Best Credit Card In UAE

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What are the best Emirates Skywards credit cards for UAE residents?

Choose your Emirates Skywards Credit Card to earn some exclusive benefits. International travel has well and truly ‘taken off’ since the last couple of years. From a state of no travel to some essential travel, now it seems, at least going by the current ticket prices, that there is excessive travel happening! Read more

Why Choose the Emirates Skyward Credit Card?

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 36,750

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 3,000

  • Golf offers
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Complimentary Skywards Silver membership
  • 25,000 Bonus welcome Skyward Miles offer
  • 12 month complimentary Amazon offer

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 36,750

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 3,000

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.99%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 99

Joining Offers

Get 25,000 welcome bonus Skywards Miles when you apply for the card and 10,000 Skywards Miles annually upon renewal. Citibank Terms & Conditions apply.

You can now enjoy a 12-month amazon prime membership free with your Citibank Emirates Ultima Credit Card

Key Features

  • Exclusive 100% Metal card
  • Complimentary Skywards Silver membership (extra baggage and Emirates lounge access in Dubai Airport)
  • 25,000 Sign-up bonus Skywards Miles for the 1st year when you apply for the card & 10,000 Bonus Miles annually upon renewal
  • Unlimited access to 1000+ airport lounges worldwide for you and 1 guest
  • Complimentary Golf: unlimited on weekdays and 1 free round on weekends per month
  • Buy 1, Get1 free movie tickets with Reel & Vox cinemas
  • International Concierge
  • Complimentary Marhaba Silver Meet & Greet service
  • 0% interest instalment plan on tickets purchased online at www.emirates.ae
  • Complimentary Travel Inconvenience & Travel Medical Insurance and much more
  • Apply for a Citi Credit Card and enjoy a 12-month amazon prime membership
  • Earn up to 2.5 Skywards Miles per USD spend on tickets purchased online at emirates.com
  • Emirates Advantage Offer
  • Earn 1.50 Skywards Mile per USD of foreign currency spend
  • VoucherSkout – Signup offer
  • Complimentary nights at select Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide
  • Special offers including free nights at Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
  • Car rental offers from Avis & Hertz including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® President's Circle membership
  • Enjoy a 10% discount on any international roundtrip airfare from Cleartrip
  • Exclusive luxury hotel offers at select Soneva properties in Maldives and Thailand
  • Instant upgrade to DISCOVERY Black-level membership, a loyalty programme of Global Hotel Alliance
  • Exclusive discounts on Airport Meet & Greet services
  • Careem chauffeur benefits - 20% off 3 rides every month
  • Mastercard Priceless Cities offers
  • Luxury outlet shopping offers and benefits at Bicester outlet villages in Europe
  • Mastercard Buy 1 Get 1 free offers
  • MyUS Online shopping benefits and offers
  • Avail 4 complimentary tickets at VOX any day of the week. No minimum Spend required
  • 0% interest installment on tickets purchased online at www.emirates.ae
  • Travel insurance cover upto $500,000 covering the cardholder & family
  • Car rental insurance cover up to USD 50,000
  • Complimentary travel insurance confirmation letter (for e.g. for Schengen Visa)
  • Compensation for inconvenience due to delayed or missed flights and luggage
  • Unlimited free supplementary cards for your family members on Citi Ultima Card
  • Dining Privileges and exlcusive offers
  • Complimentary international concierge
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts Complimentary Hotel Nights

Reward Features

Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates Ultima Credit Card

  • 2.5 Skywards Miles per USD spend on tickets purchased online at emirates.com
  • 1.5 Skywards Miles per USD of FX spend
  • 1 Skywards Mile per USD of local spend
  • Grocery stores/supermarkets" and “real estates” category spend are entitled to earn 50% of the Skywards Miles earned.

Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates 

Things To Be Aware Of

  • VoucherSkout credits valid for 12 months from activation
  • Minimum spend of AED 5,000 per month for complimentary golf

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 20,000

RATE

2.45%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,499

  • Golf offers
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Health & Fitness
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Life Insurance
  • Contactless Tech
  • Air Miles
  • Get up to 160,000 Bonus Skywards Miles
  • Emirates Skywards Silver Tier Status
  • Access to 900+ airport lounges across the world
  • Fast Track to Gold Tier status
  • 1-night free stay at Rixos JBR

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 20,000

RATE

2.45%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,499

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.10%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min AED99

Joining Offers

  • Get up to 160,000 Bonus Miles with the RAKBANK Skywards World Elite credit card with a Emirates Skywards Silver Tier Status. Also enjoy a 1-night free stay at Rixos JBR with upto 50% off dining and entertainment in UAE.
  • 20,000 Miles upfront (on AED 1499 joining fee payment)
  • 50% extra Miles for spends in first 3 months (statements)
  • Up to 80,000 Miles on balance transfer from another (non-Rakbank) Card as per below:
  • AED 25K+ = 10K Miles, AED 40K = 25K Miles, AED 60K+ = 30K Miles, AED 80K+ = 40K Miles, AED 100K+ = 50K Miles, AED 150K+ = 80K Miles
  • Balance Transfer will be processed for a period of 3 months at an 0% interest rate and 2.99% processing fee

Key Features

  • Simplified Skywards Miles earn logic - based on total spend tiers
  • Opportunity to earn 40,000 Skywards Miles every month
  • Exclusive Mastercard World Elite Concierge benefits
  • Careem chauffeur benefits - 20% off 3 rides every month
  • Mastercard Priceless Cities offers
  • Rakfoodie privileges
  • Luxury outlet shopping offers and benefits at Bicester outlet villages in Europe
  • Mastercard Buy 1 Get 1 free offers
  • MyUS Online shopping benefits and offers
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver tier membership
  • Complimentary nights at select Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide Special offers including free nights at Oberoi Hotels
  • Complimentary access to 900+ lounges globally for the cardholder PLUS a guest
  • Complimentary airport transfers within the UAE
  • Complimentary Amazon Prime membership for a period of one year
  • 50% discount on VOX Cinemas at 4 free tickets per month per card
  • Car rental offers from Avis & Hertz including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® President's Circle membership
  • Enjoy a 10% discount on any international roundtrip airfare from Cleartrip
  • Exclusive luxury hotel offers at select Soneva properties in Maldives and Thailand
  • Free delivery of fuel at your door step by CAFU - 4 times in a month
  • Discovery Black membership by Global Hotel Alliance with discounts and other premium benefits
  • 15% discount on "Buy and Gift Miles"
  • Fastrack to Gold tier by opening a RAKBANK Emirates Skywards Saving Account
  • Complimentary access two times in a month at some of the finest golf courses in Dubai
  • Travel insurance cover upto $500,000 covering the cardholder & family
  • Car rental insurance cover up to USD 50,000
  • Complimentary travel insurance confirmation letter (for e.g. for Schengen Visa)
  • Applicants for RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card should be citizens or residents of the UAE
  • Minimum monthly salary requirement for salaried applicants is AED 25,000
  • Annual fees for RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card is AED 1,499. Limited Period Offer - Annual fees waived for first year until 28th February 2021.
  • Annual fees for RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Supplementary Credit Card is AED 999 with Silver tier membership & AED 200 without Silver tier membership

Reward Features

Earn Emirates Skywards Miles on all spends

The RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card lets you earn Skywards Miles on all types of spends. What’s more, these Skywards Miles are awarded based on total monthly spends in Dirhams to keep it simple for you.

