Chase Aer Lingus Visa Signature card review: Earn 100,000 Avios to use for award flights to Europe - or partner flights closer to home
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Review: Is the Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card the best credit card for you?
If you're looking to kick start your stash of Avios frequent flyer points, the
This is a new offer, with only a quarter of the $20,000 in minimum spending that was previously required. That works out at an average of $1,667 per month, which isn't difficult to reach when you think about how much you spend on groceries, gas, dining out, and any travel you might book.
Cardholders earn 5 Avios per dollar spent on travel booked directly with Aer Lingus, Iberia, British Airways, and LEVEL (then 3x) in the first year. You'll also be rewarded with 3x Avios on hotel stays for the first year (thereafter 2x), and 1 Avios per dollar on all other purchases.
While the Avios you'll earn on the card will get credited to your Aer Lingus account, you won't be restricted to redeeming only on Aer Lingus flights. That's because you can transfer Aer Lingus Avios to your British Airways or Iberia frequent flyer accounts. It's then possible to redeem them for award flights on all 14 Oneworld airline members.
Oneworld's network of airlines, including American Airlines, British Airways, and Qatar Airways, spans the entire globe, making your Aer Lingus Avios a valuable currency indeed. However, it's worth noting that while Aer Lingus' rewards currency is Avios, it is not actually part of the Oneworld alliance.
The
Together with the
Read more: British Airways Visa Signature card review
Those who would prefer more flexibility or who don't fly Aer Lingus often might consider a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, such as the
Comparison: Aer Lingus Visa Signature vs other airline cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 5x Avios on eligible flights with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL for the first year (3x after) 3x Avios on hotels booked directly with the hotel for the first year (2x after) 1x Avios on all other purchases | 2x miles on eligible United purchases 2x miles on dining 2x miles on hotel stays booked directly with the hotel 1 mile per dollar on everything else | 2x miles on eligible Delta purchases 2x miles at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide 1 mile per eligible dollar on everything else |
Welcome bonus | |||
Card benefits | Priority boarding for the cardholder and authorized users on Aer Lingus flights from/to the US Companion Ticket after you spend $30,000 or more in a calendar year Complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2021) Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Purchase protection Extended warranty Visa Signature Concierge | Free first checked bag Priority boarding 25% back on inflight purchases Two one-time United Club passes per anniversary year Complimentary Premier Upgrades on award tickets (when available) for Premier members on eligible domestic United-operated flights (primary cardholder only) Expanded United award availability (no blackout dates) 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 spent on purchases with the card, up to 3,000 PQP per calendar year Up to $100 every four years toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee Complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2021) Primary car rental insurance Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Trip delay reimbursement Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Travel accident insurance Purchase protection Extended warranty Visa Signature Concierge | Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit Secondary car rental insurance Baggage insurance Purchase protection Extended warranty Global Assist Hotline
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Foreign transaction fee | No | No | No |
Review |
Aer Lingus Visa Signature vs other travel rewards credit cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 5x Avios on eligible flights with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL for the first year (3x after) 3x Avios on hotels booked directly with the hotel for the first year (2x after) 1x Avios on all other purchases | 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2022 2x points on travel and dining 1 point per dollar on everything else | 2x miles on every purchase |
Welcome bonus | |||
Card benefits | Priority boarding for the cardholder and authorized users on Aer Lingus flights from/to the US Companion Ticket after you spend $30,000 or more in a calendar year Complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2021) Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Purchase protection Extended warranty Visa Signature Concierge | Up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through December 31, 2021 Complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by December 31, 2021) Primary car rental insurance Trip interruption/cancellation Trip delay insurance Baggage delay insurance Lost luggage reimbursement Extended warranty Purchase protection Travel and emergency assistance services Travel accident insurance Roadside dispatch | Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit Secondary car rental insurance Travel accident insurance Extended warranty |
Foreign transaction fee | No | No | No |
Review |
How to use Aer Lingus Avios points
It's easy to redeem your Avios directly through the Aer Lingus website. Once you've logged into your Aer Lingus AerClub account, you redeem your Avios for award flights on Aer Lingus, British Airways, or Iberia. You can also use "Pay With Avios" to cover the entire cost of a flight or use them as partial payment to reduce the amount paid in cash.
