NEW Aer Lingus credit card

Dubliniensis · 27-01-2019 1:40am #1

BOI have just launched a new Aer Lingus credit card offering.

https://personalbanking.bankofireland.com/borrow/credit-cards/aer-credit-card/features-benefits/

Benefits:
- 1 Avios for every €1 you spend on Aer Lingus products and services
- 1 Avios for every €4 you spend on all other transactions.
- 2 Free Return Fares when you spend 5k in a year
- 2 Fast Track & Priority Boarding Passes every year
- 2 Lounge Passes (Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast) every year
- Worldwide Multi Trip Travel Insurance

Fees: 7.99/month

KevinCavan · 27-01-2019 5:00pm

Neil Prendiville was saying how good this card was on his show last week.

thebiglad · 27-01-2019 5:05pm

Read this if thinking of signing up just to get Avios

https://www.headforpoints.com/2019/01/19/aer-credit-card-review-from-aer-lingus-aerclub/

Poster in the Aer Club thread also mentions that this card does not qualify for points on Supervalu shopping as currently available by linking BOI Credit Card - that could be a significant impact.

Dubliniensis · 27-01-2019 5:18pm

Mr.S wrote: »

The avios points are the only real attractive part as the other benefits are low cost.

Agree. But it should have have been 1 Avio per euro spent and 2+ Avios per euro spent on EI flights.

JTMan · 27-01-2019 5:22pm

One has to spend a hell of a lot on their card before they get flights. Flights to Barcelona are from 13,000 points plus taxes and charges. You would have to spend a whopping 52,000 EUR on your card, outside of Aer Lingus, to earn 13,000 points. On top of this you need to pay a 96 EUR annual fee when the vast majority of credit cards have no annual charge.

Dubliniensis · 27-01-2019 5:23pm

Mr.S wrote: »

Would be worth it, if it included unlimited access to the lounge imo.

Credit cards in the US that include unlimited lounge access generally cost >$400 a year, so I don't think it would be a runner for EI/BOI at 8 quid a month.

The downside to bundling unlimited lounge access with credit cards is overcrowding in the lounges. Annoying for frequent fliers who have access through frequent flyer status.

Sheep Shagger · 28-01-2019 8:14pm

Pretty disappointed with this having looked at the fine print. The 'benefits' are nearly all covered by the €96 annual fee (a years travel insurance does not cost €150). The free flight offer requires a hugh spend and is redeeming seems restrictive ðŸ€”☹

KevinCavan · 28-01-2019 9:32pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Pretty disappointed with this having looked at the fine print. The 'benefits' are nearly all covered by the €96 annual fee (a years travel insurance does not cost €150). The free flight offer requires a hugh spend and is redeeming seems restrictive ðŸ€”☹

Neil Prendeville must be a w*nker so, to be promoting this.

Zonda999 · 02-02-2019 5:43pm

The avios per spend at 1 point per €4 spend compares terribly with the BA AMEX Card that gives 1 avios per £1 spend

Dardania · 02-02-2019 5:54pm

Zonda999 wrote: »

The avios per spend at 1 point per €4 spend compares terribly with the BA AMEX Card that gives 1 avios per £1 spend

Are AMEX cards generally better in this sense?

SB Morer · 03-02-2019 11:32pm

There's quite a bit of discussion on this on the Aer Lingus Aer Club/Avios Thread. Here's what I posted there...

I would strongly consider getting one when my travel insurance expires. I'd have to re-check the benefits, but I don't think they are any better on my current policy (which cost €80 for 2 of us) and which doesn't have winter sports cover. Everthing else is a bonus. I spend well over €20K a year on my card but don't do any business travel outside Ireland and so am nowhere near having status with Aer Lingus. Therefore the 'free' flights, lounge passes and fast-track security would be welcome.

As others have commented the Avios earning rate isn't fantastic, but it is the only option on the Irish market.

For those saying Avios are worthless, you really need to widen your view on what you can do with them. I'm planning to book a One World Multi-Carrier Award Ticket for Business Class travel to Japan on Cathay Pacific and JAL and should end up saving thousands of euros.

Also, although my inital gripe re this card was the lack of sign-up bonus and earnings when compared to the US Aer Lingus Credit Card from Chase Bank, it's unfair to compare it to an non-EU issued card, given the EU's cap on interchange fees.

However - it is entirely fair to compare this card to cards issued in other EU countries, such as:

France -
Basic British Airways Visa Card: Annual Fee €24, 0.8 Avios per €1 spent (but double Avios on BA, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level), Signup Bonus 6,000 Avios. Additional Benefits: 10% discount on BA flights.

France -
Premium British Airways Visa Card: Annual Fee €96, 1 Avios per €1 spent (but triple Avios on BA, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level), Signup Bonus 10,000 Avios. Additional Benefits: 10% discount on BA flights.