Simplified Skywards Miles earn logic - based on spend tiers:

  • AED 2,000 to AED 4,999 - 600 Skywards miles
  • AED 5,000 to AED 9,999 - 2,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 10,000 to AED 19,999 - 5,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 20,000 to AED 29,999 - 8,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 30,000 to AED 39,999 - 11,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 40,000 to AED 49,999 - 16,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 50,000 to AED 74,999 - 20,000 Skywards miles
  • AED 75,000 to AED 99,999 - 30,000 Skywards miles
  • > AED 100,000 - 40,000 Skywards miles

Skywards Miles award will be reduced to 50% if spend in special categories (such as Charities, Government Services, Bill Payments, Schools, Transits, Transport, Telecommunication, Real Estate, Petrol/Gas stations, Supermarkets, Health & Beauty, Club Membership, Motion Pictures & Theatres, Computer Services, Automobiles & Vehicles) exceeds 50% of total spends for the month.

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Free for the first year - Annual fee of AED 1499 on renewal

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 18,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 800

  • Golf offers
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Dining discounts, free cinema tickets etc. across UAE
  • VoucherSkout-Signup offer
  • Enjoy a 12-month amazon premium membership free

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 18,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 800

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.99%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 99

Joining Offers

Get to enjoy a 12-month free amazon prime membership.

Key Features

  • Local and international Skywards Miles earn rate up to 1.25 Skywards Miles per USD
  • Convert Skywards miles into Reward Flights and Business Class upgrades
  • Unlimited access to 1000+ airport lounges worldwide for you and 1 guest
  • Complimentary golf once a month at some of the best golf courses in the UAE
  • One complimentary round at the Montgomerie, Els, Ranches, Abu Dhabi Golf club and Sadiyat Beach club
  • 4 complimentary 'Buy 1 Get 1' movie tickets with VOX cinemas
  • Complimentary Marhaba Bronze Meet & Greet service once a year at Dubai International Airport.
  • 0% interest for 3 months easy instalment plan on Emirates tickets purchased through www.emirates.ae
  • Complimentary International Concierge Service
  • Exclusive offers worldwide with Citibank World Privileges
  • Apply for a Citi Credit Card and enjoy a 12-month amazon prime membership for free
  • Complimentary Travel Accident Insurance cover offer
  • VoucherSkout – Signup offer
  • Complimentary nights at select Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide
  • Car rental offers from Avis & Hertz including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star membership
  • Enjoy a 10% discount on any international roundtrip airfare from Cleartrip
  • Careem chauffeur benefits - 20% off 3 rides every month
  • Mastercard Priceless Cities offers
  • Luxury outlet shopping offers and benefits at Bicester outlet villages in Europe
  • Mastercard Buy 1 Get 1 free offers
  • MyUS Online shopping benefits and offers
  • Compensation for inconvenience due to delayed or missed flights and luggage
  • Unlimited free supplementary cards for your family members
  • Enjoy up to 20% discount at select restaurants in Dubai, Abudhabi and across UAE
  • Complimentary international concierge service
  • Dining Privileges and exlcusive offers
  • Unlimited supplementary cards for your family members
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts Complimentary Hotel Nights
  • Global Hotel Alliance DISCOVERY Black Membership
  • Exclusive offers worldwide with Citi World Privileges on your Citi Emirates Ultimate Card

Reward Features

Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card

       

  • 1.25 Skyward Miles per USD of foreign currency spend
  • 1 Skywards Miles per USD of local spend
  • Grocery stores/supermarkets" and “real estates” category spend are entitled to  
  • earn 50% of the Skywards Miles earned

Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flydubai

Things To Be Aware Of

  • VoucherSkout credits valid for 12 months from activation
  • Minimum spend of AED 5,000 per month for complimentary golf

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 12,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 0

  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Complimentary Movie Tickets
  • Earn Emirates Skywards Miles on all spends
  • Complimentary Meet & Greet Service offer
  • Enjoy a 12-month amazon premium membership free

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 12,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 0

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.99%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 99

Joining Offers

Get to enjoy a 12-month free amazon prime membership.

Key Features

  • Earn up to 1 Skywards Miles per USD and redeem them on Emirates or Flydubai Reward flights and upgrades
  • Unlimited access to 1000+ lounges worldwide for each cardholder
  • 2 complimentary 'Buy 1 Get 1' movie tickets with VOX cinemas
  • Complimentary Marhaba Bronze Meet & Greet service once a year at Dubai International Airport.
  • 0% interest for 3 months easy instalment plan on Emirates tickets purchased through www.emirates.ae
  • Complimentary Travel Insurance
  • Quick Cash: instant loan on card at a click of a button
  • Exclusive offers worldwide with Citibank World Privileges
  • Apply for a Citi Credit Card and enjoy a 12-month amazon prime membership
  • Unlimited complimentary access to 1000+ airport lounges worldwide for primary & supplementary cardmembers
  • Careem chauffeur benefits - 20% off 3 rides every month
  • Mastercard Priceless Cities offers
  • Luxury outlet shopping offers and benefits at Bicester outlet villages in Europe
  • Mastercard Buy 1 Get 1 free offers
  • MyUS Online shopping benefits and offers
  • Dining Privileges and exlcusive offers
  • VoucherSkout – Signup offer
  • Compensation for inconvenience due to delayed or missed flights and luggage
  • Unlimited free supplementary cards for your family members
  • Exclusive offers worldwide with Citi World Privileges
  • Complimentary nights at select Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide
  • Car rental offers from Avis & Hertz including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star membership
  • Enjoy a 10% discount on any international roundtrip airfare from Cleartrip
  • Travel insurance cover upto $500,000 covering the cardholder & family
  • Complimentary travel insurance confirmation letter (for e.g. for Schengen Visa)

Reward Features

Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card

 

Earn 1 Skywards Mile per USD on international spend and 0.75 Skywards Miles per USD on local spend. 

Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flydubai

Things To Be Aware Of

  • VoucherSkout credits valid for 12 months from activation
  • Annual fee of AED 400 from year 2 onwards

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 30,000

RATE

3.09%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,500

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Health & Fitness
  • Balance Transfer
  • Car Registration
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Airport Chauffeur Services
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Air Miles
  • Best-in-class Skywards Miles earning - earn and redeem
  • Earn up to 100,000 Skywards Miles
  • Earn up to 2 Miles per USD 1 of retail spends

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 30,000

RATE

3.09%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,500

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.14%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 99

Joining Offers

  • Earn up to 100,000 Skywards Miles with your Skywards Infinite Credit Card.
  • Complimentary Rotana Rewards Exclusive Club Membership with your Skywards Infinite Credit Card

Key Features

  • Earn up to 2 Miles per USD 1 of retail spends
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver membership
  • Complimentary night with Marriott Vacation Club
  • Complimentary Rotana Rewards Exclusive Club Membership (First year only)
  • 20% off at Roxy on weekdays on Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus
  • Unlimited complimentary access to over 650+ VIP lounges worldwide for primary, supplementary and 1 guest each
  • 24-hour personalised premium concierge service
  • Up to 4 airport transfers per calendar year
  • Pick up & delivery of car for servicing & registration once a year
  • Free Local courier services within UAE up to 12 times per calendar year
  • 50% off movie tickets every Sunday at VOX Cinemas
  • Up to 4 complimentary valet parking services at select locations in Abu Dhabi
  • Complimentary golf at not 4, but 5 golf courses across the UAE, twice a month. Discounts at 14 clubs in the UAE and Muscat.
  • Salik auto top-up feature
  • Visa luxury hotel collection offers
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year
  • Bon Appetit - Exclusive dining discounts
  • Discounts on air tickets and holiday packages
  • Exclusive offers on Emirates.ae
  • International Medical & Travel Assistance
  • Purchase Protection cover for lost, stolen and damaged goods
  • Extended Warranty - automatically double the manufacturer's warranty
  • Travel insurance cover upto $1,000,000 covering the cardholder & family for trips upto 90 days in duration
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Fraudulent card misuse protection cover ($3,000 per occurrence with $5,000 annual aggregate limit)

Reward Features

Earn Skyward Miles

  • Earn Skywards Miles
  • Spend with Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card to earn Skywards Miles on your everyday spends. You can earn up to 2 Skywards Miles per USD equivalent spend.
  • Earn 2 Miles on Emirates and flydubai spends
  • Earn 2 Miles on duty free, online food delivery and car booking apps spends.
  • Earn 1.5 Miles on International spends
  • Earn 1 Mile on Domestic spends

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Specific spend categories earn lower rewards

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 15,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Health & Fitness
  • Balance Transfer
  • Car Registration
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Airport Chauffeur Services
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Air Miles
  • Best-in-class Skywards Miles earning - earn and redeem miles
  • Good lifestyle offers
  • Complimentary, unlimited worldwide lounge access
  • Exclusive Concierge Desk and privileges

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 15,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.14%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 99

Joining Offers

Earn up to 40,000 Skywards Miles with your Skywards Signature Credit Card:

  • 15,000 Skywards Miles on payment of the joining fee( AED 1499).
  • 15,000 Skywards Miles on spending minimum USD 10,000 within the first three billing statements.
  • 10,000 Skywards Miles on spending minimum USD 3,750 on emirates.com or at any Emirates sales office in the UAE within the first twelve billing statements.

Key Features

  • Earn up to 1.5 Miles per USD 1 of retail spends
  • Unlimited complimentary access to over 650+ VIP lounges worldwide
  • Dedicated concierge service
  • Up to 2 airport transfers per calendar year
  • Complimentary golf at not 4, but 5 golf courses across the UAE, twice a month. Discounts at 14 clubs in the UAE and muscat.
  • 20% off at Roxy on weekdays on Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus
  • Pick up & delivery of car for servicing & registration once a year
  • Up to 4 complimentary valet parking services at select locations in Abu Dhabi
  • Free Local courier services within UAE up to 6 times per calendar year
  • Complimentary golf access twice a month at select courses
  • Exclusive discounts at Lifeline Health Club Abu Dhabi
  • Salik auto top-up feature
  • 24-hour personalised premium concierge service
  • Visa luxury hotel collection offers
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Bon Appetit - exclusive dining discounts
  • Discounts on air tickets and holiday packages
  • Exclusive offers on Emirates.ae
  • International Medical & Travel Assistance
  • Purchase Protection cover for lost, stolen and damaged goods
  • Extended Warranty - automatically double the manufacturer's warranty
  • Travel Insurance cover
  • 50% off movie tickets every Sunday at VOX Cinemas

Reward Features

Earn Skyward Miles
Per 1 USD of spend:

  • Earn 1.5 Miles on Emirates and flydubai spends
  • Earn 1.5 Miles on duty free, online food delivery and car booking apps spends
  • Earn 1 Mile on International spends
  • Earn 0.75 Miles on Domestic spends

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Golf access requires min spend of AED 5,000 per month

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 15,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,575

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Contactless Tech
  • Air Miles
  • Earn up to 30,000 Bonus Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skywards Miles on all spends
  • Premium lifestyle benefits

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 15,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 1,575

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.26%

Cash Advance Fee

- / -

Joining Offers

Earn up to 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Credit Card:

  • 15,000 bonus Miles on card activation

  • 15,000 bonus Miles on balance transfer

Key Features

  • Earn up to 30,000 Bonus Emirates Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skyward Miles on all spends
  • Complimentary access to over 850+ VIP lounges globally for cardholder
  • 20% off at Roxy on weekdays on Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus
  • Easy 0% payment plan on Emirates tickets
  • Customers can avail discounts from several Golf courses across the world with this card. There are 14 Clubs in the UAE
  • Complimentary international concierge services
  • Complimentary travel insurance with cover up to US $500,000
  • Enjoy 25% dining discounts on online orders through Zomato
  • Luxury Hotel Collection offers from Visa
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Fraudulent card misuse protection cover ($2,500 per occurrence with $4,000 annual aggregate limit)
  • Up to 3 free valet parking services per month in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
  • Balance transfer facility
  • Medical and legal referral services
  • Complimentary 365 days purchase protection
  • Global Customer Assistance Services
  • Extended warranty that doubles the original manufacturer warranty
  • Visa PayWave contactless technology
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year

Reward Features

Earn Skyward Miles for every 1 USD spend:

  • Earn 1.5 Skyward Miles on all Emirates spends
  • Earn 1 Skyward Mile on all foreign currency spends
  • Earn 0.75 Skyward Miles on all local currency spends

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 525

  • Golf offers
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Contactless Tech
  • 5,000 Bonus Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skywards Miles on all spends

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 525

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.26%

Cash Advance Fee

- / -

Joining Offers

Earn bonus Skywards Miles:

5,000 bonus Miles on card activation.

