Aer Lingus Credit card - pros and cons?

We have 2 of these cards. Pay everything ,including 2 X college fees,with them and clear bill at months end. No problem racking up the 5k each in no time. So we end up with 2 sets of 2 x free flights, minus taxes, and fees etc.[ typically 10 to 50 euro for 2 return flights. We've been to Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome. Currently sizing up this years destinations. Lounge passes are not much use , so sometimes I gift them to friends/family. Fast track has been useful on busy Dub airport days. You can also gift the flights if you can't use them in the allotted time frame. It helps a lot if your travel destinations and timeframes are VERY flexible to plan. The application process for the free flights is convoluted and slow. There are a lot of black-out days, so just because there's a flight scheduled that day, doesn't mean you'll be allowed to use it. Avios are an additional benefit but you won't be booking any longhaul flights with the meagre benefits. We use them up on any flight we can , giving a small financial discount depending on how many avios you have. This has been in the 10 to 35 euro neighbourhood for us......better than nothing. I've previous experience of a frequent flyer benefit program getting discontinued and my points going to 0, so I don't try to accumulate in vain. Haven't had occasion to claim on the travel insurance.....and hope that always remains the case.
All in all it has worked well for us so far.
 
NotMyRealName said:
We have 2 of these cards. Pay everything ,including 2 X college fees,with them and clear bill at months end. No problem racking up the 5k each in no time. So we end up with 2 sets of 2 x free flights, minus taxes, and fees etc.[ typically 10 to 50 euro for 2 return flights. We've been to Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome. Currently sizing up this years destinations. Lounge passes are not much use , so sometimes I gift them to friends/family. Fast track has been useful on busy Dub airport days. You can also gift the flights if you can't use them in the allotted time frame. It helps a lot if your travel destinations and timeframes are VERY flexible to plan. The application process for the free flights is convoluted and slow. There are a lot of black-out days, so just because there's a flight scheduled that day, doesn't mean you'll be allowed to use it. Avios are an additional benefit but you won't be booking any longhaul flights with the meagre benefits. We use them up on any flight we can , giving a small financial discount depending on how many avios you have. This has been in the 10 to 35 euro neighbourhood for us......better than nothing. I've previous experience of a frequent flyer benefit program getting discontinued and my points going to 0, so I don't try to accumulate in vain. Haven't had occasion to claim on the travel insurance.....and hope that always remains the case.
All in all it has worked well for us so far.
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Why do you say lounge passes are not much use? Free food, drinks and a relaxing spot to wait in away from the masses before flight departure - what's not to like!
 
LLB123 said:
Why do you say lounge passes are not much use? Free food, drinks and a relaxing spot to wait in away from the masses before flight departure - what's not to like!
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Yeah....when you put it like that...
I don't travel for business so I kinda like the buzz of the general-pop terminal areas, rather than hanging out in the library quiet of a waiting room full of laptop-gazing busy-ness people on seating that has less yield than plywood. I'll have had my granola before I leave home and my 5am beer drinking days are happily behind me, and then, I've still gotta get to the gate....(tongue firmly in cheek)
I'm gonna give it another go, though , in case I've missed something.
 
Worth checking out the T&Cs for the "free" flights. Appears you have to book 30 days in advance so that rules out any last minute booking!

ii. Booking requests for Free Fares must be made no less than 30 days in advance of departure date and may be made up to 11 months prior to departure (depending on scheduling). You can check the current schedules on the Aer Lingus website. If you send a booking request early you may be more likely to get your preferred destination and/or travel dates .iv. Once you make Free Fare reservations, you cannot amend them. If you cancel a Free Fare reservation a replacement flight or voucher will not be provided.
Restricted periods:
- 24 June – 31 August (Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays)- 20 December – 06 January- February/October midterm breaks(Saturday/Sunday)- Easter (Good Friday – Easter Monday)- Six Nations Rugby matches (flights to the destination of the matches may not be available on the day of the match and 2days either side of it)- Other Irish bank holiday weekends(Friday/Saturday/Monday)-
 
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