Best Airline Credit Cards in the UAE
Airline credit cards work best when the rewards programme matches how you actually fly.
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How airline credit cards create value
At the premium end, Emirates Islamic Skywards Black combines one of the strongest direct Skywards earn profiles in this comparison with complimentary Silver and a conditional fast track to Skywards Gold. At the accessible end, ENBD Voyager World has no annual fee and earns Voyager Miles that can be redeemed through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels.
Compare more than the headline miles rate: look at where the card earns fastest, whether the rewards are locked to one airline, status conditions, annual fee and the value you can realistically get when you redeem. If you regularly switch airlines, a flexible portal currency such as Voyager Miles can be more useful than a co-brand even when an airline-specific card offers richer status benefits.
Best Airline Credit Cards in the UAE compared
A side-by-side snapshot of annual fees, salary requirements, and standout benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
 | AED 5,775 | AED 12,000 | Premium Skywards choice with complimentary Silver and a conditional fast track to Skywards Gold |
 | Free | AED 12,000 | No-annual-fee flexible travel entry: Voyager Miles redeem through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels |
 | AED 1,575 | AED 30,000 | Premium Emirates co-brand with up to 150,000 welcome Skywards Miles, direct Skywards earn and complimentary Silver |
 | AED 735 | AED 12,000 | Mid-tier Skywards Miles earner |
 | AED 2,625 | AED 30,000 | FAB's Etihad Guest top tier with similar miles and Visa Infinite perks |
 | AED 420 | AED 5,000 | Air Arabia rewards programme — accessible airline card for budget-airline frequent flyers |
 | AED 1,048.95 | AED 20,000 | Dnata reward points for eligible travel bookings |
| Card | Annual fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| AED 5,775 | AED 12,000 | Premium Skywards choice with complimentary Silver and a conditional fast track to Skywards Gold |
| Free | AED 12,000 | No-annual-fee flexible travel entry: Voyager Miles redeem through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels |
| AED 1,575 | AED 30,000 | Premium Emirates co-brand with up to 150,000 welcome Skywards Miles, direct Skywards earn and complimentary Silver |
| AED 735 | AED 12,000 | Mid-tier Skywards Miles earner |
| AED 2,625 | AED 30,000 | FAB's Etihad Guest top tier with similar miles and Visa Infinite perks |
| AED 420 | AED 5,000 | Air Arabia rewards programme — accessible airline card for budget-airline frequent flyers |
| AED 1,048.95 | AED 20,000 | Dnata reward points for eligible travel bookings |
Emirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
Annual feeAED 5,775
Min. salaryAED 12,000
HighlightPremium Skywards choice with complimentary Silver and a conditional fast track to Skywards Gold
ENBD Voyager World Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 12,000
HighlightNo-annual-fee flexible travel entry: Voyager Miles redeem through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels
ENBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
Annual feeAED 1,575
Min. salaryAED 30,000
HighlightPremium Emirates co-brand with up to 150,000 welcome Skywards Miles, direct Skywards earn and complimentary Silver
ENBD Skywards Signature Credit Card
Annual feeAED 735
Min. salaryAED 12,000
HighlightMid-tier Skywards Miles earner
FAB Etihad Guest Infinite Credit Card
Annual feeAED 2,625
Min. salaryAED 30,000
HighlightFAB's Etihad Guest top tier with similar miles and Visa Infinite perks
Rakbank Air Arabia Platinum Credit Card
Annual feeAED 420
Min. salaryAED 5,000
HighlightAir Arabia rewards programme — accessible airline card for budget-airline frequent flyers
ENBD Dnata World Credit Card
Annual feeAED 1,048.95
Min. salaryAED 20,000
HighlightDnata reward points for eligible travel bookings
October Spotlight
Emirates NBD
Three Emirates NBD credit cards spanning everyday rewards to premium travel — the ENBD noon One Visa Card earns up to 20% back as noon Credits on noon Food with no annual fee, the ENBD Voyager World Credit Card earns 6 Voyager Miles per AED 1 on the Voyager Travel Portal with complimentary airport lounge access, and the premium ENBD Voyager World Elite doubles that to 12 Voyager Miles per AED 1 with added airport transfers and fast-track privileges.
4.1/5
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD noon One Visa Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- No Annual Fee
- AED 500 bonus on AED 5,000
- 20% back in credits on noon Food
- 5% back in credits on noon
3.9/5
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Voyager World Credit Card
- Salary: AED 12,000+
- 75,000 Miles on AED 35,000
- No Annual Fee
- 6 Miles/AED on Voyager Portal
- 3 Miles/AED on other travel
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Voyager World Elite Credit Card
- Salary: AED 25,000+
- 150,000 Miles on AED 70,000
- No Annual Fee for the first year
- 12 Miles/AED on Voyager Portal
- 6 Miles/AED on other travel
The right airline card depends on loyalty concentration: how often you fly one airline, how you redeem miles and whether status or travel benefits matter more than a flexible rewards currency.
Direct airline miles
Co-branded cards deposit rewards into one frequent-flyer programme. They suit travellers who repeatedly fly and redeem with that airline or its partners.