Key Features

  • Earn 5,000 Bonus Emirates Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skyward Miles on all spends
  • Easy 0% payment plan on Emirates tickets
  • Buy 1 Get 1 at Vox on Standard tickets on Sundays and 20% off on weekdays at Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus at Roxy
  • Enjoy 25% dining discounts on online orders through Zomato
  • Customers can avail discounts from several Golf courses across the world with this card. There are 14 Clubs in the UAE
  • Luxury Hotel Collection offers from Visa
  • Balance transfer facility
  • Medical and legal referral services
  • Complimentary 365 days purchase protection
  • Global Customer Assistance Services
  • Extended warranty that doubles the original manufacturer warranty
  • Visa PayWave contactless technology
  • Access to over 200 airport restaurant offers globally
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER Offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app
  • 4 free months of Anghami Plus

Reward Features

Earn Skyward Miles per 1 USD spend:

  • Earn 1 Skyward Mile on all Emirates spends
  • Earn 0.75 Skyward Miles on all foreign currency spends
  • Earn 0.5 Skyward Miles on all local currency spends

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 35,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 2,625

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Health & Fitness
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Contactless Tech
  • Air Miles
  • Earn up to 75,000 Bonus Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skywards Miles on all spends
  • Premium Lifestyle benefits

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 35,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 2,625

Non AED Transaction Fee

2.26%

Cash Advance Fee

- / -

Joining Offers

  • Earn up to 75,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Skywards DIB Infinite Credit Card
  • 25,000 bonus Miles on card activation.
  • 25,000 bonus Miles when you spend an equivalent of USD 20,000 or more in the first 4 card statements.
  • 25,000 bonus Miles on balance transfer.

Key Features

  • Earn up to 75,000 Bonus Emirates Skywards Miles
  • Earn Skyward Miles on all spends
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver membership
  • 20% off at Roxy on weekdays on Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus
  • Customers can avail discounts from several Golf courses across the world with this card. There are 14 Clubs in the UAE
  • Complimentary access to over 850+ VIP lounges globally for cardholder plus a guest
  • Easy 0% payment plan on Emirates tickets
  • Enjoy 25% dining discounts on online orders through Zomato
  • Complimentary access to the Emirates Towers Health Club
  • Luxury Hotel Collection offers from Visa
  • Up to 4 free valet parking services per month in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
  • Balance transfer facility
  • Travel insurance cover upto $1,000,000 covering the cardholder & family for trips upto 90 days in duration
  • 24-hour personalised premium concierge service
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Medical and legal referral services
  • Complimentary 365 days purchase protection
  • Global Customer Assistance Services
  • Extended warranty that doubles the original manufacturer warranty
  • Visa PayWave contactless technology
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year

Reward Features

Earn Skyward Miles per 1 USD of spend:

  • Earn 2 Skyward Miles on all Emirates spends
  • Earn 1.5 Skyward Miles on all foreign currency spends
  • Earn 1 Skyward Mile on all local currency spends

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 12,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Air Miles
  • Complimentary Valet Parking Service
  • Complimentary golf any day of the week
  • Enjoy unlimited comp. access to over 1000 airport lounges
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 12,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.49%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 199

Key Features

  • Earn EI SmartMiles for every retail spend on your card
  • Earn double Skyward Miles for spends at Emirates Airlines
  • 20% off on weekdays at Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus at Roxy
  • Complimentary Valet Parking Service
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App
  • Complimentary access to 1000+ lounges globally for the cardholder (via Loungekey)
  • Mazaya Offers Programme
  • Visa Luxury Hotel collection offers
  • Complimentary rounds twice a month at the Arabian Ranches or Track Meydan. Discounts at 14 clubs in UAE and Muscat
  • Balance transfer facility
  • Medical & Legal referral assistance
  • Travel insurance cover upto $500,000 covering the cardholder & family for trips upto 90 days in duration
  • 24-hour personalised premium concierge service
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Fraudulent card misuse protection cover ($2,500 per occurrence with $4,000 annual aggregate limit)
  • Extended warranty & purchase protection on purchases made on the card
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year

Reward Features

On your Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card earn Emirates Skywards Miles on all spends

  • Earn 0.75 Miles for every USD 1 spent on local transactions
  • Earn 1.1 Miles for every USD 1 spent on international transactions
  • Earn 1.5 Miles for every USD 1 spent on all Emirates Airlines transactions
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Specific categories of spend have lower earn rates

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

  • Golf offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Earn Skywards Miles on all spends
  • Double Miles on spends at Emirates Airlines
  • Complimentary golf offers

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 700

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.49%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 199

Key Features

  • Enjoy earning Miles for every USD 1 spend on all local and international transactions
  • Additional Skywards Miles for all spends at Emirates Airlines
  • Access to over 200 airport restaurant offers globally
  • Visa Luxury Hotel collection offers
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • Mazaya Offers Programme
  • Exclusive golf offers
  • Extended warranty & purchase protection on purchases made on the card
  • Balance transfer facility
  • Golf offers across the globe
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER Offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app
  • 4 free months of Anghami Plus

Reward Features

  • Earn 0.6 Miles for every USD 1 spent on local transactions
  • Earn 0.75 Miles for every USD 1 spent on international transactions
  • Earn 1 Mile for every USD 1 spent on all Emirates Airlines transactions

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Specific categories of spend have lower earn rates

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 25,000

RATE

3.09%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 2,000

  • Golf offers
  • Valet Parking
  • Cinema Tickets
  • Dining Offers
  • Balance Transfer
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Travel Insurance
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty
  • Air Miles
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Membership
  • Complimentary Valet Parking Service
  • Enjoy unlimited comp. access to over 1000 airport lounges
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 25,000

RATE

3.09%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 2,000

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.49%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 199

Key Features

  • Automatic upgrade offer to Emirates Skywards Silver membership.
  • Free Valet parking up to 2 times per month
  • 20% off on weekdays at Ultra Premium, Platinum Plus and Classic Silver Plus at Roxy
  • Complimentary access to 1000+ lounges globally for the cardholder PLUS a guest (via Loungekey)
  • Up to 2 Skywards Miles per USD spent on your Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite Credit Card
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App
  • Travel insurance cover upto $1,000,000 covering the cardholder & family for trips upto 90 days in duration
  • Fraudulent card misuse protection cover ($3,000 per occurrence with $5,000 annual aggregate limit)
  • Extended warranty & purchase protection on purchases made on the card
  • Unlimited Complimentary Golf at Arabian Ranches and Track Meydan Clubs. Discounts at 14 clubs in UAE and Muscat
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com
  • 24-hour personalised premium concierge service
  • Visa Luxury Hotel collection offers
  • Visa Premium Concierge service
  • DragonPass 'Dine & Fly' airport dining program
  • Mazaya offers
  • 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers with Visa Offers MENA mobile app for exclusive offers & over 5000+ travel discounts
  • Subscribe to Anghami Plus and enjoy upto four months free for the first year

Reward Features

On your Emirates Islamic Infinite Skywards Credit card you will earn Emirates Skywards Miles on all spends

  • Earn 1 Mile for every USD 1 spent on local transactions.
  • Earn 1.5 Miles for every USD 1 spent on international transactions.
  • Earn 2 Miles for every USD 1 spent on all Emirates Airlines transactions.
  • Earn additional Skyward Miles with ExtraMiles App.

