Get 5,000 Avios as a sign-up bonus with the Aer Lingus credit card

UPDATE – APRIL 2024:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.  We produce a monthly directory of the top UK travel credit card offers – please click HERE or use the ‘Credit Cards’ menu above.  Thank you.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

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Whilst we don’t write about it much, Aer Lingus has its own Avios-earning credit card.

Our full review of the Aer Lingus Aer Credit Card, issued by Bank of Ireland, is here. It’s not very attractive – a terrible earning rate of 1 Avios per €4 spent and a €108 annual fee when you include the Government Stamp Duty.

On the upside, there are some decent soft benefits:

• 2 free Aer Lingus tickets EVERY YEAR for spending €5,000 on the card (taxes apply)
• 2 Fast Track & Priority Boarding passes every year
• 2 lounge passes
• Worldwide multi-trip travel insurance including winter sports

I’m not going to analyse the value of these soft benefits in detail because our review does it well enough.

For only the fourth time ever, I think, Bank of Ireland is offering a sign-up bonus on this card.

Until 16th February 2024, new cardholders who spend €1,000 by 16th May 2024 will receive a bonus of 5,000 Avios.

When you factor in the lounge passes and the two free short-haul flights, I think the card now becomes reasonable value for the first year. Whilst UK residents may find the earning rate very weak, there isn’t a lot of competition in the Irish market. I’d be reconsidering my options after the first year, however.

You can find out more, and apply, on the Bank of Ireland website here.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.