Compare the Features and Benefits of Aer Lingus Visa Signature Credit Card and
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

This card often has a very generous signup bonus and Chase’s Aer Lingus credit card earns 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Aer Lingus as well as 2x Avios on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel.

Avios can be shared between any Avios program, which also includes Qatar Airways (home of the QSuite) and you can redeem British Airways Avios for award tickets on oneworld airlines like American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and more.

While with the British Airways version of Avios, we tend to talk about short haul flights on oneworld carriers like American Airlines as the best value, the Aer Lingus version of Avios has a different sweet spot:

When flying off-peak, you can fly from the East Coast of the US (think cities like NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Toronto, Minneapolis and Chicago) to/from Ireland on Aer Lingus metal for just 13,000 Avios in Economy or 50,000 Avios in Business Class.

You’ll pay 16,500 instead of 13,000 Avios for an economy ticket from elsewhere in the United States and 62,500 for Business Class.

The other main benefit of this card is the Companion Ticket, which requires spend of $30,000 or more in a calendar year on your Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card to activate.

You’ll receive an economy companion ticket good for 12 months on Aer Lingus operated flights, based on flight availability. While it’s not as good a deal as if there was no spend requirement to earn (obviously!) at least no taxes or fees are added to the companion ticket.

The Companion Ticket is issued as a voucher that can be used for an economy companion ticket in conjunction with a paid economy flight.

Still, if your goal is geared more towards more earning points, the Chase Sapphire Reserve also earns 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card points on these airlines and on all airlines, hotels, cruises and other travel and can even be transferred to Avios if you’d like – not to mention a range of other travel partners, like World of Hyatt which offers fantastic value.

Note: Per Chase’s 5/24 Rule, you will only be approved for a Chase card like the British Airways Visa card if you have applied for fewer than 5 personal credit cards within the last 24 months from any issuer. (Business cards do not count against the total, except for Capital One Spark Cash Select and Spark Miles plus Discover, but are subject to the policy).

Delta flyers who own a business have several options to choose from when looking for a new business credit card. To maximize your business expenses and earn SkyMiles at the same time, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card is an affordable option with an annual fee of $150.

Besides earning the splashy welcome bonus, there are many ways to rack up SkyMiles through each eligible dollar spent. You’ll earn 2x bonus miles on Delta purchases and at restaurants plus on U.S shipping and select U.S. media purchases, as well as 1x miles on other purchases. The shipping and select media categories have a limit of $50,000 per year each.

The TakeOff 15 benefit is reserved for Delta’s cardholders, allowing you to score a 15% discount on the cost of Delta award flights. This discount is applied automatically on your Delta account whenever you conduct online flight searches, as long as your Delta Business Amex card is linked. This perk can help you save more of your SkyMiles for future travel. Furthermore, if your business spends more than $10,000 per year on the card, you can easily earn a $200 Delta flight credit every card membership year.

If you travel often and have to check a bag, you can enjoy a checked bag waiver, saving you $30 per flight. This perk applies to up to eight additional travelers on your Delta flight, which can add up greatly throughout the year and compensate for the ongoing $150 annual fee. Other essential travel benefits include no foreign transaction fee, baggage insurance plan, and secondary car rental collision damage waiver insurance, which will surely be of use for many business travelers.

Plus, receive an annual statement credit of up to $150 after using your Delta Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com. Terms apply.

In short, the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card offers a solid foundation of benefits when flying with the carrier. If you’re looking for greater perks, such as lounge access before departing or upon arrival, you may want to consider other Delta business cards that carry higher annual fees but come with additional benefits.

Otherwise, this entry-level business card is the right choice to earn bonus miles on select business categories and earn Delta benefits.

Rates and Fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card