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
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 36,750
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 3000
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.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates Ultima Credit Card
Earn 2.5 Skywards Miles per USD spent on www.emirates.com in AED
1.5 Skywards Miles per USD on non-AED spend and
1 Skywards Mile per USD on other AED spend.
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 30,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1575
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 30,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,575
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / Min 103.95
Joining Offers
Apply for an Emirates NBD Credit Card and receive a voucher worth up to AED 400 that can be availed across Noon and Noon Daily!
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4200
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4,200
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.84%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / AED 103
Joining Offers
Get up to 100,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Black Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 3.5 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below rates
- 3.5 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 2 skywards miles on international spend
- 1.5 skywards miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1575
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
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles for every 1 USD spend:
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 18,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 800
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
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flydubai
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
2.45%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1499
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
2.45%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,499
Non AED Transaction Fee
2.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min AED99
Joining Offers
Get Joining bonus Skywards Miles of 20,000 on payment of annual fee of AED 1,499. The bonus Skywards Miles will be credited within a week of the next statement cycle. The card is also available with First year free offer without the joining bonus miles, offer is valid till 31st Jan 2023.
Key Features
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.
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
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.09%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2100
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.09%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2,100
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Joining Offers
Get up to 75,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 2 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below rates
- 2 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 1.5 Skywards Miles on international spend
- 1 Skywards Miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 5,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 525
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
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles per 1 USD spend:
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 400
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 400
Non AED Transaction Fee
2.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 99
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card
Earn 1 Skywards Mile per USD on non AED spend and 0.75 Skywards Miles per USD on AED spend.
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flyduba
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / Min 103.95
Joining Offers
Earn up to 40,000 Skywards Miles with your Skywards Signature Credit Card:
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles
Per 1 USD of spend:
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1500
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,500
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / AED 99
Joining Offers
Welcome Offer:
Upto 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Key Features
Reward Features
Up to 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4500
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4,500
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / AED 99
Joining Offers
Welcome Offer:
Upto 120,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Key Features
Reward Features
Up to 120,000 bonus Skywards Miles
*Minimum retail spend of AED 130,000 within 6 months from the card issuance date, when you apply for your Emirates Skywards card from 1st July 2020 till 31st July 2020
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.49%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.49%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn EI SmartMiles
Earn Upto 3.75 EI Smart Miles per AED on international transactions.
Earn Upto 2.5 EI Smart Miles per AED on local transactions.
You can redeem your EI SmartMiles
6,500 EI SmartMiles = 1,000 Upoints By Emaar
7,500 EI SmartMiles = 5,000 Etisalat Smiles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 1,000 Emirates Skywards Miles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 2,500 Etihad Miles
20,000 EI SmartMiles = 4,000 InterMiles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 1,750 Avios
Miles will be transferred within 5 working days
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Joining Offers
Get up to 50,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Signature Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 1.5 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below table
-1.5 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 1.1 Skywards Miles on international spend
- 0.75 Skywards Miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1500
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,500
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / AED 99
Joining Offers
Welcome Offer:
Upto 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Key Features
Reward Features
Up to 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4500
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.33%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4,500
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / AED 99
Joining Offers
Welcome Offer:
Upto 120,000 bonus Skywards Miles
Key Features
Reward Features
Up to 120,000 bonus Skywards Miles
*Minimum retail spend of AED 130,000 within 6 months from the card issuance date, when you apply for your Emirates Skywards card from 1st July 2020 till 31st July 2020
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.49%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.49%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn EI SmartMiles
Earn Upto 3.75 EI Smart Miles per AED on international transactions.
Earn Upto 2.5 EI Smart Miles per AED on local transactions.
You can redeem your EI SmartMiles
6,500 EI SmartMiles = 1,000 Upoints By Emaar
7,500 EI SmartMiles = 5,000 Etisalat Smiles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 1,000 Emirates Skywards Miles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 2,500 Etihad Miles
20,000 EI SmartMiles = 4,000 InterMiles
10,000 EI SmartMiles= 1,750 Avios
Miles will be transferred within 5 working days
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4200
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25
ANNUAL FEE
AED 4,200
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.84%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / AED 103
Joining Offers
Get up to 100,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Black Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 3.5 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below rates
- 3.5 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 2 skywards miles on international spend
- 1.5 skywards miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
2.45%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1499
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
2.45%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,499
Non AED Transaction Fee
2.10%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min AED99
Joining Offers
Get Joining bonus Skywards Miles of 20,000 on payment of annual fee of AED 1,499. The bonus Skywards Miles will be credited within a week of the next statement cycle. The card is also available with First year free offer without the joining bonus miles, offer is valid till 31st Jan 2023.
Key Features
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.
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
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 18,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 800
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
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flydubai
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 400
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 400
Non AED Transaction Fee
2.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 99
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates World Card
Earn 1 Skywards Mile per USD on non AED spend and 0.75 Skywards Miles per USD on AED spend.