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Specific categories of spend have lower earn rates

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 400

  • Balance Transfer
  • Earn Skywards Miles on all spends
  • Dining & shopping discounts in dubai and across UAE

MINIMUM SALARY

AED 5,000

RATE

3.25%

ANNUAL FEE

AED 400

Non AED Transaction Fee

3.49%

Cash Advance Fee

3.00 % / Min 199

Key Features

  • Enjoy earning Miles for every USD 1 spend
  • Mazaya Offers Programme
  • Balance transfer facility
  • 8% discount on hotel bookings made at Hotels.com

Things To Be Aware Of

  • Skywards Miles will not be earned for some categories

What are the best Emirates Skywards credit cards for UAE residents?

In 2022 international travel has well and truly ‘taken off’ after a couple of years which everyone would rather happily erase from their collective memories. From a state of no travel to some essential travel now it seems, at least going by the current ticket prices, that there is excessive travel happening!

Here in the UAE too all kinds of travel seem to be back on the table now – business folks traveling again, annual trips back home to visit family and friends, and of course travel as tourists to new and also repeat international destinations which has always been a favorite indulgence for us here in the UAE.

As UAE residents and probably more specifically for Dubai residents we are so fortunate to have access to Emirates Airlines which is easily one of the best airlines in the world and is the obvious airline of choice when considering any international travel. How often do we find ourselves looking for reasons to stretch our budgets a bit to justify any price differences travelling with Emirates versus some other budget airline? Deep down we know that traveling with Emirates is quite simply the best option in terms of the entire experience - right from the dedicated terminal, class leading on demand in-flight entertainment options, direct routes saving us the hassle of multiple stops and of course for the well-heeled travelers amongst us - the Emirates business class lounge experience which is second to none!

A great option for anyone in the UAE to enjoy the many benefits of flying with Emirates Airlines is to use an Emirates Skywards Credit Card which is offered by most of the leading banks in the UAE. These credit cards are offered as a partnership between Emirates Airlines and the bank and offer a multitude of benefits to customers who have these credit cards. These benefits can vary from earning Emirates Skywards miles on purchases made with the credit cards, gaining membership to exclusive Emirates Airlines membership tiers including Skywards Silver status, and in some cases, even the coveted Emirates Skywards Gold Tier membership status. These tiers bring their own significant benefits to customers and ‘earning’ them by getting a credit card is a quick and easy way to gain entry into these exclusive membership categories. But these are just a few benefits and as you will find out further in this article, these credit cards offer a wide array of benefits to suit every individual profile.

Given the popularity and demand for flying with Emirates it is no wonder that several leading banks offer co-branded Emirates Skywards credit cards as part of their credit card portfolio offerings. And as can be expected, not all of these cards offer the same level of benefits or are indeed even offered to the same profile of customers. There are no fewer than 14 different Emirates Skywards co-branded credit cards currently available in the UAE and it is no easy task to identify which of them is best suited to you. But fret not, our team here at Soulwallet.com has done the heavy lifting to help you find the best ones suited to your specific needs.

 Banks in UAE that currently offer Emirates Skywards co-branded credit cards are –  

Across these 6 banks there are currently a total of 14 different Emirates Skywards credit cards offered. These are broadly categorised based on the minimum income required to be eligible for each credit card, the features and benefits offered, annual fees charged and so on.

Income Eligibility 

The monthly minimum income requirement for Emirates Skywards credit cards are as below:

As can be seen from the table above, there is an Emirates Skywards credit card option available for customers with income segments starting from as low as AED 5,000, which incidentally is also the minimum monthly salary required as per UAE Central bank regulations for a credit card.


Which is “The Best Emirates Skywards credit card” in the UAE? 

While many readers would want to scroll directly to this section to find out the ‘winner’, the reality as is often the case, is that among the multitude of options available there is no single “Best Emirates Skywards credit card” for everyone. Different Emirates Skywards credit cards offer different benefits. In the sections below we will help you identify which one is the “the best Skywards credit card for you” based on your specific needs, spend patterns and priorities as an individual.

Best “PREMIUM” Emirates Skywards Credit cards
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card 
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
  • Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
  • Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card
Best Emirates Skywards Credit Cards to EARN SKYWARDS MILES FROM REGULAR SPENDS
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
  • Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card
  • Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Best Emirates Skywards Credit Cards for BONUS SKYWARDS MILES
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card 
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
  • Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card
Best Emirates Skywards Credit Cards for BEST JOINING OFFERS
  • Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card
  • Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card
  • Citibank Emirates World credit card
Best Emirates Skywards Credit Cards for EMIRATES SKYWARDS MEMBERSHIP TIERS
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card 
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card
Best for COMPLIMENTARY EMIRATES AIRLINES HOME CHECK-IN SERVICES
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card
Best for HEALTH & FITNESS BENEFITS
  • Dubai Islamic Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Best for EMIRATES SKYWARDS MILES PURCHASE DISCOUNTS
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
Best for CINEMA OFFERS & DISCOUNTS
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
  • Citibank Emirate Ultima credit card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
  • Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card
Best for COMPLIMENTARY AIRPORT DROPS & TRANSFERS
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card & ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card 
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Best to EARN EMIRATES SKYWARDS TIER MILES
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card & Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card 
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card

Best “PREMIUM” Emirates Skywards Credit cards 

ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card

  • 3 Emirates Skywards miles per USD of spend at Emirates Airlines, up to 2 & 1.5 Skywards miles per USD for international and domestic spends respectively
  • Fast track to Skywards Gold tier membership for BOTH the primary as well as a supplementary card holder
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • Complimentary Emirates home check-in services (only ADIB Skywards credit cards offer this benefit)
  • Complimentary airport transfers across UAE (up to 4 per year)
  • Complimentary valet parking benefits at Dubai & Abu Dhabi
  • Unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for the primary and supplementary cardholder plus a guest
  • Highest category of Mastercard credit cards – ‘Mastercard World Elite’ benefits & offers

The ADIB Emirates Skywards credit card is arguably the best premium Skywards credit card available not just for the range of benefits it offers but also being the most competitive in several key aspects. This card offers very generous Emirates Skywards miles for spends at Emirates Airlines, for international spends as well as for domestic retail spends in the UAE. In addition to the excellent Skywards miles rewards offered, this card also offers:

