Key Post Methods to avoid/minimise Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Re: Using entropay.com virtual debit card to avoid Ryanair €5 credit card charge /fli

I want to experiment with a new approach to long winded threads. To save newcomers reading them all, we will summarise the whole thread in the first post.

I have tried it on this thread, but don't know enough about the topic.

Would anyone volunteer to summarise the thread. or to copy my summary and correct it.

And maybe do an FAQ?

For example, does this apply to Aer Lingus as well or is it just Ryanair?

Re: Using entropay.com virtual debit card to avoid Ryanair €5 credit card charge /fli

It applies to both Aer Lingus and Ryanair.

Re: Using entropay.com virtual debit card to avoid Ryanair €5 credit card charge /fli

When paying for flights on Ryanair, I usually purchase Ryanair vouchers. There's a €5 admin fee but it still saves in the long run, e.g. I got really cheap flights yesterday to Leeds - €25 total for 2 of us....instead of incurring the €20 fee for paying by my Visa, I purchased Ryanair vouchers for €25 (costing me €30 inc. admin fee).

They emailed the voucher to me so i could retrieve it immediately....saving me €15. Not a huge amount to some but in context to the excellent price paid for flights I was pleased!!

Re: Using entropay.com virtual debit card to avoid Ryanair €5 credit card charge /fli

Thread Summary by Brendan 19 November 2009

Entropay can be used for Aer Lingus and Ryanair.

Ryanair charges €5 per leg of flight for paying by credit card i.e. €10 per return flight.

You can avoid this by paying by www.entropay.com
It takes only 10 minutes to set up an account and pay for the flight.

However, entropay charges 4.95% on each deposit.
Minimum deposit is GBP10

So if you book a flight costing €200 or more, it is cheaper to buy directly using your own Credit Card.

But if you are buying ten flights at €1 each, you will save around €50.

However, you have to also pay charges to entropay for converting from stg to €.

It is a Visa Electron card, this is important as it is the choice you make from the dropdown box on the airlines website when choosing a payment method.


There are fees for returning money from your entropay account back to your debit/credit card card.


Entropay Fees


Entropay FAQ

Steps to obtaining an entropay card from bargainsireland blog.

1. Sign up for EntroPay but make sure that your chosen account currency is GBP (This is because your card will not be recognised as a Visa Electron if you choose EUR). Postal code is required so type in EIRE or some random postal code.
2. Use your regular credit card to fund the account.
3. Activate the account using the activation email that they send you.
4. You will need to load at least €10 on to the account from your existing credit card, they also take a 4.95% commision, so it will cost €10.50.

Re: Using entropay.com virtual debit card to avoid CC charges with Ryanair and Aer Li

Thanks NorfBank

I have updated the title - to include Aer Lingus.

I have set up a separate thread on Ryanair Vouchers for clarity.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

you cannot use entropy for aer lingus and cannot use it for ryanair in ireland either. only uk

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

spursman

Please read the first post. Irish people can use them.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

no they cant. i have tried

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

You need to set the account up in Sterling.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

yeah . did that. went on the ryanair website and it wouldnt take the card number. plus with all the messing around changing money into sterling etc and the fees to lodge the money into the card, its just a big joke

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Well Today I just used mine to book a flight (Ryanair) to go see Arsenal v M Utd for total cost of €12. No CC charge. Dont aer Lingus just have a standing charge?
Own goal on that one spursman.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Its a good way to save a few bob on Ryanair flights.

Just make sure to set up the account in sterling. That bit is crucial

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Thanks Ceatharlach, didn't realise that game had been confirmed on sky. Just got two return tickets for €24. 4.95% of this is around €1.20 so even if the fx charge is 80c, I saved around 18.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Hi followed instructions and set up A/C with chosen currency GBP. When loading money (from Irish Visa A/C) do you do pick GBP or Euros. Apologies if this question already answered above. I could'nt find it. Thank You

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Gbp

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

I was just wondering how the FX charges pan out in a euro transaction? (leaving aside the 4.95% charge).

Does your Euro credit card charge and addtional commission for loading money in Sterling. Do Entropay also then charge for conveting back from Sterling to Euro (assuming paying for flights in Euro).

Would these charges make it cost effective for say a E70 return flight?

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

spinmaster said:

Would these charges make it cost effective for say a E70 return flight?

Click to expand...

Yes, all the charges you listed apply. And they are hard to predict. What your bank charges depends on which bank you are with. How the exchange rates play out depends on the daily rates and the phase of the moon. If you are booking a single €70 flight, Ryanair's CC charge of €5 may be lower than the Entropay fees. But if you are booling a really cheap flight or maybe four flights for €70 total, Entropay is definitely the way to go. Entropay is what makes 1 cent offers really 1 cent offers .

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

These cards are being phased out according to the BBC's Moneybox programme.


The other interesting point from this programme is why does Ryanair and other low cost airlines allow these cards? Apparently, it is to comply with the Advertising Guidelines. They must include all non-avoidable charges in the ad. So they have to provide a way of avoiding this charge or else show the cost in the ad.

The Ryanair spokesman claimed that "30% of users" now book flights with this card.

Brendan

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

Brendan said:

These cards are being phased out

Click to expand...

Some of my Entropay cards have recently expired and they automatically issued me new ones. So for now, Entropay are still going strong and not showing any indications of phasing out the service.

If Visa Electron is to really completely disappear, I guess the airlines will choose another obscure debit card as the one with zero CC charges - they need this to advertise rates such as 1 cent.

Re: Using entropay.com to avoid Credit Card charges with Ryanair and Aer Lingus

undo said:

If Visa Electron is to really completely disappear, I guess the airlines will choose another obscure debit card as the one with zero CC charges - they need this to advertise rates such as 1 cent.

Click to expand...

The chap from the BBC Moneybox programme suggested they could possibly accept cash at an obscure address in Stockport as their free method of payment.