Italy -
Basic British Airways Visa Card: Annual Fee €49, 1 Avios per €1 spent (but double Avios on BA, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level), Signup Bonus 4,000 Avios. Additional Benefits: 10% discount on BA flights.

Spain -
Iberia Icon Visa Card: Annual Fee: €90 (waived in year 1), 0.5 Avios per €1 spent, Signup Bonus: 9,000 Avios. Additional Benefits: Oneworld Ruby Status - so priority boarding on all OW flights, Business Class check-in, 25% bonus Avios on flights. The card also gets you a 10% discount on all Iberia flights and Preferred Plus status with Avis (=free car rental upgrades).

Basically, Irish customers are being asked to pay the same fees as the French BA Premium Card or the Iberia Icon Card, but get substantially lower benefits and Avios earning rates, but do get travel insurance. It is especially insulting that French or Italian BA credit card holders get 2 Avios on Aer Lingus bookings, when Irish Aer Lingus card holders get only 1 Avios per euro.

Aer Lingus really could, and should have done better. But then again they know they have no competition, what other options are there on the Irish market?

Dubliniensis · 05-02-2019 1:25am

Dardania wrote: »

Are AMEX cards generally better in this sense?

Currently with the Amex Euro Currency card you get 0.66 Avios per €1 spent (via their Membership Rewards).

Pablo1802 · 05-02-2019 2:40pm

Dubliniensis wrote: »

Currently with the Amex Euro Currency card you get 0.66 Avios per €1 spent (via their Membership Rewards).

The Cardmembership fee for The Green Euro Charge Card is €100 + €25 for Membership Rewards membership

No good deal at all.

Time · 08-02-2019 4:08pm

Pablo1802 wrote: »

The Cardmembership fee for The Green Euro Charge Card is €100 + €25 for Membership Rewards membership

No good deal at all.

Considering the difference between that and the EI card is €29 and the earnings rate is triple, plus you aren’t just locked into Avios I’d say it’s a far better deal

jesus_thats_gre · 09-02-2019 1:28pm

Dubliniensis wrote: »

Currently with the Amex Euro Currency card you get 0.66 Avios per €1 spent (via their Membership Rewards).

Is it available here?

Dardania · 17-02-2019 12:04pm

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Is it available here?

It looks like Monese (one of the neobanks) is linking up with avios. Might end up being useful in future if you shop in their list of shops:
https://monese.com/blog/2019/02/introducing-avios

Only links with BAEC for now and no idea of the points accruing yet

jesus_thats_gre · 17-02-2019 9:59pm

Dardania wrote: »

It looks like Monese (one of the neobanks) is linking up with avios. Might end up being useful in future if you shop in their list of shops:
https://monese.com/blog/2019/02/introducing-avios

Only links with BAEC for now and no idea of the points accruing yet

Searched for some additional info and found nothing that would get me overly excited. Unfortunately.

podgeandrodge · 19-02-2019 9:31pm

Does the lounge access offered with this card (2 visits per year) include 51st & Green?

(as an aside, does Silver Status with AerClub, which allows "lounge access" include 51st & Green).

Thanks.

Time · 20-02-2019 12:03pm

podgeandrodge wrote: »

Does the lounge access offered with this card (2 visits per year) include 51st & Green?

(as an aside, does Silver Status with AerClub, which allows "lounge access" include 51st & Green).

Thanks.

No it only applies to their own lounges, all of which are absolutely useless

zinfandel · 17-04-2019 12:44pm

anyone know how long it takes to get a response for the free flights once a request has gone in?

vinnie_cork · 08-01-2020 2:02pm

JTMan wrote: »

One has to spend a hell of a lot on their card before they get flights. Flights to Barcelona are from 13,000 points plus taxes and charges. You would have to spend a whopping 52,000 EUR on your card, outside of Aer Lingus, to earn 13,000 points. On top of this you need to pay a 96 EUR annual fee when the vast majority of credit cards have no annual charge.

Ive got this card 9 months now. Here is my experience.

Fee is €7.99 pm = €95.88 a year plus €30 tax (All Irish cards have this €30 tax).
Offers I have availed of are as follows:

2 Lounge passes in Cork €42 value
travel insurance for a yr for 1 person €50 equivalent
2 Priority boarding (I wouldn't otherwise pay for it but €9.98)
4th attempt managed to book "Free Flight" (Pay taxes) 2 return flights to Lanzarote from Cork (a Saturday to Saturday in March) should have cost €591, I booked under offer for €143 total.

In summery I calculate I availed of €549.98 of offers less €95.88 so bonus of €454.10.

re the using points to book flight, your mistaken on how this product works, you dont use points to avail of the flight offer, you spend €5,000 in a year to qualify. This is easy when you pay Car insurance, Health, House etc on card. I have never been charged interest, I always pay the bill off each month so never hit with that cost.

