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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Aer Lingus Visa Signature credit card review: A decent way to earn Avios
Chris Nelson is a credit cards writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
Madison Blancaflor is the managing editor for TPG's content operations team. She focuses on helping TPG's broader editorial team bring news, features and advice to readers. She has nearly six years of experience covering the credit cards and travel industries.
also contributed to this story
April 21, 2025 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
A mid-tier airline card focused on transatlantic travelers offers a generous introductory bonus and access to Avios, which can be transferred among several partner airlines.
Benefits include priority boarding, an annual companion ticket after significant spending and no foreign transaction fees, but lack premium perks like free checked bags or inflight discounts.
Avios earned can be redeemed for flights on Aer Lingus and partners, often with lower taxes and fees, and can be transferred across multiple airline loyalty programs.
The card is best suited for frequent Aer Lingus flyers, while those seeking more flexible rewards or broader benefits may find better value with other travel cards.
What to consider
The companion ticket requires $30,000 in annual spending and is limited to economy flights booked directly with Aer Lingus.
Approval may be restricted by the '5/24' rule, which limits eligibility for those who have opened five or more accounts in the past 24 months.
Avios are valued at 1.4 cents each as of October 2025 per TPG’s valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of Avios-earning cards and strategies to maximize Avios redemptions across partner airlines.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card offers a compelling welcome offer and solid rewards for frequent transatlantic travelers, particularly those loyal to Aer Lingus, Iberia and British Airways flights. While the card lacks some of the premium airline-specific perks you might expect, it can be a valuable tool for Avios collectors who frequently fly between the U.S. and Europe. However, most casual travelers will be better off with a card that earns a transferable currency. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
With a manageable $95 annual fee, the card includes a few worthwhile travel benefits, but its ongoing rewards structure is relatively modest compared to competitors.
One standout feature is the generous welcome bonus, which can help you quickly build a healthy balance of Avois. We’ll dive into the details about the bonus and how you can earn it below, but that remains one of the biggest selling points for the card overall.
We recommend applicants have a credit score of at least 670 or higher to increase their chances of approval.
Let’s take a closer look at what this card has to offer.
The information for the Aer Lingus Visa Signature has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Avios can be transferred between all IAG Group airlines
Low annual fee
Limited benefits and most only apply to transatlantic flights
No free checked bag
Aer Lingus Visa welcome offer
When evaluating a card, you should consider its welcome offer. The Aer Lingus Visa currently offers 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Those 75,000 Avios are worth $1,050, according to TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
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This bonus is the card's biggest selling point overall. Since you can use Avios across Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways interchangeably, earning a bonus in Avios offers a little more flexibility in earning and burning rewards compared to other airline loyalty programs.
Remember that since this is a Chase card, it does adhere to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more accounts across issuers in the past 24 months, you'll likely be denied for this card.
As expected for a mid-tier cobranded airline card, the Aer Lingus Visa offers some perks though they feel minimal compared to other cards of similar caliber. With it, you’ll get:
Economy Companion Ticket: Get an Economy Companion Ticket every calendar year that you spend at least $30,000 on your card. This allows you to add a companion to a paid economy flight at no additional cost to you, so 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 and from the U.S. and Ireland or the U.K.
No foreign transaction fees: You won’t be charged additional fees when using your card abroad.
While these perks are fine, the card falls short in comparison to other airline cards — especially when it comes to inflight discounts or complimentary checked bags, which are noticeably absent.
When comparing the Aer Lingus Visa to the (see rates and fees), the card really falls short in terms of benefits.
One of the greatest perks of the British Airways Visa card is the ability to save 10% off British Airways flights and have access to the valuable Travel Together Ticket.
This perk is earned after spending at least $30,000 in a calendar year and allows you to bring a companion on an Avois award booking — without requiring additional Avios — even in first class. Alternatively, solo travelers can use the ticket to cut the Avios cost of a reward redemption in half.
When stacked up against these offerings, the Aer Lingus Visa doesn't bring the same level of long-term value for loyal flyers.
3 Avios per dollar spent on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Level
2 Avios per dollar spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel
1 Avios per dollar spent on all other purchases
JULPO/GETTY IMAGES
For flights, that’s not a bad return for a cobranded airline card. However, you’ll get a better return on spending if you use a premium travel card like or the (see rates and fees) instead.
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 Avios-earning airlines to redeem there.
But for those looking to capitalize on the Aer Lingus route network, there are some strategic reasons for booking on Aer Lingus. One of the competitive advantages is that it charges lower taxes and fees — which can save you hundreds of dollars on award flights.
Additionally, Aer Lingus has a solid North American route network and allows U.S. travelers flying out of Dublin or Shannon to clear U.S. immigration in Ireland rather than waiting until they land in the U.S.
Whether you’re booking Avios award flights on Aer Lingus, British Airways or another partner airline, Avios gives you a lot of redemption options, like flights between the US and Ireland for 13,000 Avios each way.
Transferring Avios on the Aer Lingus Visa
You can freely transfer Avios across Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways. Since the latter four are part of the Oneworld alliance, this opens up many doors for redemption options across airlines, including flying Qatar Airways‘ famed Qsuite.
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
You could also take a page from TPG senior writer Ben Smithson. He regularly uses Avios to book one-way, short-haul flights from London to Europe for just 4,750 British Airways Avios each way, plus a reasonable $22 in fees, taxes and surcharges.
Which cards compete with the Aer Lingus Visa?
You can earn Avios on Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia cobranded credit cards. Plus, Aer Lingus is one of the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, so you may be better off getting a card that earns that currency and transferring your points over as needed.
If you prefer a more flexible currency and are under the 5/24 rule: The (see rates and fees) is a solid card option that earns Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to Aer Lingus or any of its other hotel and airline partners. With it, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar spent on dining, gas and electric vehicle charging, vacation homes at top brands*, select streaming and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar spent on all travel not booked through Chase Travel and 1 point on all other purchases.. For more information, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you prefer a flexible currency and are over the 5/24 rule: The earns Membership Rewards points. With it, you’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide (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 per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline, amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App, 2 points per dollar spent on car rentals booked on amextravel.com or the Amex Travel App, 2 points per dollar spent on cruises booked on amextravel.com and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. The card carries a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees). For more information, read our full review of the Amex Gold.
If you prefer another Avios-earning airline: The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is an airline card that earns Avios. It earns 3 points per dollar spent on Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Level. This card has useful benefits such as 10% discount when you book flights through a special link and a $1,000 discount voucher each year after you spend $30,000. For more information, read our full review of the Iberia Visa.
The information for the Iberia Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want to earn Avios, the Aer Lingus Visa may be worth adding to your wallet. With a low annual fee, valuable welcome bonus and minimal benefits like priority boarding and the ability to earn a companion ticket, this card is decent for Aer Lingus fans. Still, you may be better off applying for the in order to save 10% on British Airways flights and earn a much more useful companion certificate.
If Aer Lingus is your go-to airline for travel between the U.S. and Europe, this card can be a smart way to earn Avios — especially with the generous welcome offer — and tap into a few valuable perks. However, if this isn’t your primary airline, you’ll want to earn Avios with a different card.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
