✈️ Aer Lingus Review: Is it Honestly Worth the Money?

As someone who loves to travel, I’ve had both good and bad experiences on many airlines. For this reason, I’ve been waiting to give a balanced Aer Lingus review. On my latest transatlantic journey, Aer Lingus stood out. I actually got a flight for $500 USD round trip to Seattle from Dublin for two people! More on getting cheap flight deals to Ireland later. However, I’d read mixed opinions on the quality of Aer Lingus. 

So, I decided to review Aer Lingus first-hand! In this post I’ll share my experience with Aer Lingus on a transatlantic flight in economy class. My aim is to help other travelers make an informed choice when picking an airline for long-haul flights.

Aer Lingus is Ireland’s main airline, known for a mix of good service within Europe and a luxury feel when crossing the Atlantic. Even though not everyone’s top pick from the U.S., they do save money. In my Aer Lingus transatlantic review, I’ll talk about about everything from check-in to food on my flight. Overall, this complete Aer Lingus review will help you decide if Aer Lingus is the airline you want to pick for your next trip.

✈️ Transatlantic Aer Lingus Review

Check in, security, and boarding

Navigating through check-in, security, and boarding for my Aer Lingus flight was easy. The airport’s ground staff had everything running smoothly. The Aer Lingus check-in was simple and I was able to check-in for my Aer Lingus flight 24 hours in advance. There were noticeable kiosks and helpful staff at the airport, but they weren’t even necessary for me since I’d already checked in. Because of this, I got to the airport early, left my bag with the Aer Lingus counter service, and passed through Aer Lingus security quickly.

After getting through security, the Aer Lingus boarding was well-arranged. There were clear instructions and organized boarding based on seat rows or groups. As a result, this made it stress-free to find my seat in the economy class to start my long journey to Dublin! 

Overall, my Aer Lingus ground experience got a perfect score. It shows how the airline cares about starting your trip smoothly.

Aer Lingus Economy Review (my flight experience)

I travel a lot and am used to flying economy. Sometimes flying economy comes with poor legroom and little to no amenities. This wasn’t the case on this transatlantic flight. The Aer Lingus economy experience is good for an economy flight. In fact, the Aer Lingus in-flight experience went well beyond my expectations for an economy flight!

My experience with Aer Lingus economy flights has always been good. They pay attention to the little things that make a flight nice. This makes a Aer Lingus transatlantic flight enjoyable!

Aer Lingus meals in economy

In economy class, Aer Lingus meals are actually pretty good for its passengers. They serve free meals on flights to and from across the Atlantic. Aer Lingus food is good for an airline and something they’re known for, especially the premium meals.

If you want, you can pay ahead for a luxury meal with a free drink. It adds something special to your flight. I personally didn’t, but I had a good plant-based pasta meal and dessert for my complimentary meal on Aer Lingus. Overall, to me, Aer Lingus meals are a standout among airlines.

Economy seats

The seats in Aer Lingus economy class are like many other big airlines. They might not offer a luxury amount of legroom. But they are soft and can lean back a bit, making the ride more comfortable.

The economy seats are what you’d see on most European flights, with enough space to relax. Although it can get a little tight on long trips, the crew is helpful and kind. After twelve hours straight (I had a direct flight), it’s pretty normal to need to get up and stretch!

In flight entertainment

Aer Lingus has movies, music, and a flying map for while you’re in the sky. It might not have as many choices as some big airlines. But they try hard to keep everyone entertained. A standout for me is the extra touches Aer Lingus offers in economy.

Each seat has a power outlet for your devices. You can watch a lot of stuff too, like movies and TV shows. They had a lot of Irish TV shows and movies, which was really fun when you’re traveling to Ireland.

Overall, Aer Lingus economy class gives a nice trip with its meals, seats, and entertainment. It works hard to ensure everyone enjoys their flight.

✈️ Getting Cheap Flights on Aer Lingus

A lot of travelers pick Aer Lingus because their prices are hard to beat, especially for transatlantic flights. Sometimes, you can find round-trip flights to Ireland for as low as $400 depending where you fly out of! Aer Lingus is a great choice for those watching their budget.

The price of your Aer Lingus ticket can change based on where you leave from. If you’re flying to Ireland, you can leave from cities like Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. All these cities have direct flights to Dublin and Shannon. There are many flight deals to Ireland, and many come up on Aer Lingus!

Aer Lingus Amenities

 Complimentary meal

In economy class on long Aer Lingus flights, you get a complimentary meal without an extra charge. This meal has an entrée, side, and a drink. The Aer Lingus food is of decent quality, topping what many budget airlines offer.