So, for me this card works. It could be better, the booking of flights needs to be improved. Since August 2019 Ive tried 4 times to book offer, my 4th attempt was successful. Takes 2 days to hear once I sent in the form request.

marko61 · 21-01-2020 5:00pm

Hi Vinnie,
Just wondering how long it took for Aer Lingus to contact you after you looked to book flights. I sent a request for flights yesterday and still no response from them.
Regards,
Mark

vinnie_cork wrote: »

Ive got this card 9 months now. Here is my experience.

Fee is €7.99 pm = €95.88 a year plus €30 tax (All Irish cards have this €30 tax).
Offers I have availed of are as follows:
2 Lounge passes in Cork €42 value

travel insurance for a yr for 1 person €50 equivalent

2 Priority boarding (I wouldn't otherwise pay for it but €9.98)

4th attempt managed to book "Free Flight" (Pay taxes) 2 return flights to Lanzarote from Cork (a Saturday to Saturday in March) should have cost €591, I booked under offer for €143 total.

In summery I calculate I availed of €549.98 of offers less €95.88 so bonus of €454.10.

re the using points to book flight, your mistaken on how this product works, you dont use points to avail of the flight offer, you spend €5,000 in a year to qualify. This is easy when you pay Car insurance, Health, House etc on card. I have never been charged interest, I always pay the bill off each month so never hit with that cost.

So, for me this card works. It could be better, the booking of flights needs to be improved. Since August 2019 Ive tried 4 times to book offer, my 4th attempt was successful. Takes 2 days to hear once I sent in the form request.

vinnie_cork · 21-01-2020 5:05pm

marko61 wrote: »

Hi Vinnie,
Just wondering how long it took for Aer Lingus to contact you after you looked to book flights. I sent a request for flights yesterday and still no response from them.
Regards,
Mark

You get an email with a case reference number. It was about or over 24 hrs after that email. I think it’s only a Monday to Friday system too and 9-5.

vinnie_cork · 21-01-2020 5:19pm

marko61 wrote: »

Hi Vinnie,
Just wondering how long it took for Aer Lingus to contact you after you looked to book flights.

The system could be better, although I think if you check to book a flights using Avios points system that tells you if there are seats available in real-time , that might be a way to check if flights your looking at have these same reward seats (my booked ones using card scheme removed the available Avios points seats on same flight) if that makes sense

jimmy86 · 21-01-2020 5:23pm

I applied for my flights on a Friday and they were confirmed the following Wednesday. I paid €138(taxes&charges) for 2 return flights to Dubrovnik in June. The flights were €580 odds so pretty happy with that!

SB Morer · 12-05-2020 11:29am

I guess I picked the wrong time to take out this card! Qualified for my ‘free’ flights at the end of January. Will I ever get to use them, the fast track or the lounge access before they expire? Plus
Travel Insurance is such a waste when you can’t travel. Delighted to be paying €8 a month for nothing.

SB Morer · 23-07-2020 2:17pm

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/07/23/review-bank-of-ireland-avios-credit-card-for-aer-lingus-aerclub/

jimmy86 · 23-07-2020 3:59pm

Any comments to add to that?

That's actually an old article, looks like they've reposted as a new one.

Some people will find value in it, others won't. I've got the value out of it personally. In respone to your previous post, it looks like they are extending the expiry of the vouchers etc.

Time · 23-07-2020 4:20pm

I think that's the first full review Rob has done on the EI card. It's hard to disagree with his assessment, unless you can put 100k+ through the card a year its just not worth it. If you can get it the IEC amex is the much better product to have, even when you factor in the higher annual fee.

SB Morer · 23-07-2020 4:38pm

Time wrote: »

I think that's the first full review Rob has done on the EI card. It's hard to disagree with his assessment, unless you can put 100k+ through the card a year its just not worth it. If you can get it the IEC amex is the much better product to have, even when you factor in the higher annual fee.

How does anyone go about getting an AMEX in Ireland? You have to be an existing customer to get an IEC AND they’re not available to EU residents??

Time · 23-07-2020 5:01pm

SB Morer wrote: »

How does anyone go about getting an AMEX in Ireland? You have to be an existing customer to get an IEC AND they’re not available to EU residents??

No idea, i have one from before that rule came in. I'd say if you got a UK one you could get it then.

jimmy86 · 23-07-2020 10:05pm

Time wrote: »

I think that's the first full review Rob has done on the EI card. It's hard to disagree with his assessment, unless you can put 100k+ through the card a year its just not worth it. If you can get it the IEC amex is the much better product to have, even when you factor in the higher annual fee.

https://www.headforpoints.com/2019/01/19/aer-credit-card-review-from-aer-lingus-aerclub/

That's the article from 2019... In my case it was worth it, got €600 flights to Dubrovnik for €160.. was planning on using the next batch for Rhodes.

