Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Emirates vs Virgin Money
Emirates
Virgin Money
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | EmiratesReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Virgin MoneyReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%Lower | 27.9% |
| Rewards type | Miles | Cashback |
| Balance transfer intro period | 12 months | 21 monthsHigher |
| Balance transfer fee | 5% | 2.95%Lower |
| 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 | Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option, Virgin Money Cashback offers in the credit card app, 24/7 in app chat support with Redi, Virgin Money Rewards and Virgin Red offers |
| Annual fee | $99 | Not confirmed |
| 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 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Currency conversion fee (0%), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Virgin Money scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.1.
- APR is lower at Emirates: 19.49% to 29.49% vs 27.9%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Virgin Money: 2.95% vs 5%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Virgin Money: 21 months vs 12 months.
- Perks: only Emirates offers 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.
- Perks: only Virgin Money offers Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option.
- Support channels: only Emirates offers Chat.
- Features: only Emirates offers Rewards.
- Features: only Virgin Money offers Travel.
Our verdict on each
Emirates
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.
Virgin Money
Virgin Money suits UK readers who want a free everyday account and foreign spending at a currency conversion fee of 0%. The provider pairs a debit current account with a cashback credit card, so the same name covers day to day money and borrowing, and the account costs nothing to keep.
Score breakdown
| Area | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8An annual fee of $99 against a 0% foreign transaction fee, and 19.49% to 29.49% on balances. | 9.4HigherA monthly fee of £0 and a currency conversion fee of 0%, with the credit card APR of 27.9% the cost drag. |
| Offer | 9.3miles on Emirates and travel spend, with lounge access and Silver tier status on the top card. | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 9.4 | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 151 of 1020 | 77 of 1020 |
| Balance transfer cards | 9 of 35 | 2 of 35 |
Also worth a look
HSBC UK has balance transfer intro period at 17 to 36 months, against 12 months for Emirates and 21 months for Virgin Money.
HSBC UK reviewWhere these facts come from
Emirates
- emirates.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Virgin Money
- uk.virginmoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Rewards | Travel |
| Legal entity | Emirates | Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money) |
| Headquarters | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1985 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Money | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99highest quarter | Not confirmed | $0 |
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%above the median | 27.9%highest quarter | 19.39 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 12 monthsbelow the median | 21 monthsabove the median | 15 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 5%highest quarter | 2.95%below the median | 3% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Emirates
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
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
Virgin Money
Pros
- The current account carries a monthly fee of £0 and a currency conversion fee of 0%, so holding it and spending abroad are both free.
- Balance transfers run interest free for 21 with a fee of 2.95%, a cheap way to clear old card debt.
- Support runs on phone, email and help centre, and the card side adds round the clock in-app chat support with Redi.
Cons
- The credit card charges 27.9%, so a balance left past the interest free window of 21 is expensive to clear.
- Cashback belongs to the credit card, so debit account holders lean on Virgin Money Rewards and Virgin Red offers instead.
- A monthly fee of £0 and a currency conversion fee of 0% apply to the current account, while the card side runs on 27.9%, so the two halves need judging separately.
Who each suits
Emirates
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
Virgin Money
Who it suits
- Readers in the UK who want an everyday account with a monthly fee of £0 and a currency conversion fee of 0%, so a trip costs no more to run than a week at home.
- Anyone clearing an old balance, who can move it for a fee of 2.95% and pay no interest for 21.
- People who want a debit account and a cashback card from one provider, with phone and email support (phone, email and help centre) when a payment needs checking.
Who should look elsewhere
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), for readers who want a card tied to a deposit; its monthly fee of $0 comes with that secured card rather than lending at 27.9%.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, for readers whose limit should track a deposit; its monthly fee of $0 comes with a secured card instead of credit at 27.9%.
Current offers
Emirates
Current offer
Bonus
Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for the first year with the Rewards World Elite Mastercard: Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for 12 months from card account open date
Primary cardholders only; to retain Silver tier from the second year onwards spend USD 20,000 in Net Purchases annually; status can take up to 8 weeks to reflect
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Emirates Skywards Gold tier status for the first year with the Premium World Elite Mastercard: Emirates Skywards Gold tier status for 12 months from card account open date
Primary cardholders only; to retain Gold tier from the second year onwards spend USD 40,000 in Net Purchases annually; status can take up to 8 weeks to reflect
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Emirates
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.
Virgin Money
What does the Virgin Money current account cost to run each month?+
The current account has a monthly fee of £0, so there is no charge for keeping it open. Spending abroad is covered by a currency conversion fee of 0%, which means changing money on a trip does not add a markup either. The two figures most people compare before choosing an account are the two this one keeps at nil.
Is there really no extra charge when I use the card abroad?+
The currency conversion fee on the current account is 0%, so the amount that leaves your balance is the amount the card screen showed, with nothing added by the provider. You still pay what the shop or restaurant charges, and the exchange rate a network offers can move. Virgin Money simply does not layer a foreign transaction charge on top of it.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Emirates
Virgin Money