“I moved to the US from Ireland and I'm new to credit cards. What is a good card for earning international travel rewards to make my annual flights home to Ireland cheaper, ideally flying Aer Lingus?”
You do not need an Aer Lingus-branded card to earn toward Aer Lingus flights. If you are starting without much US credit history, a secured cash-back card can be a practical first step rather than a setback.
Your choice turns mainly on whether you already have US credit history and whether you prefer flexible rewards or an Aer Lingus-specific card.
This is my main pick for your annual trips home. It costs $95 a year; useful earning rates include 3 points per $1 on dining, 2 on other travel, and 1 on purchases outside bonus categories. You can transfer points 1:1 to Aer Lingus AerClub’s , while retaining access to other airline partners until you transfer. There is no foreign transaction fee. That combination makes it a flexible way to earn toward Ireland flights through everyday spending. [1][2]
Chase’s Aer Lingus Visa Signature costs $95 a year and earns 3 Avios per $1 on eligible direct Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia flight purchases, 2 on hotels booked directly, and 1 on other purchases. It has no foreign transaction fee. Consider it if direct Avios earning and its airline benefits suit you; I would not choose it solely because you fly Aer Lingus once a year, especially since ordinary dining earns 1 Avios per $1 rather than Sapphire’s 3 points. [2][4][5]
Consider Capital One Quicksilver Secured as a credit-building bridge. This has a $0 annual fee, earns 1.5% cash back on purchases, has no foreign transaction fee, and requires a minimum $200 refundable deposit after approval. It earns cash back rather than AerClub Avios. Capital One identifies secured cards as an option for people with little or no credit history, and this card’s eligibility check has no credit-score impact. [6][7]
These are conditional options, not approval guarantees; you do not need to open all three.
Follow this order to choose a realistic first card and avoid tying up rewards before you have a flight to book.
Before applying
Choose one route and use its official application page
If you have little or no US credit history, start with “Check My Eligibility” at https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/quicksilver-secured/; that eligibility check has no credit-score impact. If approved, the minimum $200 deposit is required to open the account. For the travel-card routes, use https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/sapphire/preferred or https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/avios/aer-lingus; each has a $95 annual fee. [1][4][6][7]
Requirements
Every month
Use planned spending and pay each bill in full
Use the card for purchases already in your budget rather than extra spending to chase rewards. Pay the full monthly bill by its due date—not just the minimum—to preserve an available grace period and avoid purchase interest when you are not carrying a balance. [10]
Requirements
Before transferring Chase points
Compare Aer Lingus reward seats with the cash fare
Search Aer Lingus reward flights at https://rewards.aerlingus.com/?tab=flights. Compare the Avios required plus the remaining cash charges with the cash fare for a flight you would actually take. Include your card’s annual fee when judging whether the rewards are worthwhile overall; do not assume a reward seat will exist on every flight. [8][9]
Requirements
Sapphire Preferred route
Transfer only when you are ready to book
Transfer Chase points to your Aer Lingus AerClub account at 1:1 in 1,000-point increments, then book through the Aer Lingus reward portal and pay the remaining charges. Chase cannot reverse the transfer. If you chose the Aer Lingus Visa, use your earned Avios instead; if you chose Quicksilver Secured, skip the Avios-transfer step because that card earns cash back. [1][3][4][6][8]
Requirements
You are not the first to go through this. Here is how it went for others who asked the same thing.
u/originalgainsterr/CreditCardsJun 17, 2026
This comparison uses Chase and Capital One’s own card terms, Aer Lingus’s reward-booking rules, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits
Chase lists Sapphire Preferred’s $95 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and Aer Lingus as a transfer partner.
Annual fee, foreign transaction fees and transfer partners
Chase Ultimate Rewards® points transfer to most travel partners at a rate of 1:1, that means 1,000 points equals 1,000 partner points.
Sapphire Preferred Rewards Program Agreement
The rewards agreement establishes Sapphire Preferred’s dining, travel and other purchase earning rates.
How you can earn points
2 points for each $1 spent on purchases made in the travel category (excluding purchases made through Chase Travel that qualify for 5 points as described above).
Sapphire Preferred transfer terms
Transfers are restricted to 1,000-point increments and cannot be undone.
Transfer points to frequent travel programs
Once points are transferred, they can’t be refunded, and the transaction can’t be canceled.
Aer Lingus Visa Signature terms
Chase publishes the Aer Lingus Visa’s $95 fee, earning rates and foreign transaction fee policy.
Travel Credit Card Rewards & Benefits
Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent with Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia flight purchases.
Aer Lingus Visa companion-ticket terms
The companion benefit has a spending threshold, paid-ticket requirement, booking deadline and US–Ireland route restrictions.
Companion Pass terms
Cardmember must make $30,000 in purchases in a single calendar year on their Aer Lingus Visa Card to receive an Economy Companion Ticket.
Capital One Quicksilver Secured terms
Quicksilver Secured offers 1.5% cash back, a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, with a refundable security deposit.
Rewards, fees, eligibility and security deposit
Simply make a $200 minimum deposit and your account will open with an initial credit line of at least $200.
Capital One first-credit-card guidance
Capital One identifies secured cards, including Quicksilver Secured, as an option for people starting their credit history.
Secured credit cards
Secured credit cards are another option for people with little or no credit history who are having trouble qualifying for other cards.
Aer Lingus reward-flight guidance
Aer Lingus provides the reward-booking portal and explains that charges remain payable alongside Avios.
Book a Reward Flight
You'll just need to pay for any Government taxes, fees and charges.
Aer Lingus Rewards terms, F.5.5
Having enough Avios does not guarantee a reward seat on your chosen flight.
F.5.5; terms state an effective month of November 2022
Reward bookings are subject to availability and cannot be waitlisted.
CFPB credit-card grace-period guidance
The CFPB explains the conditions for avoiding interest on new purchases.
How credit-card grace periods work
If your card gives a grace period and you are not carrying a balance, then you can avoid paying interest on new purchases if you pay your balance in full by the due date.
These are the official terms as published on the cited pages and reviewed on October 23, 2026; offers, fees and rules can change.
This is general information about official processes and published card terms, not legal or individualized financial advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
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