Flexible travel rewards
Voyager World is the clearest free-entry example: it has no annual fee, earns Voyager Miles and lets you redeem through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels rather than locking every redemption to one carrier.
Status and travel perks
Skywards Black shows why status can matter as much as earn: it includes complimentary Skywards Silver and a fast-track path to Gold when the applicable fee is paid and the Emirates spend condition is met.
Redemption value
A mile is not worth a fixed amount. Compare the trips you are likely to book and test a real redemption before paying a premium annual fee for a faster earn rate.
Why choose Airline Credit Cards in the UAE
1.
Choose airline status or flexible booking
If Emirates is your main airline and status matters, Skywards Black is the premium option here: complimentary Silver plus a conditional fast track to Gold. If you mix airlines, Voyager World is the simpler entry point — no annual fee, with Miles redeemable through the Voyager Travel Portal for flights on any airline or hotels.
2.
Premium tier perks add up for frequent flyers
Infinite-tier airline cards can add lounge access, travel insurance and concierge-style benefits. Those extras matter when you travel often; occasional flyers should compare the annual fee with how much of the bundle they will actually use.
How to choose an airline credit card
1.
Choose the programme before the card tier
Start with the airline or partner network you are most likely to redeem with. A faster earn rate is wasted if your miles sit in a programme you rarely use.
2.
Compare earn and redemption together
Look at where the card earns fastest and what a realistic reward flight or upgrade costs. Use the cash-vs-miles calculator when you have a real trip in mind.
3.
Separate first-year and recurring value
Welcome miles can justify year one, but annual fee, ongoing earn, status and travel benefits determine whether the card deserves to stay in your wallet.
4.
Check FX and booking rules
If you spend abroad or book through a required portal, compare the foreign-spend cost and eligible booking channel before treating the headline miles rate as net value.
Tools & calculators
Put the comparison into your own numbers, or open the underlying market data before you choose.
Calculator
Cash vs miles
Test an award booking against its cash price and see whether using miles is actually good value.
Calculator
Miles & points to AED
Convert major UAE airline and rewards-programme balances into an estimated AED value.
Calculator
Rewards calculator
Enter your monthly spend and compare the AED value different UAE cards could return.
7 cards in the UAE
EMIRATES ISLAMIC
IslamicEmirates Islamic Skywards Black Credit Card
- Salary: AED 12,000+
- Annual Fee: AED 5,775
- 3.5 Skywards miles/USD
- Fast-track to Skywards Gold
- 4 airport transfers/year
3.9/5
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Voyager World Credit Card
- Salary: AED 12,000+
- 75,000 Miles on AED 35,000
- No Annual Fee
- 6 Miles/AED on Voyager Portal
- 3 Miles/AED on other travel
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card
- Salary: AED 30,000+
- Joining Fee: AED 3,148.95
- Annual Fee: AED 1,575
- Up to 150,000 bonus Miles
- Skywards Silver membership
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Skywards Signature Credit Card
- Salary: AED 12,000+
- Joining Fee: AED 1,573.95
- Annual Fee: AED 735
- Up to 40,000 bonus Miles
- 1.5 Miles/USD on Emirates
FIRST ABU DHABI BANK (FAB)
FAB Etihad Guest Infinite Credit Card
- Salary: AED 30,000+
- Annual Fee: AED 2,625
- Bonus: 55,000 Etihad Guest Miles
- 7 Etihad Miles per AED 10 with Etihad
- Fast track to Etihad Gold membership.
RAKBANK
Rakbank Air Arabia Platinum Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- AED 420 annual fee; year-two spend waiver
- 15,000 AirRewards Bonus Points
- Complimentary Annual Ticket
- Free Airport Transfers
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Dnata World Credit Card
- Salary: AED 20,000+
- Joining Fee: AED 1,048.95
- Annual Fee AED 1,048.95
- Welcome Offer: Up to 2,500 dnata Points
- Earn 15% dnata Points on dnata spends.
Eligibility criteria
General requirements for credit card applications in the UAE. Exact thresholds vary by bank and card tier.
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| Monthly salary | AED 5,000–30,000 |
| Employment | Salaried employees or self-employed professionals |
| Residency | UAE residents with a valid Emirates ID and residence visa |
| Credit history | AECB credit score is checked; a clean record strengthens approval |
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| Monthly salary | AED 5,000–30,000 |
| Employment | Salaried employees or self-employed professionals |
| Residency | UAE residents with a valid Emirates ID and residence visa |
| Credit history | AECB credit score is checked; a clean record strengthens approval |
Always confirm the latest eligibility details with the issuing bank before applying.
Documents you will need
Prepare these before you start an application. Some banks accept digital uploads; others require originals at a branch.
UAE nationals
1.Emirates ID
2.Khulasat Al Qaid (Family Book)
3.Salary certificate (less than 30 days old)
4.Bank statements — last 3 months
5.Passport copy
Expats & residents
1.Emirates ID
2.Valid passport with residence visa page
3.Salary certificate or employment letter
4.Bank statements — last 3 months
5.Proof of address (utility bill or tenancy contract)
The final list of required documents may differ based on the bank and card. Self-employed applicants may also need a trade licence and audited financial statements.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Best Airline Credit Cards in the UAE
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