Aer Lingus Visa Signature bank card evaluation: Full particulars

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The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card affords a powerful bonus and first rate incomes potential on Aer Lingus, Iberia and British Airways flights. It does, nevertheless, fall a bit quick by way of airline-specific perks. Loyal Avios members can profit from the cardboard, however most informal vacationers can be higher off with a card that earns a transferable foreign money. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card Rating relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is greatest suited to vacationers who often fly backwards and forwards between the U.S. and Europe. The cardboard solely costs a $95 annual charge, and also you do get a few strong airline perks. Nonetheless, the incomes construction is not something to put in writing house about.

What units this card aside is the power to earn a great stash of Avios with the welcome bonus. We’ll dive into the small print concerning the bonus and how one can earn it under, however that is still one of many largest promoting factors for the cardboard total.

The advisable credit score for this card is not less than 670 or increased. Let’s dive into the cardboard particulars so you’ll be able to resolve if it is a good match for you.

The Aer Lingus Visa is at the moment providing 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 within the first three months of account opening.

And for a restricted time, you will additionally earn 5 Avios on each $1 spent on gasoline, grocery and eating in mixed purchases (both as much as $10,000 or for the primary 12 months from account opening, whichever comes first).

These 75,000 Avios are value $1,125, in accordance with TPG’s valuations. Plus, when you max out the $10,000 cap in mixed purchases, you will earn a further 50,000 Avios and add one other $750 of worth, bringing your complete bonus worth to $1,875. This locations it towards the highest of our best limited-time welcome offers available.

This bonus is the largest promoting level of the cardboard total. Particularly since you should use Avios throughout Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia interchangeably, incomes a bonus in Avios does supply a bit extra flexibility by way of incomes and burning rewards in comparison with different airline loyalty applications.

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Keep in mind that since it is a Chase card, it does adhere to the Chase 5/24 rule. For those who’ve opened 5 or extra accounts throughout issuers prior to now 24 months, you are virtually sure to be denied for this card.

Associated: Cards offering welcome bonuses of at least 100,000 points

As anticipated for a mid-tier cobranded airline card, the Aer Lingus Visa affords minimal perks. With it, you will get:

• Financial system Companion ticket: Get an Financial system Companion Ticket each calendar yr that you simply spend not less than $30,000 in your card. This lets you add a companion to a paid economic system flight at no further value to you, as long as you e-book by emailing Aer Lingus immediately.

Whereas these perks are high quality, we’re dissatisfied to not see an inflight low cost or further free checked baggage.

Associated: Credit cards that can get you free checked bags

With the Aer Lingus Visa, you will earn:

• 3 Avios per greenback spent on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL
• 2 Avios per greenback spent on resort lodging when bought immediately with the resort
• 1 Avios per greenback spent on all different purchases

Moreover, for a restricted time, you earn 5 Avios on gasoline, grocery and eating purchases (both as much as $10,000 or for the primary 12 months from account opening, whichever comes first).

For flights, that is not a foul return for a cobranded airline card. Nonetheless, you will get a greater return on spending when you use a premium journey card like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve® as an alternative.

Associated: The best ways to use Avios

The Avios you earn with the Aer Lingus Visa are a precious journey foreign money that you could redeem for Aer Lingus or companion flights or switch to different Avios-earning airways to redeem there.

However for these trying to capitalize on the Aer Lingus route community, there are some strategic causes for reserving on Aer Lingus. One of many aggressive benefits is that it costs decrease taxes and costs — which might prevent a whole lot of {dollars} on award flights. Moreover, Aer Lingus has a strong North American route community and the power for U.S. vacationers flying out of Dublin or Shannon to clear U.S. immigration in Eire fairly than ready till hitting the bottom within the U.S.

Whether or not you are reserving Avios award flights on Aer Lingus, B.A. or a companion airline, Avios provides you quite a lot of redemption choices, together with Aer Lingus A321 business class from Dublin (DUB) to Philadelphia (PHL) for simply 50,000 Avios and $151.60 in taxes.

Associated: How to book Aer Lingus award tickets with Avios

You may switch Avios freely throughout Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia. And since British Airways is a Oneworld partner, that opens up many doorways for redemption choices throughout airways. For example, when you switch your Avios to British Airways, you’ll be able to then switch them to Qatar to e-book the famend Q-suites.

You could possibly additionally take a web page from TPG senior author Ben Smithson‘s e-book. He often makes use of Avios to e-book short-haul flights from London to Europe for simply 4,750 British Airways Avios every means, plus an affordable $22 in charges, taxes and surcharges every means.

Associated: 4 versions of Avios: When to use Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Iberia and British Airways

• For those who desire a extra versatile foreign money and are below the 5/24 rule. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a strong card choice that earns Final Rewards factors, which you’ll be able to switch to Aer Lingus or any of its different resort and airline companions. With it, you will earn 3 factors per greenback on eating, 2 factors per greenback on journey and 1 level per greenback on all different purchases. For extra info, learn our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• For those who desire a versatile foreign money and are over the 5/24 rule. The American Express® Gold Card earns Membership Rewards factors. With it, you will get 4 factors on eating at eating places and at U.S. supermarkets (U.S. supermarkets capped at $25,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level), 3 factors on flights booked immediately from the airline or amextravel.com, and 1 level on every little thing else. For extra info, learn our full review of the Amex Gold.
• For those who desire one other Avios-earning airline. The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is an airline card that earns Avios. It earns 3 factors per greenback on Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL. This card has helpful advantages equivalent to 10% low cost whenever you e-book flights by iberia.com/Chase10 and a $1,000 low cost voucher every year after you spend $30,000. For extra info, learn our full review of the Iberia Visa.

For added choices, take a look at our best airline cards.

Associated: Everything to know about Chase transfer partners

If you wish to earn Avios, the Aer Lingus Visa could also be value including to your pockets. With a low annual charge, strong welcome bonus and advantages like precedence boarding and the power to earn a companion ticket, this card is first rate for Aer Lingus followers. Nonetheless, chances are you’ll desire to get a card that earns transferable factors as an alternative and easily switch these factors to your Avios account.

Apply right here: Aer Lingus Visa