Emirates NBD Skywards Signature Credit Card
The Emirates NBD Skywards Signature earns Skywards Miles on every dirham spent, with bonus miles on Emirates bookings, airport lounge access and travel benefits for frequent flyers.
Why it ranks
- Strong miles earning for Emirates flyers
- Lounge access enhances the travel experience
- Useful travel and lifestyle perks
What holds it back
- AED 1,573.95 joining fee, then AED 735 a year from the second year
- Foreign currency markup on overseas spend
- Best value only for Emirates travellers
Advertiser disclosure: we may be paid if you apply through our links. Ratings are editorial. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's site — offers change.
Why the Emirates NBD Skywards Signature Credit Card ranks where it does
The Skywards Signature is worth holding only if you fly Emirates or flydubai and spend on the card's bonus categories. It earns 1.5 Skywards Miles per USD equivalent on Emirates, Emirates Holidays, flydubai, duty free, online food delivery and car booking apps, 1 mile per USD on international spends outside the EU, 0.75 on domestic spends and 0.375 on spends in the EU and UK.
The costs are front-loaded. Emirates NBD lists a joining fee of AED 1,573.95 and an annual fee of AED 735 from the second year, and requires a minimum salary of AED 12,000. The welcome package of up to 40,000 miles softens that: 15,000 on paying the joining fee, 15,000 on spending USD 10,000 within the first three statements and 10,000 on USD 3,750 spent with Emirates within 12 statements.
The trade-off is the domestic rate. At 0.75 miles per USD, everyday UAE spending builds miles slowly, so the card rewards people whose spending leans towards Emirates tickets, delivery apps and travel outside Europe. Lounge access runs through the Visa Airport Companion app, with conditions that have applied since October 2024. If your spending is mostly local groceries and bills, a cashback card will return more.
Good fit if
- Emirates and flydubai regulars who book flights on the card
- Frequent users of food delivery and car booking apps
- People who can meet the USD 10,000 early spend for the welcome miles
Skip it if
- People whose spending is mostly local groceries and bills
- Travellers who spend mainly in Europe, where the rate halves
Assume AED 8,000 a month of domestic spend and AED 2,000 on Emirates, delivery and car booking apps, converted at AED 3.6725 per USD. Domestic spend is about USD 2,178, earning 1,634 miles; the bonus categories about USD 545, earning 817. That is roughly 2,450 miles a month, 29,400 a year. Valued at AED 0.05 a mile, a conservative figure below the roughly AED 0.058 implied by Mashreq's published conversion of points into Skywards Miles and cash, that is AED 1,470 against the AED 735 annual fee.
How it stacks up
The FAB Etihad Guest Platinum is the Etihad equivalent at AED 525 a year, earning 2 miles per AED 10 locally and 4 with Etihad and partners, but it lists no lounge access. People who want lounge access and flexible value rather than one airline's miles can look at the Liv Cashback+, which can also redeem into Skywards Miles. The Signature suits Dubai-based Emirates loyalists best.
The Emirates NBD Skywards Signature earns Skywards Miles on every dirham spent, with bonus miles on Emirates bookings, airport lounge access and travel benefits for frequent flyers.
Emirates NBD Skywards Signature Credit Card at a glance
| Issuer | Emirates NBD |
| Card network | Visa |
| Annual fee | AED 1,573.95 joining fee; AED 735 annual fee from the second year |
| Welcome bonus | Welcome Skywards Miles after card activation and spend |
| Rewards rate | Up to 1.5 Skywards Miles per USD1 equivalent spent |
| Intro APR | Not applicable |
| Regular APR | Approx. 3.45% per month on outstanding balances |
| Foreign transaction fee | Foreign currency markup applies (approx. 2.99%) |
| Credit needed | Stable income, UAE residency |
| Best for | Emirates frequent flyers based in the UAE |
| Airport lounge access | Yes |
Rewards & benefits
- Earn Skywards Miles on all spending
- Bonus miles on Emirates and flydubai bookings
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- Travel insurance and concierge benefits
Eligibility & who it suits
- UAE resident with valid Emirates ID
- Minimum salary of AED 12,000 a month
- Stable, verifiable income
- Skywards membership (free to join)
How to apply
Check current rates on Emirates NBD’s official site →
This opens the issuer’s official application page in a new tab. We may earn a commission if you are approved — it never changes the terms you receive.
Rates, fees, welcome offers and benefits are provided for general information, can change at any time, and may not reflect current terms. Always confirm the latest details on the issuer’s official site before applying. This is not financial advice.
How it ranks against similar UAE cards
| Rank | Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Welcome offer | Foreign fee | Who qualifies | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ENEmirates NBDSkywards SignatureAED 1,573.95/yr · AE Emirates NBD Skywards Signature Credit CardEmirates frequent flyers based in the UAE |
AED 1,573.95/yr | Up to 1.5 Skywards Miles per USD1 equivalent spent | Welcome Skywards Miles after card activation and spend | Foreign currency markup ap… | Stable income, UAE residency | |
| 2 | FAFirst Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)FAB Etihad Guest PlatinumAED 525/yr · AE FAB Etihad Guest Platinum Credit CardEtihad flyers who want to earn Etihad Guest Miles on everyday spend |
AED 525/yr | 2 Etihad Guest Miles per AED 10 on domestic spend, 3.5 on non-AED international… | See issuer for the current offer | Up to 2.61% plus VAT and c… | Minimum monthly salary AED 8,000 |
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