Emirates Skywards credit cards

Barclays issues two US Emirates cards: the Skywards Rewards with first-year Silver status and the Skywards Premium with first-year Gold status and Priority Pass. Status carries into later years only with enough spending on the card. Barclays and Emirates showed different welcome offers on the day we read them; the table follows Barclays, the issuer.

Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .

CardIssuerAnnual feeWelcome offer
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite MastercardBarclays$99 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read)Earn 50,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page showed 40,000 on the same day.
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite MastercardBarclays$499 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read)Earn 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page advertised up to 70,000 on the same day.

Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard

Barclays · World Elite Mastercard · Personal card

Annual fee
$99 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read)
Welcome offer
Earn 50,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page showed 40,000 on the same day.
Foreign transaction fee
None

What it earns

3xpurchases on or at the Emirates sales office
2xeligible travel purchases
1xall other purchases

Airline benefits

  • Emirates Skywards Silver tier in your first year, kept by spending $20,000 each cardmembership year
  • 25% off when you buy or gift Miles

Credits and travel cover

  • Skywards Miles do not expire while the account stays open

Source: Barclays: Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard page

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard

Barclays · World Elite Mastercard · Personal card

Annual fee
$499 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read)
Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page advertised up to 70,000 on the same day.
Foreign transaction fee
None

What it earns

3xeligible Emirates purchases
2xeligible travel purchases
1xall other purchases

Airline benefits

  • Emirates Skywards Gold tier in your first year, kept by spending $40,000 each cardmembership year
  • 10,000 anniversary bonus Skywards Miles after spending $30,000 in a cardmembership year
  • Priority Pass Select membership with unlimited visits to over 1,200 lounges
  • Statement credit for one Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every five years, up to $100
  • 25% off when you buy or gift Miles

Credits and travel cover

  • Skywards Miles do not expire while the account stays open

Source: Barclays: Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard page

Other ways to earn Emirates Skywards Skywards Miles

American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Points, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy transfer points into Emirates Skywards, so a general travel card can top up the same account. Ratios and timing are on the transfer partners table.

Emirates Skywards credit card FAQ

Which bank issues the Emirates Skywards credit cards?
Barclays issues the US Emirates Skywards cards: Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard and Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard.
What are the Emirates Skywards card welcome offers?
As read on the issuers' pages on September 23, 2026: Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard, Earn 50,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page showed 40,000 on the same day; Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard, Earn 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Emirates' US page advertised up to 70,000 on the same day. Offers change often, so check the issuer's page before applying.
How much is the annual fee on the Emirates Skywards cards?
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard: $99 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read). Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard: $499 (from Emirates' US page; not shown in the Barclays page text we could read).
Which Emirates Skywards card includes lounge access?
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard includes lounge membership. The full lounge terms are on each card's section of this page.

Other airline cards

Sources