer Lingus flights to or from the U.S.
• No foreign transaction fees: There are no additional charges when using your card internationally.
• Visa Signature benefits: As a Visa Signature card, you receive extra perks such as baggage protection, purchase protection, rental car insurance, and access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.

Although these perks are decent, we are let down by the absence of inflight discounts or additional free checked bags. Compared to the British Airways Visa Signature® Card, the Aer Lingus Visa truly lacks in benefits.

A standout advantage of the British Airways Visa card is the opportunity to save 10% on British Airways flights, along with the Travel Together Ticket perk. This companion pass is awarded after spending at least $30,000 within a calendar year, allowing you to add a companion to your Avios booking without using extra points, even up to first class, or to halve the cost of a redemption for yourself.

Earning Avios with the Aer Lingus Visa

With the Aer Lingus Visa, you will earn:

• Earn 3 Avios for every dollar spent on purchases made with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and Level
• Receive 2 Avios per dollar spent on hotel bookings made directly with the hotel
• Get 1 Avios for every dollar spent on all other purchases

For flights, this return is quite favorable for a cobranded airline card. However, you might achieve a better return on spending with a premium travel card like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve® instead.

Using Avios with the Aer Lingus Visa

The Avios earned through the Aer Lingus Visa serve as a valuable travel currency that can be redeemed for flights with Aer Lingus or its partners, or transferred to other airlines that earn Avios for redemption.

For travelers aiming to make the most of the Aer Lingus route network, there are strategic advantages to booking with them. One key benefit is their lower taxes and fees, which can save you significant amounts on award flights.

Moreover, Aer Lingus offers a strong network in North America and enables U.S. travelers departing from Dublin or Shannon to complete U.S. immigration procedures in Ireland, avoiding long waits upon arrival in the U.S.

When booking Avios award flights with Aer Lingus, British Airways, or other partner airlines, Avios provides a variety of redemption options. For instance, you can fly Aer Lingus A321 business class from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) for just 50,000 Avios and $152 in taxes during off-peak seasons.

Transferring Avios earned through the Aer Lingus Visa

You can easily transfer Avios between Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, and Qatar Airways. Since the latter four are members of the Oneworld alliance, this expands your redemption options significantly, including the chance to fly on Qatar Airways' luxurious Qsuite.

You might also consider the strategy of TPG senior writer Ben Smithson, who often uses Avios for one-way, short-haul flights from London to Europe for just 4,750 British Airways Avios each way, alongside a reasonable $22 in fees, taxes, and surcharges.

What are the competing cards to the Aer Lingus Visa?

You can accumulate Avios through cobranded credit cards from Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia. Additionally, Aer Lingus is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, making it advantageous to consider a card that earns that currency for point transfers as needed.

• If you want a more versatile currency and meet the 5/24 criteria: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent choice that earns Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to Aer Lingus and other hotel and airline partners. It offers 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points on travel, and 1 point on all other purchases. For more details, check our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• If you want a flexible currency but exceed the 5/24 limit: The American Express® Gold Card earns Membership Rewards points. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar on dining (up to $50,000 annually, then 1 point), 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly or via amextravel.com, and 2 points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases through amextravel.com, with 1 point on all other spending. For further information, refer to our full review of the Amex Gold.
• If you're interested in another airline that earns Avios: The Iberia Visa Signature® Card allows you to earn Avios, giving you 3 points per dollar on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and Level. It also includes perks like a 10% discount on flights booked through a special link and a $1,000 discount voucher annually after spending $30,000. For more information, read our full review of the Iberia Visa.

For more options, take a look at our best airline cards.

Is the Aer Lingus Visa a good choice?

If earning Avios is your goal, the Aer Lingus Visa might be a worthwhile addition to your wallet. It comes with a low annual fee, an attractive welcome bonus, and limited benefits like priority boarding and the chance to earn a companion ticket, making it a decent option for Aer Lingus enthusiasts. However, you might find the British Airways Visa more advantageous, as it offers a 10% discount on British Airways flights and a more beneficial companion certificate.

In conclusion

If Aer Lingus is your main airline for travel between the U.S. and Europe, then leveraging this offer along with the card's benefits is a wise choice. However, if it's not your primary airline, you might want to consider a different option to accumulate Avios.