What is the best credit card to use in Ireland? [2023] (2024)

Planning a trip to Ireland? If you have exciting plans to visit Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Galway, you’re going to need some spending money.

A credit card could be the ideal way to cover your vacation costs, especially if you can bag a card that offers travel perks.

In this guide, we’ll run through the best credit cards to use in Ireland. This includes alternatives such as the Wise card, which could save you money on spending in euros.

Is it better to use cash or credit card in Ireland?

Credit cards are widely accepted in Ireland, especially in the bigger cities. So, you should have no problem using your card in restaurants, bars, stores and for travel across the country.

That said, it’s always handy to have some cash - just in case. Some smaller or more rural Irish towns and villages may not take cards, so it could be a smart move to have some emergency euros to hand.

An alternative option in Ireland - get a Wise card today

While it’s not a credit card, it’s well worth checking out the Wise card if you’re visiting Ireland.

The Wise card is ideal for travelers and expats, as it offers the following features:

• Spend and withdraw cash in 150+ countries, wherever Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
• Automatically converts your dollars to euros (EUR) at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. There’s just a small conversion fee, or no charge if you already have the currency in your Wise account.
• Withdraw €100 a month from overseas ATMs for free, with a tiny fee of just 2% after that.

This means you can shop, dine and travel across Ireland knowing you're always getting a great exchange rate. And there’s no need to convert currency or carry cash around with you.

Open a Wise Account online, and you can order a Wise card for a one-time fee of just $9.

Get a Wise Account today

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit : Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

8 of the best credit cards to use in Ireland

Now, let’s take a look at the best credit cards for traveling to Ireland. All the cards on this list are ideal for short-term trips, but also for longer business trips or if you’re working in Ireland.

We’ve included cards which offer rewards on travel spending, as these can help your money go further. So, here we go:

1: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card¹

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular US-issued cards for worldwide travel. It has an annual fee of $95, but in return you get the following benefits:

• Initial bonus of 75,000 miles (worth $750 in travel) when you spend $4,000 within 3 months of opening an account
• Unlimited 2 miles per purchase
• Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• Two free visits a year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges.
• No foreign transaction fees.

You can use any miles you’ve earned as reimbursem*nt for travel purchases. Alternatively, you can redeem them when booking trips through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an APR of 20.99% - 28.99% on purchases.

2: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card²

Another top pick for travel is Capital One’s Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which has no annual fee.

It also has a 0% introductory APR for 15 months, with a rate of 19.99% - 29.99% after that time. Another thing to know about is the balance transfer fee of 3%, which applies after the first 15 months.

Other key features of the card include:

• Initial $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases
• Up to 6 months of free Uber One membership statement credits
• Unlimited 5% cashback on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

3: Aer Lingus Visa Signature Credit Card³

Issued through Chase in the US, the Aer Lingus Signature Credit Card offers specific benefits for customers using the airline to fly between the US and Ireland. So if you go regularly, this could be the card for you.

The card has a $95 annual fee and an APR on purchases of 20.99% to 27.99%.⁴ It offers all kinds of travel benefits, including:

• Earn up to 100,000 Avios - earn your first 75,000 when you spend $5,000 in first 3 months, then an extra 25,000 after spending $20,000 over 12 months.
• Earn extra Avios on purchases with Aer Lingus, hotel bookings and other purchases.
• Economy Companion Ticket - for every year you spend $30,000 on purchases, you earn a free economy ticket good for 12 months.
• Priority Boarding on Aer Lingus flights between the US and Ireland.
• No foreign transaction fees.

4: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card⁵

There’s no annual fee with the Bank of America Travel Rewards card. And you won’t pay any foreign transaction charges either.

Another attractive benefit is the interest free period, which covers a total of 18 billing cycles. After that, there’s a variable APR of 17.99% - 27.99%.

In return, you’ll get the following rewards:

• An initial 25,000 online bonus points worth $250 when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spending on anything
• Preferred Rewards members can earn between 25% and 75% more points on spending.

You can redeem your points for credit to put towards travel or dining.

5: Citi Premier® Card⁶

The Citi Premier® Card has an interest rate of 20.99% - 28.99% variable APR, and an annual fee of $95.

There are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, but there is a balance transfer fee of 5%.

In return, you’ll get the following travel and spending rewards:

• Initial bonus of 60,000 points worth $600 in gift cards, after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months
• Earn points on spending on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
• Annual hotel savings benefit.
• $0 liability on unauthorized charges.

6: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card⁷

In exchange for an annual fee of $95, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a whole heap of benefits.

This includes:

• Initial points bonus of 60,000 (worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards) when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
• 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases
• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
• No foreign transaction fees.

The interest rate for the card is 21.24% - 28.24% variable APR.

7: Chase United Gateway Credit Card⁸

Another card with an airline partnership, the United Gateway Credit Card from Chase offers preferential benefits if you choose United Airlines to fly to Ireland.

This includes the following:

• Earn 30,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months
• 2x miles on purchases with United Airlines (e.g. inflight food, Wi-Fi and baggage service charges), as well as on local transit, commuting and gas station spending
• 25% back in credits on purchases on board United-operated flights
• No foreign transaction fees.

What’s more, there’s no annual fee and an 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months. After this, the APR is 21.49% - 28.49%.

8: American Express Gold Card⁹

The Amex Gold Card offers all kinds of travel-friendly benefits, but there are a couple of important things to be aware of. Firstly, there’s a steep annual fee of $250. It also has a variable APR of 20.99% to 28.99%.

There’s also the issue of how widely accepted American Express cards are in Ireland. You should be fine to use Amex at ATMs, and at some stores and restaurants in bigger cities. However, it may not be as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard.

With all the caveats out the way, let’s move onto the benefits - and there are plenty of them.

The American Express Gold Card offers the following rewards:

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $4,000 within the first 6 months
• Earn 4x points at restaurants and groceries, and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on American Express Travel
• $120 dining credit when spending at participating partners
• No foreign transaction fees

Bottom line

So, what is the best credit card to use in Ireland? All of the above have no foreign transaction fees, so you can spend and withdraw cash on the Emerald Isle without being charged.

And most of the options above offer travel benefits, some with specific airlines like United or Aer Lingus. You’ll also want to look at the annual fee, and see if the rewards make it worthwhile.

Remember though that a credit card isn’t your only option. You can spend worldwide with the Wise card, for low fees and great exchange rates. It’s convenient, low cost and accepted almost everywhere.

Learn more about Wise

Frequently asked questions

What credit cards work best in Ireland?

Generally speaking, Visa and Mastercard credit cards are the best choice for Ireland. American Express is accepted there, but perhaps not as universally.

What credit card should I use internationally?

All the credit cards on our list have no foreign transaction fees. This means you can spend and withdraw from ATMs overseas without the card provider charging you a fee. However, you’ll still need to watch out for ATM operator fees, and check the exchange rate to make sure you’re getting a good deal.

Should I get euros before going to Ireland?

You can get euros before going to Ireland if you want, but it isn’t essential. You can use a credit card or the Wise card at Irish ATMs if and when you need cash, and can withdraw your money in euros.

Sources used for this article:

1. Capital One - Credit Cards - Venture
2. Capital One - Credit Cards - Quicksilver
3. Chase - Credit Cards - Aer Lingus
4. Chase - Pricing and terms
5. Bank of America - Travel Rewards Credit Card
6. Citi - Citi Premier Credit Card
7. Chase - Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
8. Chase - Credit Cards - United Gateway
9. American Express - Gold Card

Sources checked on 04-Jul-2023.