Getting a free meal on Aer Lingus flights is a nice plus and it makes the whole trip more enjoyable. Even in economy, you get a satisfying meal, which is great for long trips! For those with special diets, Aer Lingus has great meals. They offer options like vegan, vegetarian, and allergy free. This shows they care about offering something for everyone.

Aer Lingus Air Club

Being a travel lover, I value loyalty programs. The Aer Lingus Air Club is worth it. You can earn Avios points for flying with Aer Lingus. 

This club has different levels based on how many points you have. More Avios points mean you’re in a higher level. And in these levels, you get better rewards. Like, you might get on the plane first or get into the fancy lounges. You can even snag some free upgrades. These extras really help make flying easier and nicer, especially if you do it a lot.

What’s cool is, getting Avios points isn’t just about flying. You can earn them in other ways. Like, when you fly not just with Aer Lingus but also with other airlines, such as British Airways. Or, by using a special credit card for your shopping. This makes getting to those higher club levels more within reach.

If you are planning on traveling with Aer Lingus, it’s worth checking out the Aer Lingus Air Club and signing up to get the points (it’s free)! Not only that, but you can transfer points to Avios on credit cards like Chase Sapphire. 

Book Aer Lingus with Avios

Getting cheaper flights on Aer Lingus is also possible through the Avios loyalty program. With Avios, passengers earn points that they can use towards flights. This can mean big savings, upgrades, and more!

I flew direct to Dublin with two people for $500. How did I do it? I booked Aer Lingus with Avios. I used my Chase Sapphire Preferred and simply transferred my accrued travel points to Avios.

Due to Aer Lingus’s reasonable pricing and the Avios program, Aer Lingus has some amazing deals. These offers are available all year, whether it’s for travel in the quieter months or summer. I can’t stress enough how much you’ll save if you book Aer Linus with Avios! If you don’t have Avios, remember you can accrue for the future by using a travel-friendly card, or by flying on Aer Lingus and other European airlines that offer Avios.

Wifi on Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus has Wi-Fi on many of their long-haul flights, allowing passengers to connect while on a transatlantic flight. The Wifi service is available for purchase onboard, with prices varying depending on the package you choose. I didn’t opt to pay for wifi, but it’s usually good enough for basic browsing, sending emails, and light social media use.

Is Aer Linus safe? A safety overview

First, as someone with some serious flight anxiety, safety is important to me! Aer Lingus is Ireland’s main airline with a big focus on safety. It has a great safety history. Its over 50 planes fly to about 100 spots, mostly in Europe, the UK, and North America.

In 2021, Aer Lingus was the 2nd best big European airline for being on time. In 2023, it was 9th for punctuality, with 72% of its flights on time. On the other hand, I haven’t encountered any problems with Aer Lingus, but it’s something to note.

In summary, even with these issues, if you’re asking yourself “is Aer Lingus safe?!”, please know that Aer Lingus is a safe airline. It keeps its planes in good shape and its staff are friendly and well-trained. The airline follows strict safety rules to give everyone on-board a secure flight. As a result, this makes Aer Lingus a safe airline to fly on, and a great flight experience.

🛬 Air Lingus Review: FAQ

Why is Aer Lingus so cheap?

Aer Lingus is so cheap because they keep the costs down by being smart with their operations. They offer a mix of budget and premium options, which I think helps balance their pricing! In addition, Aer Lingus is also good at filling their planes, which allows them to offer lower fares.

is Aer Lingus a budget airline?

Aer Lingus is not a budget airline. Aer Lingus is a hybrid airline and combines elements of both budget and traditional carriers. This approach lets them cater to different types of budgets.

is Aer Lingus good?

In my experience flying Aer Lingus, it is a good choice of airline. Many travelers find Aer Lingus to be a reliable choice. They have a good record for punctuality and customer service. Lastly, their aircrafts are comfortable, and they add a touch of Irish hospitality which makes long flights enjoyable.

Aer Lingus Review: Wrap-Up

Overall, I wanted to do this Aer Lingus review to share my experience. Aer Lingus is well worth the flight costs. Views on the airline’s services differ, but personally, I’ve had good experiences with Aer Lingus, both to and from Ireland and the US.

Aer Lingus is known for its competitive prices on flights to the US. Their economy class is comfy and comes with nice features. You’ll enjoy a range of entertainment on your trip, including shows about Ireland!

Aer Lingus isn’t flawless, but it’s a really solid choice for traveling from and to the US. Hopefully, like me, you will have a smooth and pleasant flight with Aer Linus!