Hilton Honors Surpass vs Aer Lingus Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?

Aer Lingus Visa Signature Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a closer look at what makes the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card a compelling choice for travelers.

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• While it comes with an annual fee, the card waives foreign transaction fees, making it a great companion for international trips.
• You can earn bonus Avios on travel purchases with Aer Lingus and its airline partners, as well as on hotel accommodations booked directly.
• Cardholders can earn a companion ticket after meeting a spending requirement and enjoy priority boarding on Aer Lingus flights.

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Pros

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• A generous welcome bonus of Avios for new cardholders.
• An annual companion ticket that can significantly reduce the cost of traveling with a partner.
• Flexible redemption options for Avios across Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and other partner airlines.

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Cons

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• Avios points have limited redemption options outside of Aer Lingus and its partners, offering less flexibility than some other travel rewards programs.
• The card’s value is largely tied to flying with Aer Lingus, which may make it difficult for travelers who aren't loyal to the airline to justify the annual fee.
• According to a detailed card review, the companion ticket benefit is locked behind a high annual spending requirement.

Aer Lingus Visa Signature vs Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®

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Categories

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When deciding which is better, Hilton Honors Surpass or Aer Lingus Visa Signature, it's important to look at what kind of traveler you are. Each card excels in a different area, catering to specific travel styles and brand loyalties.

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• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is best for travelers who frequently stay at Hilton properties. It's designed to help you maximize rewards and enjoy elite status benefits within the Hilton Honors program.
• Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is a travel rewards card ideal for those who often fly to Ireland and Europe. It's tailored for Aer Lingus loyalists and travelers who want to earn Avios points for their flights.

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Redemption

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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Points are primarily redeemed for award nights and room upgrades across Hilton's vast portfolio of hotels and resorts. You can also use points for exclusive experiences and transfer them to various airline partners.

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Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: This card earns Avios, which are best used for booking flights on Aer Lingus and its partner airlines, including British Airways and Iberia. Avios can also be redeemed for other travel-related purchases like hotel stays and car rentals.

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Travel Perks

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• Lounge Access: The Hilton Surpass card includes a yearly membership to Priority Pass Select, granting a set number of complimentary lounge visits. The Aer Lingus card does not come with a broad lounge access perk.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Good news for international travelers—neither the Hilton Surpass nor the Aer Lingus Visa Signature charges foreign transaction fees.
• Elite Status & Core Perks: A key differentiator is status. The Hilton Surpass card automatically grants you Hilton Honors Gold status, unlocking benefits like potential room upgrades and on-property credits. The Aer Lingus card's main draw is an annual companion ticket earned after meeting a spending requirement, alongside priority boarding on Aer Lingus flights.
• Booking & Redemption: Each card operates in a distinct ecosystem. Hilton Surpass points are redeemed for hotel stays through the Hilton Honors program or can be transferred to various airline partners. Avios earned with the Aer Lingus card are part of a larger program shared with British Airways and Iberia, primarily used for booking award flights across their networks.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To eliminate the guesswork, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated cards by analyzing your actual spending habits.

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• Use the ‘Test Drive’ feature to simulate how much you’d earn with a new card based on your real spending data—all before you apply and without a hard credit pull.
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Who Should Choose the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass®?

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The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is ideally suited for frequent Hilton guests who can take full advantage of the automatic Gold elite status for benefits like room upgrades and daily food and beverage credits. It also appeals to moderate travelers and everyday spenders looking to rack up points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Ultimately, the card strikes a compelling balance for value-conscious travelers who want tangible hotel perks without paying a premium annual fee.

Who Should Choose the Aer Lingus Visa Signature?

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The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers to Ireland and Europe, particularly those loyal to the airline. Cardholders can maximize its value by earning 3X Avios on flights with Aer Lingus and its partners, while also enjoying benefits like priority boarding. As this card review details, the card is especially valuable for those who can meet the annual spending requirement to earn a companion ticket.

Alternatives to Consider

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If neither card in our Hilton Honors Surpass vs Aer Lingus Visa Signature comparison is the right choice for you, we've rounded up a few other excellent options to consider.

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_{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}

Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score - Most premium travel cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
• Review issuer application rules - Issuers like American Express may have once-per-lifetime Welcome Offer policies on specific cards.
• Align the card with your habits - Ensure the card’s benefits and bonus categories fit your typical travel and spending patterns.

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Application Strategy

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• Time your spending - Align your application with large purchases to meet spending requirements for a Welcome Offer.
• Minimize risk - Look for application paths that let you see your offer before committing to a hard credit inquiry.
• Strategize your order - Plan your applications around issuer-specific policies to maximize your long-term eligibility.

Our Methodology

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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.

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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

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Which card offers better elite status benefits?

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The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, which includes benefits like potential room upgrades and daily food and beverage credits. The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card focuses on airline-related perks and does not offer hotel elite status.

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Can I use points from one card's program for the other?

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You cannot directly transfer Hilton Honors points to the Aer Lingus AerClub program or vice versa. These are separate loyalty programs, so points earned with each card are best used within their respective ecosystems for hotel stays or flights.

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Is the Aer Lingus card a good choice if I don't fly with Aer Lingus often?

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The value of the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card is maximized when flying with Aer Lingus or its airline partners, as its primary benefits are tied to the AerClub program. If you don't frequently fly these routes, a more general travel rewards card might be a better fit.

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Which card has a more flexible rewards currency?

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Hilton Honors points are primarily for hotel stays within the Hilton portfolio, while Avios, earned with the Aer Lingus card, can be used across several Oneworld and partner airlines. Therefore, Avios generally offer more flexibility for air travel redemptions.

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