Our Verdict

Our Verdict

The Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* makes the most sense for someone who flies Emirates frequently and specifically wants Emirates lounge perks. Its steep annual fee of $499 does offer some valuable benefits, but other premium cards at that price point offer greater perks and access to other lounges, including ones at the Dubai airport.

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard® *
1.4
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Welcome Bonus
70,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee
$499
Regular APR
21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable
Credit Score
Excellent

Highlights

  • Earn 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
  • Annual fee: $499
  • Earn 3 Skywards Miles for every $1 spent on emirates.com or at the Emirates Sales office
  • Earn 2 Skywards Miles for every $1 spent on eligible airfares, hotel stays and car rentals
  • Earn 1 Skywards Mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
More Highlights
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.

Introduction

If you’re willing to fork over several hundred dollars a year for an airline card, it should give you your money’s worth. The Emirates Skywards Premium could potentially deliver enough value to make the annual fee worth it for someone who flies Emirates on the regular or spends enough on the card to maintain the Gold-tier status after the first year, but not enough to earn it organically.

The most notable benefits of the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* include the ability to earn Emirates Gold status through spending (which is also granted without any spending requirement in the first year of card membership) and lounge access—both a Priority Pass Select membership and access to Emirates Business Class Lounges (with Gold status).

Like many other travel credit cards, the Emirates Premium card offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement every five years.

The card offers a robust earning rate on flights (with Emirates and other airlines), hotel stays and car rentals but you can easily earn the same or better with other high-end travel cards that have rewards that easily transfer to Emirates Skywards.

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Quick Facts

  • $499 annual fee
  • Welcome bonus: 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
  • Earn 3 Skywards Miles per dollar on eligible Emirates purchases, 2 Skywards Miles per dollar on eligible travel purchases and 1 Skywards Mile per dollar on all other purchases
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement every five years
  • Priority Pass Select membership
  • Gold-tier status included the first year which comes with Emirates business class lounge access and a 75% points bonus on paid flights
  • Ability to earn Gold status in subsequent years after spending $40,000 on the card
  • As a cardholder, your miles will never expire as long as you hold the card
  • Priority check-in, boarding and baggage delivery plus economy seat selection
  • No foreign transaction fees

Compare Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard® With Other Cards

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®
Welcome Bonus
70,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee
$499
Credit Score
Excellent
Regular APR
21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
Welcome Bonus
60,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$550
Credit Score
Excellent
Regular APR
22.49%-29.49% Variable
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Partner OfferThe Platinum Card® from American ExpressApply Now →
On American Express's Website
Welcome Bonus
Earn 80,000 points
Annual Fee
$695
Credit Score
Excellent/Good
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard Rewards

Earning Rewards

The Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* earns at the following rates:

  • 3 Skywards Miles per dollar on eligible Emirates purchases, 2 Skywards Miles per dollar on eligible travel purchases and 1 Skywards Mile per dollar on all other purchases

The card also offers a welcome bonus: 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Redeeming Rewards

Emirates doesn’t publish an awards chart, but it does have a miles calculator that allows you to see how many Skywards Miles you can earn on an Emirates route, or how many Skywards Miles you need to redeem for a ticket or a seat upgrade on an Emirates flight.

To redeem your miles for a ticket, log into your Skywards account and use the calculator to determine how many miles you’ll need to book. You can book the flight from the site or call an Emirates representative to book over the phone.

A round trip flight at the saver level from the U.S. to Dubai (DXB) can be booked starting at 72,500 miles in economy or 174,000 in business. A particular sweet spot for Emirates is flying from New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) in its famously luxurious first class, which starts at just 102,000 miles each way. One-way regional flights can be booked starting at 12,500 miles.

You can also pay with a combination of miles and cash to book flights on Emirates and partner airline flydubai. Seat upgrades start at 9,000 miles and you can use your rewards to upgrade from economy to business or from business to first class.

As mentioned, you can also use miles towards a ticket using Cash+Miles. Emirates doesn’t publish an exact conversion rate if you use this function, but published reports note a value of less than one cent per mile, which means it’s not a great use of your miles.

It’s worth noting that Emirates launched a partnership with United, opening up more opportunities for U.S.-based travelers.

Rewards Potential

To determine the rewards potential of the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®*, Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies in order to determine both baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $116,000 annually and has $36,177 in annual spending that can reasonably be charged to credit cards.

Based on Forbes Advisor’s estimates, the sample household will spend $4,886 on airfare annually. If someone who holds this card is doing their airline spending with Emirates, earnings would work out to 14,658 Skywards miles.

In addition, Forbes Advisor estimates that the sample household will spend $7,202 each year on other travel purchases for an additional 14,404 miles. Finally, we can estimate that the same household will spend $24,089 on other purchases each year, for an additional 24,089 miles earned.

In total, you can expect to earn 53,151 miles each year. You’ll also earn a first-year welcome bonus: 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening and a 50% bonus on miles earned from flying Emirates thanks to the complimentary Gold status.