Minimum Salary requirement:  AED 25,000  Annual Membership Fee:  AED 4,500 

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card

  • 3.5 Emirates Skywards miles per USD of spend at Emirates Airlines, up to 2 & 1.5 Skywards miles per USD for international and domestic spends respectively
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • Fast track to Skywards Gold tier membership for BOTH the primary as well as a supplementary card holder
  • Complimentary airport transfers across UAE (up to 4 per year)
  • Complimentary valet parking benefits at Dubai & Abu Dhabi
  • Unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for each cardholder plus a guest
  • Highest category of Visa credit cards – ‘Visa Infinite’ benefits & offers including purchase protection, travel insurance & medical cover and so on
  • 25% discount on purchase of Emirates Skywards miles
  • Option to earn 1 Skywards Tier mile for every 4 Skywards miles earned

The Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card offers premium features comparable with any other Skywards credit card offered by any bank in the UAE currently. It has the distinction of offering the highest Skywards miles earn rates across all Skywards credit cards in the UAE and also offers a host of excellent benefits including:

Minimum Salary requirement:  AED 25,000  Annual Membership Fee:  AED 4,200 

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card

  • 2.5 Emirates Skywards miles per USD of spend at Emirates Airlines, up to 1.5 & 1 Skywards mile(s) per USD for international and domestic spends respectively
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • AED 2,000 statement credit for online applications
  • Credit card is made of metal (only one among all Skywards credit cards)
  • Complimentary cinema offers at both VOX & Reel cinemas
  • Unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for the primary and the supplementary cardholder plus a guest each
  • Highest category of Mastercard credit cards – ‘Mastercard World Elite’ benefits & offers

The Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card is a premium credit card which has a lot of features for the well-heeled traveler. While it does not offer the card holder and option to get the coveted Emirates Skywards Gold Tier membership it also has a much lower annual maintenance fee than the other credit cards that do offer the Gold tier membership. This card also gives the card holder the opportunity to earn up to 100,000 bonus Emirates Skywards miles by meeting certain spend criterion on the card. Some of the key benefits of this card include:

Minimum Salary requirement: AED 36,750 Annual Membership Fee: AED 3,000

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • 2 Emirates Skywards miles per USD of spend at Emirates Airlines, up to 1.5 & 1 Skywards mile(s) per USD for international and domestic spends respectively
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • Opportunity to earn up to 100,000 Emirates Skywards miles
  • Unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for the cardholder plus a guest
  • Valet parking services at busy malls in the UAE
  • Complimentary airport transfers and 50% discount with Careem for airport transfers

The Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card is a premium credit card which has a lot of features for the well-heeled traveler. While it does not offer the card holder and option to get the coveted Emirates Skywards Gold Tier membership it also has a much lower annual maintenance fee than the other credit cards that do offer the Gold tier membership. This card also gives the card holder the opportunity to earn up to 100,000 bonus Emirates Skywards miles by meeting certain spend criterion on the card. Some of the key benefits of this card include:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Dubai Islamic Bank Emirates Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • 2 Emirates Skywards miles per USD of spend at Emirates Airlines & Flydubai, up to 1.5 & 1 Skywards mile(s) per USD for international and domestic spends respectively
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • Opportunity to earn up to 120,000 Emirates Skywards miles by spending AED 120,000 before July 31, 2023
  • Complimentary airport lounge access for the card holder plus a guest to over 850 airport lounges worldwide via Loungekey
  • Exclusive health club, valet parking and roadside assistance offers

The Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card is offered by Dubai Islamic Bank and is a great option for a premium Emirates Skywards credit card. This card not only provides customers a range of travel and lifestyle benefits but also gives customers the opportunity to earn 120,000 bonus Emirates Skywards miles by simply meeting a specific spend criterion. This is the highest bonus Skywards Miles being offered by any credit card in the UAE currently. Some of the key benefits of this card are:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card

  • Opportunity to earn Skywards miles across all spend categories with a unique tier-based rewards system
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership
  • Fast track to Skywards Gold tier membership by maintaining an AED 500,000 deposit in an Emirates Islamic Skywards Savings account
  • Complimentary airport transfers across UAE and in India (up to 6 per year)
  • Unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for each cardholder plus a guest
  • Complimentary cinema offers at VOX cinemas (50% off for up to 4 tickets each month)
  • 15% discount on purchase of Emirates Skywards miles
  • Option to earn 1 Skywards Tier mile for every 4 Skywards miles earned
  • Highest category of Mastercard credit cards – ‘Mastercard World Elite’ benefits & offers
  • Complimentary GHA Discovery Titanium membership

The RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard is a premium credit card offering from RAKBANK that offers several unique benefits to card holders including:

Minimum Salary requirement: AED 20,000 Annual Membership Fee: AED 1,499

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Best credit cards to “EARN SKYWARDS MILES FROM REGULAR SPENDS”:

This is perhaps the most important feature to be considered for any Emirates Skywards co-branded credit card as the main purpose for a cardholder is to maximize the Skywards miles earned during regular purchases made using their credit card.

This is also an aspect where there are significant differences in earning rates and eligibility requirements between the different Emirates Skywards credit card options available. Readers are advised to review these conditions carefully before arriving at a decision on which card is best suited to their specific spend patterns.

Please note that the best credit cards identified in this category tend to be ‘premium’ credit cards as they understandably have the best rewards as well as features and benefits that the bank can offer. As such, these credit cards are likely to have higher annual membership fees. However, the benefits offered by these credit cards most often can easily justify the annual fees charged. This is especially true if the cardholder takes advantage of the specific features and benefits on offer - another reason to ensure they apply for credit cards most suited to their specific needs.

ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card

  • 3 Skywards miles for purchases made at Emirates online or at Emirates sales offices
  • 2 Skyward miles for purchases made in foreign currencies
  • 1.5 Skyward miles for all other local purchases
  • 0.25 Skywards miles for these categories – supermarkets, government transactions, utilities, education, petrol stations, real estate, public transportation, Salik and charities.

The ADIB Emirates Skywards credit card is arguably the best premium Skywards credit card available not just for the range of benefits it offers but also being the most competitive in several key aspects. This card offers very generous Emirates Skywards miles for spends at Emirates Airlines, for international spends as well as for domestic retail spends in the UAE. This credit card would easily have been the only choice for earning miles but for the fact that it offers lower miles earning rates on several categories.

The ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card awards miles per USD (equivalent) spent on the credit card as below:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card

  • 3.5 Skywards miles for purchases made at Emirates online or at Emirates sales offices
  • 2 Skyward miles for purchases made in foreign currencies
  • 1.5 Skyward miles for all other local purchases
  • 0.15 Skywards miles for spends on these categories – supermarkets, government services, utilities, education, petrol stations, real estate, insurance, car dealership, telecommunications, and quick service restaurants

The Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card has the distinction of offering the highest Skywards miles earn rates across all Skywards credit cards in the UAE on spends at Emirates airlines and on international spends and domestic spends offers almost as many Skywards miles as the ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite credit card. While it appears that all categories are covered under these 3 segments, there are certain categories of spends where this credit card offers much lower earn rates.

The Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card awards miles per USD (equivalent) spent on the credit card as below:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card 

  • 2.5 Skywards miles for purchases made at Emirates online or at Emirates sales offices
  • 1.5 Skyward miles for purchases made in foreign currencies
  • 1 Skyward mile for all other local purchases
  • Spends at groceries/supermarkets and related to real estate will earn 0.5 Skywards miles per USD of spend.
  • Spends on government services, utilities, and telecommunications do not earn any Skywards miles.

The Citibank Ultima credit card offers an attractive combination of a high earn rate along with minimal spend category restrictions. This credit card offers an even better earning rate on purchases made at Emirates as compared to the DIB Skywards Infinite above, however, it also pays a lower earnings rate on two specific categories and awards no miles on a few categories.

Emirates Skywards miles earned per USD (equivalent) spent on the card:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Dubai Islamic Bank Emirates Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • 2 Skywards miles for purchases made at Emirates online or at Emirates sales offices
  • 1.5 Skyward miles for purchases made in foreign currencies
  • 0.30 Skyward miles for grocery, government services, utilities, education, fuel, real estate, insurance, car dealership and telecom related spends

The Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card is also a good option to earn Emirates Skywards miles and has a strong joining offer of 120,000 Emirates Skywards miles on achieving a spend target of AED 120,000 before July 31, 2023.

The Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card awards miles per USD (equivalent) spent on the credit card as below:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • 2.5 Skywards miles for purchases made at Emirates online or at Emirates sales offices
  • 1.5 Skyward miles for purchases made in foreign currencies
  • 1 Skyward mile for all other local purchases
  • 2 Skywards miles for spends at duty free, online food delivery and car booking apps
  • 0.25 Skywards miles for domestic purchases relating to groceries, supermarkets, insurance, car dealership and quick service restaurants
  • 0.1 Skywards miles for domestic purchases relating to government services, utilities, education, petrol stations, real estate, transit and telecommunication

The Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card is also a good option for earning Skywards Miles on regular purchases. However, this card has a few categories on which earning rates are much lower than the base rate.

Emirates Skywards miles earned per USD (equivalent) spent on the card:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Best for “BONUS SKWARDS MILES”:

Several credit cards award “bonus” Emirates Skywards miles based on specific criteria, such as a minimum spend levels achieved on the credit card within a specific time period. In this category, there can be varying opinions on which is the “best” option as some cards award higher total maximum bonus miles but at the same time require higher spend levels and over shorter time periods as well. The “best” option here would be determined by the individual’s specific spend patterns.

Emirates Skywards Dubai Islamic Bank Infinite Credit Card

This credit card offers cardholders 120,000 bonus Emirates Skywards miles with a simple condition that the card holder spends at least AED 120,000 prior to July 31st, 2023 which is a more generous time frame in comparison to some of the other cards having a similar offer. This is the maximum bonus Emirates Skywards miles being offered by any bank in the UAE currently and is also quite straightforward in the eligibility criteria to meet the requirement.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card

  • 40,000 “Welcome Miles Bonus” on payment of the Annual Maintenance Fee and joining fee totaling to AED 5,000
  • 50,000 additional bonus miles if cumulative retail spend of AED 240,000 is achieved within 6 months
  • 10,000 bonus miles if minimum spend of AED 40,000 is made at Emirates Airlines within 6 months

The Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card offers customer the ability to earn up to 100,000 Emirates Skywards Miles as per the below reward and eligibility criterion:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • 35,000 “Welcome Joining Miles” on payment of the joining fee of AED 2,999
  • 40,000 additional “spend based miles” if cumulative retail spend of USD 25,000 is achieved within 3 months
  • “Annual miles”: 25,000 miles will be credited if USD 7,500 is spent at Emirates (online or at sales offices) within the first 12 months

The Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite credit card offers cardholders the option to earn up to 100,000 bonus Emirates Skywards miles:

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Best for “JOINING OFFERS”:

While it is usually not advisable to apply for a credit only to take advantage of a specific joining offer by the bank, it is worthwhile considering the joining offers in addition to all other benefits and features offered by the credit card.

Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card 

Customers that apply online can get AED 2,000 back as a statement credit if a minimum retail spend of AED 25,000 is made within 90 days of the credit card being approved.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card

Customers that apply online on Citibank UAE can get AED 800 as a statement credit if a minimum retail spend of AED 20,000 is made within 90 days of the credit card being approved.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Citibank Emirates World credit card

Customers that apply online on Citibank UAE can get AED 400 as a statement credit if a minimum retail spend of AED 10,000 is made within 90 days of the credit card being approved.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Best for “EMIRATES SKYWARDS MEMBERSHIP TIERS”:

As most readers are probably aware the Emirates Skywards Miles programme offers different “Tiers” of membership – Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each of these tiers offer different benefits to members, with the type and number of benefits increasing in that order – starting with Blue and ending with Platinum which offers the maximum benefits.

An important feature offered by some Emirates Skywards co-branded credit cards is automatic membership for the cardholder into a higher tier of the Emirates Skywards programme simply by virtue of having the credit card. This saves cardholders from having to ‘earn’ the minimum tie” miles required to be eligible for the specific tier level, obtained normally through purchase of tickets on Emirates airlines.

In this aspect as well, there are a few differences in the options available among the various Emirates Skywards credit cards. Most of these credit cards offer direct membership to the Silver Tier for the primary cardholder. A few credit cards also provide supplementary card holders the opportunity to enjoy Silver status, subject to a few conditions being met. However, only 3 credit cards offer cardholders the option to upgrade to the Gold Tier Skywards membership. This can be considered to be a significant perk of having the card by people who value the Gold membership tier in the Emirates Skywards program.