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates & Flyduba
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 30,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1575
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 30,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1,575
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / Min 103.95
Joining Offers
Apply for an Emirates NBD Credit Card and receive a voucher worth up to AED 400 that can be availed across Noon and Noon Daily!
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
1.99%
Cash Advance Fee
3.15 % / Min 103.95
Joining Offers
Earn up to 40,000 Skywards Miles with your Skywards Signature Credit Card:
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles
Per 1 USD of spend:
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 15,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 1575
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
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles for every 1 USD spend:
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 5,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 525
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
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles per 1 USD spend:
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2625
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 35,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2,625
Non AED Transaction Fee
2.26%
Cash Advance Fee
- / -
Joining Offers
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Skyward Miles per 1 USD of spend:
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 12,000
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 735
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Joining Offers
Get up to 50,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Signature Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 1.5 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below table
-1.5 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 1.1 Skywards Miles on international spend
- 0.75 Skywards Miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.09%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2100
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 25,000
RATE
3.09%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 2,100
Non AED Transaction Fee
3.49%
Cash Advance Fee
3.00 % / Min 199
Joining Offers
Get up to 75,000 bonus Skywards Miles with the Emirates Islamic - Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Offer valid from 1 March till 31 May 2023. Click here for more details and campaign terms and conditions.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn up to 2 Miles per USD 1 equivalent retail spends as per below rates
- 2 Skywards Miles at Emirates Airlines
- 1.5 Skywards Miles on international spend
- 1 Skywards Miles on domestic spend
For more details about Skywards Miles earning rates please click here.
Things To Be Aware Of
MINIMUM SALARY
AED 36,750
RATE
3.25%
ANNUAL FEE
AED 3000
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.
Key Features
Reward Features
Earn Emirates Skyward Miles on your Citi Emirates Ultima Credit Card
Earn 2.5 Skywards Miles per USD spent on www.emirates.com in AED
1.5 Skywards Miles per USD on non-AED spend and
1 Skywards Mile per USD on other AED spend.
Redeem your Skywards Miles for reward flights and upgrades with Emirates
Things To Be Aware Of
on Citi site
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.
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:
| Credit Card | Minimum Income |
|---|---|
| Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Platinum Credit Card |
AED 5,000 |
| ADIB Emirates Skywards World Card
|
AED 10,000 |
| Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature Credit Card |
AED 12,000 |
| Citi Emirates World
|
AED 12,000 |
| Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Signature Credit Card |
AED 15,000 |
| Emirates NBD Skywards Signature Credit Card |
AED 15,000 |
| Citi Emirates Ultimate |
AED 18,000 |
| Dubai Islamic Emirates Skywards Infinite Credit Card
|
AED 20,000 |
| RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard Credit Card
|
AED 20,000 |
| ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Card
|
AED 25,000 |
| Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
|
AED 25,000 |
| Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite Credit Card
|
AED 25,000 |
| Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
|
AED 30,000 |
| Citi Emirates Ultima |
AED 36,750 |
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.
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
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:
All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com
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:
All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com
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
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
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
The RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard is a premium credit card offering from RAKBANK that offers several unique benefits to card holders including:
All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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:
All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com
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 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:
Mastercard World:
This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Mastercard and are available in the following credit cards:
All relevant features of this credit card, along with side-by-side comparisons can be seen at: www.soulwallet.com
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:
Visa Signature:
This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Visa and are available in the following credit cards:
Visa Platinum:
This is the second highest tier of credit card benefits offered by Visa and are available in the following credit cards:
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 Credit Card
ADIB Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
& ADIB Emirates Skywards World Credit Card
Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit
Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Citibank Emirates Ultima credit card Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card
Citibank Emirates Ultimate credit card
Citibank Emirates World credit card
RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card
Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card
Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card
This unique feature allows you to check-in to your Emirates flight from the comfort of your own home!
Dubai Islamic Skywards Infinite Credit Card
RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
Emirates Islamic Skywards Black credit card, Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite credit card & Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature credit card
RAKBANK Emirates Skywards World Elite Credit Card
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.
After joining the Emirates Skywards Program, one can enjoy the benefits and awards offered by Emirates and its partners. Tier Miles also helps you retain your current membership status and reach the next level of membership. Tier Miles are earned by route, fare and class of ticket booked. Tier Miles are also earned on bonuses and on everyday purchases made from Emirates Skywards co-branded credit cards.
The Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card is a good option for earning Skywards Miles and Tier Miles on regular purchases. Some other benefits include Emirates Skywards Silver membership, an attractive welcoming offer, airport lounge access, airport transfers, and many more.
Earn up to 100,000 Skywards Miles with Skywards NBD Infinite Credit Card. Earn 35,000 Skywards Miles on payment of the joining fee of AED 2999. You can also earn 40,000 Skywards Miles on spending a minimum of USD 25,000 within the first three billing statements.
FABCashback Credit Card
Minimum Salary AED 5,000
Annual Fee AED 315
Rate 3.50%
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FABCashback Credit Card
Minimum Salary AED 5,000
Annual Fee AED 315
Rate 3.50%
Please fill in the details to receive a call back with more details about this product