According to the Emirates calculator, a round-trip economy-class saver ticket from New York to Dubai will cost 72,500 Skywards Miles to score the flight for free. This means if you use the card for all of your travel spending and earn the welcome bonus, you’ll have more than enough for one ticket on this route.


Other Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard Benefits

  • Emirates Gold-tier membership: Get Gold-tier membership during the first year as a cardholder, which includes perks like a 75% miles bonus on Emirates flights, Emirates Business Class Lounge access and complimentary seat selection in economy class. After that, spend at least $40,000 each cardmember year to maintain Gold status.
  • Anniversary miles bonus: Earn a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus each time you spend at least $30,000 in a cardmember year.
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: Receive a statement credit of up to $100 to reimburse a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
  • Priority Pass Select lounge access: Get a complimentary Priority Pass Select lounge membership, which grants access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.

As a World Elite Mastercard, the Emirates Skywards Rewards card comes with the following benefits:

  • Cellphone protection: Get $1,000 in yearly coverage ($600 max per claim, two claims per 12-month period) should your cell phone get stolen or need certain repairs.
  • Lyft: Take three rides in a month and get a $5 Lyft credit once per month.
  • ShopRunner: Free ShopRunner membership. Members currently receive two-day shipping and free return shipping at dozens of popular online retailers
  • Fandango: Spend $20 on movie tickets at Fandango or at home on Fandango’s streaming service and get a $5 Fandango Reward towards your next movie ticket purchase or at-home movie or TV show.
  • World Elite concierge: A complimentary 24/7 concierge service.
  • Elite rental car status: Get elite status with Avis, Sixt and National Car Rental.
  • Mastercard Luxury Hotels and Resorts: Receive perks like upgrades, amenity credits and complimentary breakfast at over 3,000 properties in Mastercard’s Luxury Hotels and Resorts portfolio.
  • Mastercard Priceless: Gain access to unique experiences and events including PGA TOUR access in more than 40 cities around the world.

Fine Print

Interest Rates

  • Regular APR: 21.24%, 25.24% or 29.99% variable
  • Purchase intro APR: N/A
  • Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Fees

  • Annual fee: $499
  • Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • Foreign purchase transaction fee: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.

How the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard Stacks Up

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* vs. United Club℠ Infinite Card

The United Club℠ Infinite Card is United’s highest-end airline card, charging holders an annual fee of $525.

In exchange, the card earns 4 miles per dollar on United® purchases, 2 miles per dollar on all other travel, on dining including eligible delivery services and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

It also comes with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, free first and second checked bags and priority check-in, security screening (where available), boarding and baggage handling privileges.

United is part of the Star Alliance network, which means it’s part of a network of over two dozen member airlines that make flights bookable through United. The United Club℠ Infinite Card includes United Club lounge access which includes participating Star Alliance lounges around the world with several locations in the Dubai airport. But with United’s partnership with Emirates, United’s card may be the better longer-term play.

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express is considered by many to be the swankiest card when it comes to upscale benefits.

The annual fee of $695 (Terms apply. See rates & fees) provides an up to $200 airline incidental fee statement credit on an eligible airline you choose each year (enrollment required) and while Emirates is not a qualifying airline, United is. The card earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

The Platinum Card also grants Global Lounge access which includes access to the elite Centurion Lounge network, International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club when traveling with Delta and Priority Pass Select lounges once you enroll in the benefit.

Other extras include up to $200 in annual savings with Uber with $15 monthly Uber Cash valid for U.S. Uber purchases when your card is linked to an Uber account ($35 in December), bi-annual $50 statement credits for shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue (enrollment required), Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursements, discounts, credits and benefits at participating hotels and elite status at Marriott and Hilton hotels upon enrollment.

Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®* vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

If you’re looking for a card with a generous earning rate on a wide range of travel expenses, look no further than the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The card earns 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases and charges an annual fee of $550.

In addition to earning at a higher rate on a wider variety purchases, the Chase Ultimate Rewards® points you earn with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel through Chase’s portal and can be transferred to a long list of travel partners at a 1:1 rate, Emirates included.

If premium perks and benefits are what you’re after, you’ll get those with this card as well. Cardmembers receive a $300 annual travel credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit and airport lounge access via a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® also comes with extensive travel protections like primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.


Is the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard for You?

For all but the most frequent of Emirates fliers, the Emirates Skywards Premium card doesn’t offer as much value as other cards in its class. Although lounge access is a worthwhile benefit, the majority of the elite perks are embedded in having Gold status which can only be achieved after the first year by meeting a spending threshold or taking a large number of flights.

If you’re looking for an airline card with more robust and flexible ongoing benefits and don’t mind paying a premium price, there are other choices that are more likely to deliver than this one.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.


Methodology

Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors including:

  • Annual fees
  • Welcome bonus offers
  • Ongoing earning rates
  • Value of individual points or miles
  • Included travel or merchant credits
  • Additional cardholder benefits

Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.

Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards

*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.