The Best Ways to Fly to Ireland with Points and Miles

Key Takeaways

• Booking award flights to Ireland is easy, with nonstop options from the U.S. and connections through Europe.
• You’ll find flights with Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance partners, plus non-alliance airlines.
• Some of the best programs to use to book flights include Air Canada Aeroplan, Aer Lingus AerClub, ANA Mileage Club, and Asiana Airlines Asiana Club.

Situated west of Great Britain, Ireland is an island in western Europe with its capital located in Dublin. The country is home to delicious Guinness beer and incredible medieval castles. Ireland is nicknamed “Emerald Isle” due to its green landscape that’s evident in any picture you see of the country.

Ireland has 2 major airports that you can fly into from the U.S.: Dublin Airport (DUB) in northwest Ireland and Shannon Airport (SNN) in southwest Ireland. You also have the option to connect at these airports and then onto one of the regional airports in the country.

Best Programs to Use to Book Flights

What makes booking award flights to Ireland great is that you have tons of options. Not only can you fly nonstop from the U.S., but you also have the option to connect through Europe.

Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance partner airlines all fly to Ireland from the U.S. In addition, you have airlines outside of the major alliances that will help you get there.

As you review each flight option, note that the award pricing shown is for round-trip flights. Some award programs allow you to book one-way flights, which will provide even more flexibility. With that said, let’s dive in!

Air Canada Aeroplan

Aeroplan offers solid redemption pricing on both Economy and Business class flights to Europe. Better yet, you can add stopovers in other European cities for no extra mileage cost.

Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines offer flights between the U.S. and Europe. When you’re ready to book a flight, here are a couple of examples of flights that you can book to Dublin (DUB):

• Newark (EWR) – Zurich (ZRH) – Dublin (DUB) for 140,000 Aeroplan points round-trip in SWISS business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Dublin (DUB) for 160,000 Aeroplan points round-trip in United business class
• Washington (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Dublin (DUB) for 140,000 Aeroplan points round-trip in Lufthansa business class

With enough Aeroplan points in your account, you’ll want to follow these steps to book your flight:

1. Search for flights on United Airlines.
2. Confirm the same availability on Aeroplan.
3. Book the award flight online.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Aeroplan Points

It’s relatively easy to earn Aeroplan points since the program is transfer partners with  American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. Aeroplan also has a co-branded credit card that allows you to earn Aeroplan points with your spend.

All points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott point transfers take 7 days at a 3:1 ratio.

With Marriott, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus with every 60,000 points that you transfer.

You can also opt to acquire the co-branded Chase Aeroplan^® Credit Card, which earns 3x points per dollar spent on dining, groceries, and Air Canada, as well as 1x point per $1 spent everywhere else.

Aer Lingus AerClub

Aer Lingus is likely the first program many travelers think to use to book flights to Ireland. The good news is that during off-peak dates, the AerClub program offers competitive award prices, particularly for those who want to fly economy.

The Aer Lingus airline currency Avios is the same currency used by British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Iberia. For flights between the U.S. East Coast and Ireland, you’ll want to book Aer Lingus flights on the Avios website.

Hot Tip: Book award flights during off-peak dates in the Aer Lingus award calendar, occurring during most of January, February, March, May, September, October, and November. 

With your travel dates picked out, consider booking these Aer Lingus flights:

• Boston (BOS) – Dublin (DUB) for 26,000 Avios round-trip in Aer Lingus economy
• New York (JFK) – Shannon (SNN) for 100,000 Avios round-trip in Aer Lingus business class

The process to book Aer Lingus is straightforward:

1. Search for flights on the Avios website.
2. Book the award flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Aer Lingus Avios (Miles)

Aer Lingus makes it easy to earn Avios because the airline partners with American Express, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards. Points transfer from these programs to AerClub instantly at a 1:1 ratio. You can also earn Avios by putting your spend on an Aer Lingus credit card or you can even combine your Avios from your British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Iberia loyalty accounts.

