Emirates Islamic Emarati Credit Card

New cardholders can earn 100,000 EI SmartMiles, worth AED 1,000, by spending AED 30,000 within 60 days of card approval. There's also a lower tier: spend AED 15,000 in that same 60-day window and you'll earn 50,000 EI SmartMiles instead. Either route pays out in EI SmartMiles, the same currency you accumulate on everyday purchases.

The Annual Membership Fee is AED 0, described by Emirates Islamic as "Free for life." The joining fee is also listed as free. Supplementary cards are also free, with up to 4 complimentary supplementary cards available.

The card is restricted to UAE Nationals only, as it's a Sharia-compliant product for citizens rather than expatriate residents. Applicants also need a minimum salary of AED 12,000. Both the nationality restriction and the salary threshold are set directly in the card's eligibility rules.

Rates step down by category: 3.75 EI SmartMiles per AED 1 on international spend, 2.5 per AED 1 on general domestic purchases, 1 per AED 1 on groceries and supermarkets, 0.375 per AED 1 on insurance and automotive spend, and 0.25 per AED 1 on government, education, fuel, real estate, telecom and utilities payments. International spend earns the richest of the five rates.

No, both are conditional. The VOX Cinemas Buy-One-Get-One offer (up to 2 tickets a month) and the 2 complimentary valet parking sessions a month only unlock once you've spent at least AED 5,000 on the card that month. By contrast, the airport lounge access, unlimited golf rounds, and travel insurance benefits listed for this card carry no such monthly spend requirement.

Carrying a balance costs a 3.69% monthly profit rate (44.28% per annum), with a minimum monthly payment of 5% of your outstanding balance. Spending internationally in a non-AED currency adds a 1.84% fee, while foreign-currency transactions settled in AED while abroad carry a 1.99% fee. Cash advances cost 3.15% of the amount or AED 103.95, whichever is higher.