You can also upgrade eligible flights from economy to business class as well as use your Avios to pay for hotel stays, car rentals, and activities and experiences.
You can also transfer your Avios from your Aer Lingus account to both British Airways and Iberia's loyalty programs, giving you more flexibility when it comes to redeeming your points.
Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize British Airways Avios points
If you don't already have a British Airways Executive Club account, it's quick and easy to set one up. Once you're logged in, and you've transferred over your Avios from your AerClub account, you'll be able to redeem through British Airways' website.
Using the British Airways Executive Club is often deemed one of the best ways to redeem Avios as it shows the reward availability for most other Oneworld airline members and British Airways-operated flights. For example, short-haul domestic US flights with American Airlines booked with Avios through ba.com start at as little as 9,000 Avios one-way. This can be significantly less than what you'd pay when using American Airlines AAdvantage miles through aa.com.
Similarly, there are sweet spots to be found when spending your Avios via Iberia Plus. This is because Iberia's award prices are also distance-based, rather than regional. This means that you can book round-trips to places in the Caribbean with American Airlines from just 11,000 Avios in economy. Another example would be American Airlines in business class, this time round-trip from Miami to destinations like Bogotá, Columbia for just 46,000 Iberia Avios.
Redeeming Avios on flights with other Oneworld member airlines often means that surcharges (the fees you pay on top of the Avios) are not as high as when redeeming Avios on British Airways flights.
Aer Lingus Avios expire after 36 months of account inactivity, but even if you don't have travel plans any time soon, earning Avios by spending on the
Benefits and features
The
Economy companion ticket
A companion ticket is one of the most valuable travel perks there is. To earn an Aer Lingus Companion Ticket, cardmembers must spend $30,000 in a single calendar year.
Why's it so great? Well, it enables the user to purchase a flight using miles - in this case, Avios - for two people while paying for just one. Putting that into figures: You and a companion of your choice could fly to Dublin, Ireland for a total of just 13,000 Avios from the US East Coast and 16,250 Avios from the West Coast. Your companion flies with you for no additional Avios, plus you'll only pay taxes and fees for a single passenger.
The Companion Ticket is only valid on Aer Lingus-operated flights in economy. Once you earn it, you must use it within 12 months, and only one voucher will be awarded in any given 12-month period.
Bonus Avios on travel bookings
During the first year of card ownership, you'll earn 5 Avios for every dollar spent on flight bookings made directly with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL. After the first year, this reduces to 3 Avios per dollar.
You'll also be rewarded for hotel bookings at an elevated rate of 3 Avios per dollar on hotel stays when booked directly through the hotel. After the first year, you'll earn 2 Avios per dollar.
Read more: The best travel rewards credit cards
Avios earned in each billing cycle will automatically transfer into your Aer Lingus AerClub account. It's then up to you whether you'd prefer to spend them directly from your AerClub account or transfer them over into either your British Airways or Iberia accounts, depending on where you personally find they'll bring you the most value.
Priority boarding
To make sure you're granted priority boarding, simply show your valid credit card at the gate before boarding. Passengers traveling with the
Baggage protection
If your baggage gets delayed or lost the
Read more: The best credit cards with travel insurance
If your baggage is lost or damaged by the airline, then you and any immediate family member are entitled to up to $3,000 per passenger.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
The
Read more: The best credit cards with purchase protection
When you use your card to pay for a qualifying item, you're eligible for an additional year on US manufacturer warranties of three years or less.
Fees and costs
The
Spending abroad can sometimes incur annoying extra fees that make your trip more expensive than it should be. That is not the case with the
Read more: The best credit cards without foreign transaction fees
As with most other credit cards, there are fees for balance transfers, cash advances, and late or returned payments.