Bottom Line: Aer Lingus offers one of the cheapest ways to fly between the U.S. and Ireland in economy. 

ANA Mileage Club

Another Star Alliance program to keep your eye on is ANA Mileage Club. ANA has several high-value award flights that you can book including flights between the U.S. and Europe.

The 2 main drawbacks when using ANA miles is that ANA partner flights must be booked round-trip and fuel surcharges are passed on. With that said, there’s plenty of upside if you know which airline partner flights to book.

Hot Tip: It’s best to use United to search for Star Alliance award flights first. From there, it’ll be easier to search the ANA website with the award flights that you found on United. 

Below are a couple of options to consider when you have the required number of Mileage Club miles in your ANA account:

• Washington (IAD) – Dublin (DUB) for 55,000 ANA miles round-trip in United business class
• Houston (IAH) – Manchester (MAN) for 55,000 ANA miles round-trip in Singapore Airlines economy
• Denver (DEN) – Newark (EWR) – Shannon (SNN) for 100,000 ANA miles round-trip in United business class

With the Singapore Airlines flight to Manchester, we recommend a couple of options to get all the way to Ireland. You can book a cheap cash flight between Manchester and Dublin or use 4,000 Avios to fly one-way during off-peak dates in Aer Lingus or British Airways economy.

For those of you with enough ANA miles, follow these steps to book your next award flight:

1. Search for flights on United.
2. Confirm the same availability on ANA.
3. Book the flight online.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Miles

ANA partners with American Express and Marriott Bonvoy, so the easiest way to earn ANA miles is to transfer your points from these programs to ANA. Unlike many airline programs, ANA doesn’t offer co-branded credit cards for the U.S. market.

If you have enough American Express and/or Marriott points to book a flight, the Amex point transfers take 2-3 days at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott point transfers take 7 days at a 3:1 ratio. With that said, below are the American Express credit cards that we recommend considering:

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

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UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

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Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than the Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards^® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel^®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
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• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card^® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
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• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• $895 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

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Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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Bottom Line: If you’re looking to book one-way Star Alliance award flights, Aeroplan and United Airlines will provide you with this option. 

Asiana Airlines Asiana Club

Our third Star Alliance program to cover is Asiana Airlines Asiana Club. Asiana Airlines is based in South Korea and has an award program that typically doesn’t receive much coverage. That’s unfortunate because the program has a ton of value, offering round-trip flights to Europe for half the cost of most other programs.

It’s important to note that a phone call is required to book Star Alliance partner airline flights. In addition, you’ll need to use the United website to search for flights as the Asiana website doesn’t allow you to search for Star Alliance flights.

Hot Tip: Asiana Airlines flights can be booked online but all Star Alliance partner flights require that you call Asiana to book the flight. 

If using Asiana miles makes sense for you, here’s a couple of Star Alliance flight options:

• Newark (EWR) – Lisbon (LIS) – Dublin (DUB) for 50,000 Asiana miles round-trip in TAP Portugal business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Dublin (DUB) for 80,000 Asiana miles round-trip in United business class
• San Francisco (SFO) – Newark (EWR) – Shannon (SNN) for 100,000 Asiana miles round-trip in United business class

Booking flights with Asiana isn’t the easiest, so use the steps below to help in the process:

1. Search for flight award availability on United.
2. Write down all the flight information.
3. Call Asiana Airlines at 800-227-4262 between 7 a.m. and 12 a.m. PST on Monday-Friday. From 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. PST on weekends and holidays.
4. Book the flight over the phone.
5. Pay the taxes and fees over the phone.

Earning Asiana Miles

Asiana Airlines no longer partners with Marriott Bonvoy, so it can be challenging to earn Asiana Airlines miles. Without any transfer partners, you can still earn Asiana Miles through numerous activities and co-branded credit cards.

