Emirates review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Emirates suits people who already pay in dollars and spend with the airline, since the miles build fastest on Emirates purchases and there is no foreign transaction fee. It also suits anyone shifting a balance, with a fee of 5% and an intro period of 12. The catch is the annual fee of $99.
Key facts
- Best for
- Emirates loyalists and dollar spenders who want no foreign transaction fee on top of miles.
- Annual fee
- $99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- APR
- 19.49% to 29.49% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards type
- Miles (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards rate
- 3 Miles per USD 1 on Emirates spend, 2 Miles per USD 1 on travel spend, 1 Mile per USD 1 on all other spend (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Balance transfer intro period
- 12 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Balance transfer fee
- 5% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Perks
- Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for 12 months (Rewards World Elite Mastercard), Skywards Miles do not expire while the card account remains open, 25% discount on purchase or gift of Skywards Miles when paying with the card, Priority Pass Select lounge access (Premium World Elite Mastercard), USD 120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every 4 years (Premium World Elite Mastercard), No foreign transaction fees on international purchases (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card kind
- Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Emirates (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Arab Emirates (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1985 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Rewards
- Official website
- emirates.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- No foreign transaction fee on international purchases, a currency conversion fee of 0% on a card that sits at the top of our list on that measure
- Earning miles rather than cashback, and Skywards Miles do not expire while the card account stays open
- A balance transfer fee of 5% with an intro period of 12, useful for clearing a balance from another card
- The top card adds lounge access through Priority Pass Select and a statement credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, so phone and chat help sit alongside a help centre
Cons
- An annual fee of $99 puts it near the top of our annual fee ranking, and Wise charges £0
- Interest of 19.49% to 29.49% applies on balances, and the lower end of that range is still above the site median
- A balance transfer fee of 5% still applies after the intro period of 12
Who it suits
- People who fly Emirates often and put most of their spending through the airline
- Anyone paying in dollars and spending abroad, since the currency conversion fee is 0%
- Holders of a balance on another card who can clear it inside the intro period
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise users who want a card with an annual fee of £0 and a simpler cost base
- Anyone building credit from scratch, since a card aimed at established credit history is the wrong tool and the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) is built around a deposit with an annual fee of $0
- Spenders who never touch the airline, since the highest rate applies only to Emirates spend
Rates and card terms
This is a credit card, so a balance can build if you do not clear it. Interest runs at 19.49% to 29.49%, which covers the range that different customers are charged and sits above the middle of what cards in this ranking charge. The transfer side is the more useful term: a balance can be moved in and the intro period runs for 12, with 5% charged for the transfer. Anything left after that intro period ends is ordinary borrowing at 19.49% to 29.49%. Card rewards are described as miles, so what you earn depends on how much you fly rather than how much you simply spend.
Fees and FX
The annual fee is $99, and that is the number to weigh first. For scale, the annual fee on Wise is £0 and the annual fee on the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) is $0, so Emirates sits well above the no-fee group. The currency conversion fee is 0%, which means international purchases are not charged extra on top of the rate your card issuer uses. Interest on balances is 19.49% to 29.49%. Moving a balance in costs 5% and runs for an intro period of 12.
The company behind it
The card sits with Emirates as the legal entity, and Emirates has its headquarters in the United Arab Emirates, with the company founded in 1985. Support runs on email, chat and phone, which means you can reach the company by phone, by chat, by email or through a help centre, and phone is the channel most commonly offered across the cards in this ranking. The legal entity and headquarters both point at an airline group rather than a bank, so the account is a loyalty and payment product built around travel.
How Emirates compares
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8- 9.1 vs 8.8
- 9.1 vs 8.8
- 9.1 vs 8.8
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9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.3
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9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.0
Where Emirates is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the Emirates card cost to hold?+
The annual fee is $99 on the card. Interest on balances runs at 19.49% to 29.49%, and a balance transfer is charged at 5%. If you want a card with no annual fee, the annual fee on Wise is £0.
Is there a foreign transaction fee on the card?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, and international purchases carry no foreign transaction fee. That makes the card one of the cheapest for spending abroad, provided the rate your issuer applies is competitive. It also means travel purchases do not eat into your miles with an extra layer of cost.
How do I move a balance onto the card?+
A balance can be transferred in for a fee of 5%, and the intro period lasts 12. After the intro period ends, any remaining balance is charged at 19.49% to 29.49%, so the transfer is only worth it if you can clear the balance inside the offer window.
What rewards does the card pay?+
Rewards are paid as miles. The rate is highest on Emirates spend, lower on travel spend in general and lower again on everything else, so the card rewards people who concentrate their spending with the airline. Skywards Miles do not expire while the card account stays open.
What travel perks come with the card?+
The top card adds Priority Pass Select lounge access and Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for a period after you open the account. It also offers a statement credit towards a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every few years. The lower card does not carry the lounge access.
Who does this card suit?+
It suits people who fly with Emirates often and want their spending to earn airline miles rather than cashback, especially if most of their spending is in dollars. It also suits anyone clearing a balance from another card, since the intro period runs for 12. If you never fly the airline, the miles earn less.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on email, chat and phone, so you can use a phone line, chat, email or the help centre. For a card tied to an airline programme, disputes about miles and flights go through the same support channels. Keep your statement handy, since the currency conversion fee of 0% makes overseas spending easy to check line by line.
Where is the company based and how long has it run?+
The legal entity is Emirates and its headquarters are in the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1985. It is an airline group issuing a travel and payment product rather than a general purpose bank, which shapes who the card suits and how the miles are earned.
Sources
- emirates.com/us/english/help checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Live chat; Call Center: +18007773999; Email us with your requests”
- emirates.com/us/english/information/terms-and-conditions checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Legal entity
“Emirates is a Dubai corporation established by Decree No.2 of 1985 (as amended) of the Government of Dubai.”
- emirates.com/us/english/skywards/partners/barclays checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, APR, Balance transfer fee, Balance transfer intro period, Card kind, Features, Currency conversion fee, Perks, Rewards rate, Rewards type
“Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard - Annual Fee: USD 99.”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Emirates
Emirates loyalists and dollar spenders who want no foreign transaction fee on top of miles.