It's not the greatest offer ever but you can make it worthwhile.

SB Morer · 25-03-2021 4:12pm

Hi all. I decided to cash in my first ever ‘free’ flights for a date in late September so that I don’t actually lose them. I filled in the online form last Friday. I got an email with a case reference number on Tuesday. Still haven’t been contacted to say my flights are available or not. Does it normally take this long? What a palaver!

vinnie_cork · 25-03-2021 4:22pm

The 1st two attempts I tried I didn’t get, it’s a bad system of lucky dip checking if the 2 seats are available on flight you want..

But I think it’s actually the same 2 seats as are available if you were booking with avios points which is real time. Do check try book with avios and see if the flight you want is available, then send request for “free” flights for that flight.
It takes about a week, as I said bad system.

SB Morer wrote: »

Hi all. I decided to cash in my first ever ‘free’ flights for a date in late September so that I don’t actually lose them. I filled in the online form last Friday. I got an email with a case reference number on Tuesday. Still haven’t been contacted to say my flights are available or not. Does it normally take this long? What a palaver!

SB Morer · 25-03-2021 7:12pm

vinnie_cork wrote: »

The 1st two attempts I tried I didn’t get, it’s a bad system of lucky dip checking if the 2 seats are available on flight you want..

But I think it’s actually the same 2 seats as are available if you were booking with avios points which is real time. Do check try book with avios and see if the flight you want is available, then send request for “free” flights for that flight.
It takes about a week, as I said bad system.

Yes I did check that first thanks. Not 2 mins after I posted I got a mail from Aer Lingus saying the flights were available and were provisionally booked. I then had to call them, quote the provisional booking, call out my credit card number to pay the taxes and charges and then eventually got a further mail with a confirmed booking. What a load of nonsense! Surely an online booking system could be developed.

I also noticed that the tax and charges I had to pay were €18 more expensive per person than the taxes and charges that would apply if I had paid with Avios. What’s that about? Do they pull these figures out of thin air?

gettafeck · 19-04-2021 11:01am

Not worth the 7.99 a month or €96 PA. Just went to book my 2 "free " flights. I had to pay €206 for tax and fees. Can book the flights online for €306. Where's the value in that. Rang EI to query only to be told my reservation had expired so it didn't matter. So last years 2 free flights lost. Cancelling the card as I can find other ways to save €4. I have EI platinum so the lounge access and priority vouchers are of no use to me anyway. AVOID!

floorpie · 02-06-2021 10:52am

Sorry for the stupid question but I'm looking at TOC for what transactions are excluded for earning points etc.

It says that balance transfers are excluded. What exactly is a balance transfer? E.g. If I use this CC to top up my N26 account, is that a balance transfer? Or if I spend money on a cryptocurrency exchange and withdraw it, is that a balance transfer? Or Paypal?

I'm not trying to game it, just wondering what counts.

SB Morer · 04-06-2021 4:17pm

floorpie wrote: »

Sorry for the stupid question but I'm looking at TOC for what transactions are excluded for earning points etc.

It says that balance transfers are excluded. What exactly is a balance transfer? E.g. If I use this CC to top up my N26 account, is that a balance transfer? Or if I spend money on a cryptocurrency exchange and withdraw it, is that a balance transfer? Or Paypal?

I'm not trying to game it, just wondering what counts.

A balance transfer is any balance from another credit card transferred to your new credit card when you open it first. So If you had a balance of €1,000 on a different BOI card which you closed to open an AerCard account you would not earn Avios on that €1,000 when it transferred to your new card.

You don’t earn any Avios on payments into N26 or Revolut, PayPal, any crypto, any withdrawals (cash or electronic) or anything else that isn’t a purchase.

floorpie · 04-06-2021 5:01pm

SB Morer wrote: »

A balance transfer is any balance from another credit card transferred to your new credit card when you open it first. So If you had a balance of €1,000 on a different BOI card which you closed to open an AerCard account you would not earn Avios on that €1,000 when it transferred to your new card.

You don’t earn any Avios on payments into N26 or Revolut, PayPal, any crypto, any withdrawals (cash or electronic) or anything else that isn’t a purchase.

Thanks

poker--addict · 01-09-2022 7:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116689908#Comment_116689908

How do you book with avios as opposed to part pay with avios at the end of every booking??

thebiglad · 01-09-2022 8:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552079#Comment_119552079

You have to make the booking from the Avios website - www.avios.ie

You can also use points on BA for more destinations to do that you need to sign up to BA Executive Club (insert EXACTLY the same details as you have on Aer Club account) then using Combine Avios and you can transfer your Avios to BA account to use there.