The British Airways Club

The British Airways Club is a program many U.S. travelers are familiar with due to the ability to book American Airlines flights. British Airways uses a distance-based award chart and prices award flights on a segment basis. This means that connecting flights require additional miles. For flights between the U.S. and Ireland, you’ll want to fly American and Iberia due to the fuel surcharges when flying British Airways.

One of the main drawbacks of using the British Airways website is that it shows phantom American Airlines award space. Based on a recent experience, 15 American Airlines seats were shown on the British Airways website yet only 1 seat was available to be booked.

Hot Tip: British Airways is one of the best search engines to use for Oneworld award flights. Another option is to use the Qantas website. 

When you’re ready to make a trip to Ireland, consider flying one of these routes:

• Charlotte (CLT) – Dublin (DUB) for 41,500 British Airways Avios round-trip in American Airlines economy
• Chicago (ORD) – Dublin (DUB) for 41,500 British Airways Avios round-trip in American Airlines economy
• Dallas (DFW) – Dublin (DUB) for 41,500 British Airways Avios round-trip in American Airlines economy
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Dublin (DUB) for 62,000 British Airways Avios round-trip in American Airlines business

Booking flights with British Airways is pretty simple:

1. Search for award availability on British Airways.
2. Book the flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning British Airways Avios

It’s easy to earn British Airways Avios because the airline has partnerships with American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and Wells Fargo Rewards. In addition, British Airways has a co-branded credit card that earns Avios (miles) directly with your spend.

Nearly all points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott point transfers take 24 hours at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus.

If you’re looking to earn Chase points, consider applying for these credit cards that we recommend:

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

125,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,500

Annual Fee

$795

APR

19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
• 5x points on Lyft rides
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

• $795 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
• Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
• Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Business owner? See our list of the best Chase business cards.

Bottom Line: We recommend calling British Airways before transferring points to book an American Airlines flight. It’s widely known that the award flights shown on British Airways do not match what is available to be booked. 

Etihad Guest

Etihad is our first award program that’s not in a major airline alliance. With Etihad, you’re booking flights on its partner airlines that span the major airline alliances, including American Airlines. In fact, you can even book American Airlines flights on Etihad’s website.

Etihad uses a distance-based award chart, so the exact number of miles needed for a flight to Ireland depends on your departure point. However, the numbers listed in these charts reflects flights from the East Coast, which are more reasonably priced that West Coast departures.

• Charlotte (CLT) – Dublin (DUB) for 90,000 Etihad miles round-trip in American Airlines economy class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Dublin (DUB) for 120,000 Etihad miles round-trip in American Airlines business class
• Dallas (DFW) – Dublin (DUB) for 268,000 Etihad miles round-trip in American Airlines first class

Below are the steps we recommend:

1. Search for American Airlines flights on the Etihad website.
2. Book the flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Etihad Guest Miles

Earning Etihad Guest miles is easy because the airline partners with American Express, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy. When points are earned in these programs, you can transfer them directly to Etihad to book an award flight.

If you decide to transfer points, keep these transfer ratios and transfer times in mind: American Express points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One point transfers take 36 hours at 1:1 ratio, Citi point transfers take 6 days at a 1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Unfortunately, Etihad doesn’t have credit cards for the U.S. market, so earning points in these programs will be one of the easiest ways to obtain Etihad Guest miles.

For those of you wanting to earn Capital One Miles, here are the credit cards that we like:

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Apply Now(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Apply Now(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Welcome Offer

LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn $300 in travel bonuses. Enjoy $100 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $300 in travel.

$100 travel credit + 20,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$460

Annual Fee

$0

APR

Purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; variable 18.99% - 28.99% thereafter

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• Ability to use transfer partners

Cons

• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn $300 in travel bonuses. Enjoy $100 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $300 in travel
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; variable 18.99% - 28.99% thereafter
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Bottom Line: Using Etihad miles allows you to fly American Airlines at cheaper rates than you’d otherwise pay using your American Airlines miles. 

