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Amex Green vs Aer Lingus Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- The American Express® Green Card is a strong choice for earning rewards on a broad range of travel purchases and at restaurants worldwide.
- The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is best for those who frequently fly with Aer Lingus and its partners, and who book hotel accommodations directly.
American Express® Green Card Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down the key reasons why the American Express® Green Card (See Rates & Fees) stands out in a crowded field of travel cards.
- You'll earn bonus points on a broad range of travel purchases and at restaurants worldwide.
- Points are flexible and can be transferred to a long list of airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- The card includes useful travel benefits like statement credits for an airport security program and no foreign transaction fees.
Terms apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- High rewards rate on a broad range of travel purchases and at restaurants worldwide.
- Flexible Membership Rewards points can be transferred to various travel partners.
- Includes travel perks like statement credits for airport services and no foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- The annual fee is relatively high for a card in its class.
- Key travel credits have limited utility or are being phased out, as noted in a NerdWallet review.
- Maximizing rewards requires effort, and some redemption options offer poor value.
Aer Lingus Visa Signature Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Let's take a closer look at the specific benefits that make the Aer Lingus Visa Signature card a compelling option for travelers.
- You can earn Avios points that are redeemable for flights across Aer Lingus and its extensive network of partner airlines.
- The card offers valuable travel perks like priority boarding and the ability to earn a companion ticket for a travel partner.
- It's an excellent choice for international trips, especially to Ireland and Europe, as it helps you avoid extra charges on overseas purchases.
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel.
- Valuable travel-specific perks, including priority boarding on Aer Lingus flights and the ability to earn a companion ticket.
- A generous welcome bonus and the ability to earn Avios points on every purchase.
Cons
- An annual fee that may not be worth it for travelers who don't frequently fly with Aer Lingus or its partners.
- Avios points offer less flexibility than other rewards programs, with redemption options mostly limited to Aer Lingus and partner airlines.
- The valuable companion ticket benefit is locked behind a high annual spending requirement.
Aer Lingus Visa Signature vs American Express® Green Card
Categories
Deciding between the American Express® Green Card and the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card can be tricky for travelers. To determine which is better Amex Green or Aer Lingus Visa Signature, it's important to look at what each card excels at.
- American Express® Green Card: This card is a strong choice for general travel and dining expenses. It's particularly well-suited for travelers who want to maximize rewards across a broad range of purchases and take advantage of flexible point transfers.
- Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: This card is designed for frequent travelers, especially those loyal to Aer Lingus or who often fly to Ireland and Europe. It focuses on rewarding brand-specific spending and travel with partner airlines.
Redemption
American Express® Green Card: Points earned with this card offer great flexibility, as they can be transferred to a wide network of airline and hotel partners or used to book travel directly through the issuer's portal.
Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: Rewards are primarily geared toward flights, offering the most value when redeemed for travel with Aer Lingus or its partner airlines.
Travel Perks
- American Express® Green Card: This card provides an annual credit for CLEAR Plus membership and a credit for LoungeBuddy to purchase lounge access, making airport navigation smoother. It has no foreign transaction fees, a key perk for international travelers. All travel can be booked through the flexible American Express Travel portal.
- Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: Cardholders receive priority boarding on Aer Lingus flights. A major perk is the ability to earn a companion ticket each year after meeting a spending requirement. The card also has no foreign transaction fees. Its ecosystem is tightly integrated with Aer Lingus and its airline partners, offering the most value to those who frequently fly these carriers.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make a data-driven decision, you can use a tool like Kudos, which allows you to compare thousands of credit cards based on your personal spending habits.
- Test drive credit cards: The platform's "Test Drive" feature lets you simulate potential earnings with a new card using your actual transaction history, providing a personalized rewards projection before you apply.
- Personalized recommendations: Get detailed card matching and approval odds based on your credit report and spending patterns.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer for a card within three months of applying through Kudos, the platform will match it.
- Kudos Boost: Earn extra rewards on top of your regular credit card points when you shop at participating stores.
- Monitor your finances: Keep track of your transactions, spending habits, and credit score all in one place.
Who Should Choose the American Express® Green Card?
The American Express® Green Card is an excellent choice for travelers who are willing to put in the effort to maximize rewards by leveraging valuable transfer partners. This cardholder typically spends a significant amount on travel and dining worldwide, taking full advantage of the card's generous 3x points categories. Ultimately, the ideal user is someone focused on high-value redemptions through airline and hotel loyalty programs and who can utilize the card's travel-related statement credits. Terms apply.
Who Should Choose the Aer Lingus Visa Signature?
The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is tailor-made for frequent travelers to Ireland and Europe, particularly those loyal to the Aer Lingus airline. This card is a strong contender if you value earning Avios points and enjoy perks like priority boarding on Aer Lingus flights. It's also an excellent choice for high-spenders who can meet the annual spending requirement to earn the valuable companion ticket, effectively doubling the value of one round-trip flight per year.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Amex Green vs Aer Lingus Visa Signature comparison has left you unconvinced, don't worry. Let's take a look at a few other travel rewards cards that might be a better match for your spending habits and travel goals.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score. Most premium travel cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Plan your spending. Ensure you can meet the welcome offer's spending requirement without overspending or forcing purchases.
- Know your rewards. Research the card's airline and hotel transfer partners to make sure they align with your travel goals.
Application Strategy
- Time your application. Align your application with a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement.
- Evaluate unique benefits. Consider if you will use issuer-specific perks, like the companion ticket offered by the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card.
- Look for the best offer. Some issuers, like American Express, may show you a personalized Welcome Offer before you fully commit.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are travel transfer partners?
Travel transfer partners are airlines and hotels that partner with a credit card rewards program, allowing you to convert your card's points into the partner's loyalty currency. This can often unlock greater value for your rewards when booking flights or stays directly with those partners.
Is the American Express Green card a charge card or a credit card?
The American Express® Green card is a credit card, which lets you carry a balance from one month to the next. While American Express was famous for its charge cards that required payment in full each month, the Green card now functions like a traditional credit card.
Can I use the Aer Lingus Visa Signature card for everyday purchases?
Yes, you can use the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card for any purchase where Visa is accepted. Although it's co-branded with an airline to offer specific travel benefits, it functions just like any other Visa credit card for your daily spending.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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