Any Airline Credit cards available in Ireland?

irishbloke77

Hi All.

During a recent trip to the USA, I saw one of the many credit cards that airlines offer to American residents. Like a Tesco credit card here, they give 1 flying mile per dollar spent. Just wondering if anyone knows does any airline offer a credit card for Irish residents? I see United airlines offer an American Express card to UK residents.

Thanks in advance.

Saruman

Other than the completely useless Ryanair card? Not that I can think of.

BuffyBot

At the moment, I don't believe so.

Yamanoto

US frequent-flyers are spoiled for choice when it comes to accumulating mileage via Airline / Hotel credit cards and suchlike.

It's also possible in the UK and on the Continent but from what I gather on Flyertalk, the sign-up bonuses and earning opportunities are nowhere near as generous as that offered by their American counterparts. Amex may offer some means of mileage accrual to Irish residents and if you join BA's Executive Club, there are ways of bolstering your Avios via online shopping, though again it all pales in comparison with offers available elsewhere.

The site below details the never-ending stream of offers, by which US customers can jet their way around the world in Business for next to nothing.

Them's the breaks I guess.

http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/

irishbloke77

Thanks for the replies all. Guess the Tesco card will have to do for now.

ardmacha

Hopefully SEPA will make some airline cards available as they can easily debit Irish bank accounts.

coylemj

There used to be an Aer Lingus affiliated credit card which clocked up points for their Gold Circle program, haven't seen one in a while, guess they must have discontinued it.

My abiding memory of internal flights in the US is of the relentless sales pitch for their frequent flyer programs, including the stuff about the credit cards.

Be careful what you wish for....

ToxicPaddy

Amex offer a credit or charge card (not 100% which) in ireland and the platinum card offers access to all BA lounges in airports, membership of the BA Executive club and for every euro spent gives points/miles on the BA club.

If you're using your card for everything, utilities, shopping etc and clearing it every month its well worth it as you aren't long racking up the points.

However not everywhere takes AMEX in ireland or Europe for that matter and the likes of the ESB don't take credit card payments.

Ireland is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to reward services that it's embarrassing sometimes.

I know Lufthansa have a branded credit card, so do BA and iirc Air France. Then again these are proper flagship carriers, where as Aer Lingus while not too bad to fly with are hardly in the same league..

Marcusm

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Amex offer a credit or charge card (not 100% which) in ireland and the platinum card offers access to all BA lounges in airports, membership of the BA Executive club and for every euro spent gives points/miles on the BA club.

If you're using your card for everything, utilities, shopping etc and clearing it every month its well worth it as you aren't long racking up the points.

However not everywhere takes AMEX in ireland or Europe for that matter and the likes of the ESB don't take credit card payments.

Ireland is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to reward services that it's embarrassing sometimes.

I know Lufthansa have a branded credit card, so do BA and iirc Air France. Then again these are proper flagship carriers, where as Aer Lingus while not too bad to fly with are hardly in the same league..

I think you mean Priority Pass lounges; Amex Plat certainly will not generally get you access to a BAEC lounge. Neither will it get you BAEC status - although you might be able to get Marco Polo Club Gold from Cathay Pacific using Amex Plat. Conversion of AMex Rewards points into BAEC Avios isnothing special, you can do that with Tesco Clubcard points.

pajor

coylemj wrote: »

There used to be an Aer Lingus affiliated credit card which clocked up points for their Gold Circle program, haven't seen one in a while, guess they must have discontinued it.

My abiding memory of internal flights in the US is of the relentless sales pitch for their frequent flyer programs, including the stuff about the credit cards.

Be careful what you wish for....

They still do that in the US alright.

ToxicPaddy

Marcusm wrote: »

I think you mean Priority Pass lounges; Amex Plat certainly will not generally get you access to a BAEC lounge. Neither will it get you BAEC status - although you might be able to get Marco Polo Club Gold from Cathay Pacific using Amex Plat. Conversion of AMex Rewards points into BAEC Avios isnothing special, you can do that with Tesco Clubcard points.

My apologies, I think you're right on the Priority Pass...