Club Iberia Plus

Iberia is our second Oneworld airline member that you can use for flights to Europe. U.S. travelers are likely familiar with Iberia because you can use Iberia Avios (miles) to book American Airlines award flights.

One of the main drawbacks with Iberia is that American Airlines flights must be booked round-trip. However, for this redemption, you’re flying Iberia, so you have the option to book one-way flights if needed.

Hot Tip: British Airways and Iberia allow you to book American Airlines award flights. With British Airways, you have more flexibility because you can book a one-way American Airlines flight. 

When weighing the fuel surcharges, award pricing, and routing, we recommend flying Iberia during its off-peak award dates.

• Boston (BOS) – Madrid (MAD) – Dublin (DUB) for 42,500 Iberia Avios in Iberia economy
• Chicago (ORD) – Madrid (MAD) – Dublin (DUB) for 85,000 Iberia Avios in Iberia business class
• Miami (MIA) – Madrid (MAD) – Dublin (DUB) for 85,000 Iberia Avios in Iberia business class

If you’re ready to book a flight, these steps will help make the process easier:

1. Search for Iberia flights on Iberia.
2. Book the award flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Iberia Avios (Miles)

You’ll have no problem earning Iberia Avios because the airline has partnerships with American Express, Chase, Marriott Bonvoy and Wells Fargo Rewards. The points earned in these programs can be transferred directly to Iberia.

Transfer times and transfer ratios are always important to keep in mind as they will be different depending on the program that you use: American Express point transfers take 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase and Wells Fargo points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 24-36 hours at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus.

Another way to earn Iberia Avios is by putting your spend on its co-branded Chase credit card. By combining the Avios earned from its credit card with the transferable points from Amex, Chase, and Marriott, you’ll be well on your way to your next award flight.

Bottom Line: U.S. travelers should always consider flying Iberia to Europe during off-peak dates. Iberia offers one of the cheapest options for both economy and business class. 

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

Yet another Oneworld member with award flight options to Ireland is Japan Airlines. What’s great about Japan Airlines is that you can fly to Ireland at competitive rates with low taxes and fees.

The main downside of using Japan Airlines miles to book these flights is that the miles are hard to earn. However, if you can find an avenue to earn them, you will unlock serious value.

Hot Tip: Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart. We recommend using Great Circle Mapper to calculate and confirm the distance of your flight before searching for award flights. 

American Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia are the airline partners with flights that you can book. We recommend flights like the ones below to reduce the taxes and fees you’ll see when flying British Airways:

• New York (JFK) – Madrid (MAD) – Dublin (DUB) for 50,000 Japan Airlines miles in Iberia economy
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Dublin (DUB) for 80,000 Japan Airlines miles in American Airlines business class
• Dallas (DFW) – Charlotte (CLT) – Dublin (DUB) for 85,000 Japan Airlines miles in American Airlines business class

The steps below will likely be helpful when you’re ready to book an award flight:

1. Search for flights on British Airways.
2. Confirm the same award availability on Japan Airlines.
3. Book the award flight online.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Earning Japan Airlines miles has gotten easier because the airline now has 3 partnerships: Bilt, Capital One, and Marriott Bonvoy. In addition, the U.S. market does not have access to co-branded Japan Airlines credit cards.

Bilt and Capital One transfer 1:1 and almost instantly, with a minimum of 2,000 points. If you do have Marriott points and want to transfer them to Japan Airlines, the transfer time takes 2 days at a 3:1 ratio. Also, with every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile transfer bonus.

Bottom Line: Japan Airlines offers a great option to book Oneworld flights to Europe. The issue many have is earning enough Japan Airlines miles to book an award flight. 

Korean Air SKYPASS

For those of you looking to leverage the SkyTeam alliance, Korean Air is an interesting option. The South Korea-based airline has competitive rates to fly in both economy and business class to Ireland.