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card

The Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card offers card holders the opportunity to fast track to Emirates Skywards Gold tier membership by simply spending AED 5,500 at Emirates Airlines within 12 months from the card issuance date. This credit card also offers one supplementary card holder the option to get Emirates Skywards Gold tier membership status by spending AED 5,500 at Emirates Airlines and payment of an annual membership fee of AED 4,000. This is the quickest option to gain Emirates Skywards Gold tier membership amongst all Skywards credit cards offered in the UAE.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card & ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card

  • With the ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite credit card cardholders can get Skywards Gold Tier membership by simply spending AED 5,500 at Emirates airlines within 12 months. For the supplementary card holder, a spend of AED 200,000 (+ AED 5,500 at Emirates Airlines) within the first 12 months is required to get fast tracked to Emirates Skywards Gold Tier membership status.
  • For the ADIB Emirates Skywards World credit card the primary cardholder can get Gold tier membership with a total spend of AED 150,000 and spend of AED 5,500 on Emirates within 12 months
  • For the supplementary cardholder: total spend of AED 300,000 and spend of AED 5,500 on Emirates within 12 months

Both Emirates Skywards credit cards offered by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) offer cardholders Skywards Silver Tier membership as a basic feature of the card. However, in addition they both also offer cardholders the option to upgrade their Silver Skywards membership tier to the Gold tier if specific spend based criteria are met. Additionally, both these cards also offer the supplementary cardholder with the opportunity to upgrade to Gold tier status.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card

  • Minimum spend of AED 5,500 at Emirates
  • On maintenance of an average quarterly balance of AED 500,000 in the customer’s RAKBANK savings account

The RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard offers cardholders Silver tier membership as a default offering. Additionally, it also offers the opportunity to fast-track to Skywards Gold tier membership based on the below criteria being met:

This credit card also offers supplementary cardholders the option to enroll in the Skywards Silver Tier membership at a fee of AED 900 per year.

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


The below Emirates Skywards credit cards all offer the primary cardholder complimentary Skywards Silver Tier membership as a benefit:

  • Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card
  • Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Infinite credit card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite credit card

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Best for “ASSOCIATION FEATURES AND BENEFITS”:

Credit card associations refer to organizations that set common transaction terms for merchants, issuing banks and acquiring banks. The associations we are referring to in our context here are Visa and Mastercard. All the Emirates Skywards credit cards issued in the UAE are either associated with Visa or Mastercard.

The relevance of this for a cardholder is that there are specific benefits and features offered by these associations to the cardholder by virtue of the partnership between the bank and the association. Similar to the different tier levels available in the Emirates Skywards miles programme, both Visa and Mastercard offer different “tiers” or levels of benefits for different credit card types.

Please note that these association features are offered in partnership with the banks and are for the most part a standard offering for the specific credit card type across all banks. Examples of these include VIP airport lounge access, travel insurance cover, car rental offers and so on. Please note that the type of benefits offered vary significantly between Visa and Mastercard.

These (Visa/Mastercard) features must not be confused with specific features offered by banks directly to their cardholders which are not part of the Visa or Mastercard benefits. Examples of such bank-specific features include complimentary valet parking, cinema tickets, airport transfer offers and so on.

Customers are advised to review closely all the features offered for each credit card to understand all the benefits available before arriving at the best credit suited to them.

Below is a categorization of the available Emirates Skywards options based on their Visa or Mastercard credit card association type:

Mastercard 

Mastercard World Elite:

This is the top-of-the-line tier of credit card benefits offered by Mastercard and are available in the following credit cards:

  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite credit card
  • Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card
  • RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard credit card

Mastercard World:

This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Mastercard and are available in the following credit cards:

  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World credit card
  • Citibank Emirates World credit card

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com

Visa

Visa Infinite:

This is the top-of-the-line tier of credit card benefits offered by Visa and are available in the following credit cards:

  • Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card
  • Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Infinite credit card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite credit card


Visa Signature:

This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Visa and are available in the following credit cards:

  • Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Signature credit card
  • Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card
  • Emirates NBD Skywards Signature credit card

Visa Platinum:

This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Visa and are available in the following credit cards:

  • Dubai Islamic Emirates Platinum credit card

All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com


Unique benefits available through various Emirates Skywards credit cards:

Complimentary Airport Transfers

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card  

  • Enjoy chauffeured airport pick-up or drop off service complimentary 6 times each year in the UAE or avail of this service a maximum of 3 times in India (Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Delhi - within city limits).

ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card 

  • 4 complimentary per year anywhere in the UAE. Value of rides capped at AED 150 in Dubai and Sharjah and AED 350 in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and other Emirates

& ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card  

  • 2 complimentary per year anywhere in the UAE. Value of rides capped at AED 150 in Dubai and Sharjah and AED 350 in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and other Emirates

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit 

  • Take advantage of up to 4 complimentary airport transfers per calendar year to or from Dubai airport.

Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card 

  • Get 50% off on up to 4 airport transfers per calendar year in UAE with Careem. Only transfers within city limits, i.e. no intra-city transfers.

Cinema Discounts & Offers

Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card

  • Enjoy up to 4 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets with VOX Cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • Up to 2 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets plus 20% off food & beverage with REEL cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • (Please note both the above benefits are available only for bookings made on the Primary credit card)

Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card 

  • Enjoy up to 4 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets with VOX Cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • (Please note both the above benefits are available only for bookings made on the Primary credit card)

Citibank Emirates World credit card 

  • You can enjoy a flat 30% off on up to 2 movie tickets with VOX cinemas each month or any day of the week.
  • (Please note both the above benefits are available only for bookings made on the Primary credit card)

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card 

  • 50% off at VOX cinemas at all times, up to 4 times each month

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card  

  • Enjoy up to 4 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets at VOX Cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • Please note both the above benefit requires a minimum spend of AED 5,000 per month

Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card 

  • Enjoy up to 3 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets at REEL Cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • Please note both the above benefit requires a minimum spend of AED 5,000 per month

Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card  

  • Enjoy up to 2 “Buy-1-Get-1” complimentary movie tickets at REEL Cinemas each month on any day of the week.
  • Please note both the above benefit requires a minimum spend of AED 3,000 per month

Complimentary Emirates home check-in

This unique feature allows you to check-in to your Emirates flight from the comfort of your own home!

  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card – 4 times per year for passengers traveling from Dubai.
  • ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card – 2 times per year for passengers traveling from Dubai.

Health & Fitness Benefits

Dubai Islamic Skywards Infinite Credit Card

  • Complimentary access to the Emirates Towers health club (and swimming pool) at any time, any day of the week.

Discounts on buying Emirates Skywards Miles

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card

  • 15% discount on buying Skywards miles for self or as a gift (minimum purchase of 2,000 miles required)

Earn Emirates Skywards Tier Miles

Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card, Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card & Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card

  • Earn 1 Skywards Tier Mile for every 4 Emirates Skywards

RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card  

  • 15% discount on buying Skywards miles for self or as a gift (minimum purchase of 2,000 miles required)

We hope this article has been useful in giving you a better understanding of the various Emirates Skywards miles credit card options available in the UAE. While we have highlighted the best options for specific benefits offered by these credit cards, we highly recommend that you review all the features in detail before deciding which is the best credit card for you. After all, the process of identifying the best option and applying for a credit card is not something undertaken regularly and therefore getting it right will not only help you maximize potential saves but will also help you enjoy the unique benefits most relevant to your individual preferences.


Detailed features and benefits along with side-by-side comparisons of all these credit cards and more can be found at www.soulwallet.com.