Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Emirates vs Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Emirates
Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Higher score in this comparison
Where Emirates and Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card differ
| Compare | EmiratesReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit CardReviewSee 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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- APR is lower at Emirates: 19.49% to 29.49% vs 27.9%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card: 2.95% vs 5%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card: 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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card 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 Email.
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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card
The Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card is a credit card from Nationwide Building Society, trading as Virgin Money, and it suits anyone clearing an existing balance while earning cashback. The interest free transfer window runs 21 with a fee of 2.95%, and support runs through chat, help centre and phone.
Score breakdown
| Area | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8An annual fee of $99 against a 0% foreign transaction fee, and 19.49% to 29.49% on balances. | 9.1HigherPurchases run at 27.9% against a typical 20.97% on the site, while £0 keeps the account fee at nothing. |
| Offer | 9.3miles on Emirates and travel spend, with lounge access and Silver tier status on the top card. | 9.4HigherRewards are cashback, with a money transfer option and an interest free period on purchases. |
| Trust | 9.4 | Not confirmed |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Emirates
0
0% of 1,000
Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
0
0% of 1,000
Both come to the same total.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Choosing between them
Pick Emirates if apr matter most.
Pick Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card if cost, balance transfer intro period, and balance transfer fee matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 151 of 1020 | 112 of 1020 |
| Balance transfer cards | 9 of 35 | 4 of 35 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Rewards | Rewards |
| 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 | Chat, Help centre, Phone |
Debit cards
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Card type | Not confirmed | Debit |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card | 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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Pros
- The listed Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases and Money transfer option put an interest free period on purchases alongside the balance transfer offer, so everyday spending can run interest free too while an old balance is being cleared.
- Help runs through chat, help centre and phone, with chat with Redi in the card app day and night for a quick answer on a charge or a transfer.
- The issuer is Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money), regulated in the UK by the Prudential Regulation Authority under reference 106078.
Cons
- Purchases run at 27.9%, above the typical 20.97% across the site, so a balance carried beyond the interest free window is costly to keep.
- It sits at position 105 of 133 brands on APR, which leaves less expensive rates sitting elsewhere in the comparison.
- Transfers cost 2.95% each, and 21 is the maximum interest free window offered rather than a fixed run for every applicant.
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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Who it suits
- Anyone clearing a balance on an existing card and willing to pay 2.95% for 21 of interest free running.
- Existing Virgin Money customers who already use the app, since the listed Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases and Money transfer option are built around in app chat and cashback offers.
- Cashback shoppers who want an interest free period on purchases as well as on transfers, with both covered in the Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases and Money transfer option.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for anyone after the lowest possible rate: the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card is listed at 0%, though it works as a secured card.
- Not for pure everyday spending from an account balance, where the Starling Personal Account Debit Card at 15% is the simpler arrangement.
- Not for paying interest month to month, since the AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito lists 21.59% against 27.9% here.
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
Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
Current offer
Bonus
0% interest for up to 21 months on balance transfers and purchases on the all round credit card: 0% for up to 21 months, 2.95% balance transfer fee
Promotional offer varies based on your circumstances and starts from account opening date; applies to transfers made in the first 60 days. Credit is available, subject to status, only to UK residents aged 18 or over.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Get 0% interest on balance transfers for up to 36 months on the balance transfer credit card: 0% for up to 36 months, fee per transfer
Promotional offer varies based on your circumstances and starts from account opening date. Applies to transfers made in the first 60 days. Fees and terms apply.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Virgin Money Cashback from selected top retailers on the Everyday Cashback Credit Card: up to 12% additional cashback
Register in the Virgin Money Credit Card app. Terms apply. Cashback credited monthly; does not count towards your monthly minimum payment.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Everyday Cashback introductory rate: 1% cashback for the first 90 days, then 0.25%, up to £15 a month
90 days starts from when the account opens; cashback deducted from your card balance monthly. Other fees may apply.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Emirates | Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Atlantic Reward Credit Card
What does it cost to hold and to borrow?+
The monthly fee is £0, so holding the account adds nothing in account fees. Borrowing is the expensive part: purchases run at 27.9%, and each balance transfer costs 2.95%. The transfer figure is the one to weigh against a card that charges nothing to move a balance.
How long is the interest free period on a balance transfer?+
The interest free window on balance transfers runs 21, and moving a balance costs 2.95%. Once that window ends the purchase rate of 27.9% is what applies, so the card works when the balance is cleared inside the period. Treat the window as the maximum rather than a fixed run.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Emirates
Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card