You’ll be using a zone-based award chart when flying SkyTeam airline partners. This means that it’ll cost the same number of miles to fly between the U.S. and Ireland, no matter the departing U.S. city.

Hot Tip: We recommend starting your award search on Air France, Delta, and KLM for SkyTeam award flights. 

Below are a couple of SkyTeam options when you have enough miles in your SKYPASS account:

• New York (JFK) – Shannon (SNN) for 50,000 Korean Air miles round-trip in Delta economy
• Detroit (DET) – Paris (CDG) – Dublin (DUB) for 80,000 Korean Air miles round-trip in Air France business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – Dublin (DUB) for 80,000 Korean Air miles round-trip in Delta business class

With Korean Air, the process to book award flights is as follows:

1. Search for SkyTeam flights on Air France, Delta, or KLM.
2. Write down all of your flight information.
3. Confirm the same availability on Korean Air’s website or call Korean Air 800-438-5000 to confirm availability.
4. Book the flight online or over the phone.
5. Pay for taxes and fees.

Earning Korean Air SKYPASS Miles

Korean Air has no transfer partners, so there are few ways to earn SKYPASS miles. However, U.S. residents can earn Korean Air miles from a co-branded Korean Air credit card.

Bottom Line: Korean Air will be one of your best SkyTeam options. We also recommend checking Air France, Delta, and KLM to see how many miles each airline program requires for your flight. 

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Our last non-alliance airline to mention is Virgin Atlantic. Like Etihad, Virgin Atlantic has partnerships with individual airlines. Not all of the award rates are competitive, but flights to Europe are ones that you should consider.

For flights to Ireland, the airline partner you’ll fly is Delta. You’ll want to focus on the nonstop Delta flights as any connections require additional Virgin Points.

Hot Tip: You may not be able to book all Delta flights on Virgin Atlantic. If you’re not able to book the flight, the process to book over the phone is easy. 

With Delta flights to Ireland, here are a couple of interesting flights to book:

• Boston (BOS) – Dublin (DUB) for 95,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class during off-peak season
• New York (JFK) – Shannon (SNN) for 60,000 Virgin Points in Delta economy
• Atlanta (ATL) – Dublin (DUB) for 115,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class during peak season

If your Delta destination shows up on Virgin Atlantic:

1. Search for Delta on Virgin Atlantic.
2. Book the flight online.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.

If your destination doesn’t show up on Virgin Atlantic:

1. Search for Delta on Air France, Delta, or KLM.
2. Write down your flight information.
3. Call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book the flight.
4. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning Virgin Points

You’ll have no problem earning Virgin Points because the airline partners with American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Marriott Bonvoy, and Wells Fargo. You can transfer points in these programs directly to Virgin Atlantic.

If you do have transferable points, here are the transfer ratios and transfer times: Amex point transfers take 1-2 days at a 1:1 ratio; Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Wells Fargo points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Citi point transfers take 2 days at a 1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio, and Marriott point transfers take 1 day at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll receive 5,000 bonus miles when transferring 60,000 Marriott points.

Another way to earn Virgin Points is by spending on its co-branded credit cards. A combination of its credit cards and transferable points will ensure you have plenty of miles for your next flight to Ireland.

See our article on the best Citi credit cards if you’re looking to earn Citi ThankYou Points.

Bottom Line: Air New Zealand, ANA, and Delta are some of the top Virgin Atlantic airline partners that will help you to receive value with your Virgin Points. 

Final Thoughts

Ireland is a great place to visit, particularly during the U.S. summer months. Not only is the country beautiful, but its location makes it easy to travel to Europe via a quick flight.

To ensure you have plenty of miles for your next trip to Ireland, check out the transferable point programs in American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Marriott Bonvoy, Mesa, and Wells Fargo. The points earned in these programs will help you to continually unlock value.