Emirates credit cards

Since the demise of MBNA's Skywards cards, it's no longer possible to get your hands on a dedicated Skywards credit card in the UK. But you can still earn points that are transferable for miles to enjoy premium travel benefits and discounts.

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Chris Lilly

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Holly Jennings

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See which cards let you earn points Compare cards now
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1 - 3 of 3
Updated daily
Name Product UKCCF Finder Score Finder score Max. intro bonus Default earn-rate Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Link Incentive Representative example
American Express® Rewards Credit Card
Finder Award
American Express® Rewards Credit Card image
3.9
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
10,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
£0
30.7% APR (variable)
Check eligibility
Read review
Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every £1 spent thereafter. Earn up to 90,000 bonus points per year through refer a friend, 4,000 points awarded for every friend approved. 1 point = 0.45p (min 1,000 points) to shop, other rewards have differing conversions.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).
American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card
Finder Award
American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card image
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
30,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum
88.3% APR (variable)
Check eligibility
Read review
New Cardmembers earn 30,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend £3,000 in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. Offer ends 14 January 2025. Terms Apply. 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of Year 1 - £0, Year 2 onwards - £195 per annum, your representative rate is 88.3% APR (variable).
The Platinum Card® by American Express
Finder Award
The Platinum Card® by American Express image
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
80,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
£650 per annum
701.4% APR (variable)
Check eligibility
Read review
New Cardmembers earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend £10,000 in your first 6 months of Cardmembership. Offer ends 14 January 2025. Terms Apply. 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £650 per annum, your representative rate is 701.4% APR (variable).
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Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.

What are Emirates Skywards credit cards?

If you’re a frequent flyer with Emirates or any of the airline’s partners, a credit card that earns Skywards Miles could help you get reward flights and upgrades faster. As well as earning points for your everyday spending, some cards offer you other travel benefits such as airport lounge access and complimentary insurance. Depending on the card you choose, you could also enjoy a lump sum of welcome bonus points as a new cardholder.

Which cards give Emirates miles?

There’s currently no UK credit card that lets you earn Emirates Skyward air miles directly, but you can convert American Express Membership Rewards points into Skywards Miles, at a ratio of 1 Membership Rewards point to 1 Skywards point.

You can connect your Amex account to your Skywards account or call Amex and ask them to do it for you. You’ll need to transfer in multiples of 500 points, and the minimum you can transfer is 1,000 points.

How to convert Membership Rewards® into Skywards Miles

Firstly, you must be an Emirates Skywards member to transfer your points. You can enrol by visiting the Emirates website. To convert your Membership Rewards® into Skywards Miles, log in to your American Express online account, choose the partner you wish to transfer to and specify the number of points you wish to convert. The transfer process may take up to 2 days to complete.

Credit card jargon explained

  • APR. The annual percentage rate (APR) is designed to be a benchmark for consumers, providing an annual summary of the cost of your card. As well as the interest, the APR also takes into account any compulsory charges – like an account fee (if there is one). However, crucially, providers only have to award the advertised APR to 51% of those who take out the credit card – the other 49% could be offered a different (higher) rate at the provider’s discretion. That’s why it’s often referred to as the representative APR.
  • Charge card. This is similar to a credit card but requires you to pay your balance in full each month in exchange for no hard credit limit.
  • Earn rate. This is the rate at which you’ll accrue air miles on your card transactions. For example, a credit card may have an earn rate of 1 air mile per £1 spent.

How to compare Emirates credit cards

Weigh up the following features when you compare Emirates credit cards so you can find one that’s right for you:

  1. Sign-up offers. Introductory benefits such as a lump sum of bonus points, an enhanced earn rate, 0% interest periods or reduced annual fees for the first year add value to the card when you first get it. But it’s important to also consider the ongoing features if you’re planning to use the card beyond that promotional period.
  2. Earn rate. Look at the number of points per £1 spent and your average spending to help you work out the card’s value. Remember to also consider the conversion rate if you’re looking at cards that let you transfer rewards points to Skywards Miles.
  3. Interest rate. Pay attention to the rate of interest charged for purchases if you think you’ll carry a balance on your credit card because interest fees can easily outweigh the reward value. If you habitually pay off your monthly balances, interest rates may not be such a major factor.
  4. Annual fee. The annual fees for rewards cards differ quite wildly from card to card. Make sure that these costs don’t outweigh the value you get from your rewards by considering your average spending and the number of points or miles that will give you each month and year.
  5. Other benefits. Depending on the card you choose, you could get access to perks, including complimentary insurance, airport lounge access, travel credit and personal concierge services. While these extras can add value to the card, consider whether you’ll use them to decide if they’re worth it for you.
  6. Other costs. If you plan to use your credit card overseas, foreign transaction fees usually apply (they’re typically around 3%). Other potential costs include cash advance fees (that’s when you withdraw cash using a credit card, which is generally best avoided).

How to apply for an Emirates credit card

You can apply for any of the cards featured on this page online in around 15 minutes. Once you’ve chosen your card, be sure to use the issuer’s “eligibility checker” facility to find out if your application would stand a decent chance of getting approved. You can also check if you meet the eligibility criteria, which usually include:

  • Age. You’ll need to be at least 18 years old.
  • Residency status. You must be a UK resident to apply.
  • Income. Some credit cards require you to earn a specific amount of money before you’re eligible to apply. Be sure to check the “application requirements” for these details.

What are the alternative options for frequent flyers?

Looking for a new frequent flyer programme? British Airways offers cards that earn Avios directly, and Virgin Atlantic cards earn Virgin Flying Club miles.

1 - 3 of 8
Updated daily
Name Product UKCCF Finder Score Finder score Max. intro bonus Earn-rate with brand Default earn-rate Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Link Key benefit Representative example
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card
Finder Award
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card image
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
30,000 points
3 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£300 per annum
139.2% APR (variable)
Check eligibilityCard details
New Cardmembers collect 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 139.2% APR (variable).
British Airways American Express® Credit Card
Finder Award
British Airways American Express® Credit Card image
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
5,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
1 point per £1 spent
£0
30.7% APR (variable)
Check eligibilityCard details
New Cardmembers collect 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card image
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
25,000 points
1.5 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£20 per month
80.1% APR (variable)
Card details
Earn 25,000 Avios when £3,000 spent on card over the first 3 months of opening. Earn 1.5 Avios for every £1 you spend. Spend £10,000 or more during the year and receive a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or 7,000 bonus Avios. Avios value varies dependent on reward (min 1,000pts for flights)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £20 per month, your representative rate is 80.1% APR (variable).
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Check which cards you're eligible for

Bottom line

You can’t earn Skyward points directly with credit cards, but you can switch Membership Rewards using certain American Express cards. This lets you easily get Skywards points and enjoy special Emirates perks. Just remember, you need at least 1,000 points to transfer.

Frequently asked questions about Emirates credit cards

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Holly Jennings's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.
Chris Lilly's headshot
Written by

Head of publishing

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

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Chris has written 609 Finder guides across topics including:
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