Rewards Plan
Welcome Bonus
Credit Rating
0% Intro
Annual Fee
APR
- Emirates Gold Status
- Lounge Access
- High Annual Fee
- No Inflight Perks
Rewards Plan
Welcome Bonus
0% Intro
PROS
- Emirates Gold Status
- Lounge Access
CONS
- High Annual Fee
- No Inflight Perks
APR
20.74% - 29.99%
Annual Fee
$499
Balance Transfer Fee
5% or $5, whichever is greater
Credit Requirements
Good - Excellent
The Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard® is a high-end credit card tailored for frequent travelers and Emirates Skywards members. With this card, users earn Emirates Skywards Miles for every eligible purchase, which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and other travel expenses.
If you’re a big spender and loyal to Emirates, the Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard could be a great fit for you. The potential savings can easily offset the annual fee. Plus, cardholders get complimentary airport lounge access and a range of travel insurance benefits.
There is the potential to save up to four times the annual fee in Emirates flight discounts alone. When added to the miles bonuses, Emirates Gold status and other perks, regular flyers should have no problems recouping the annual fee.
- Savings on Emirates Tickets
- Emirates Gold Status
- Anniversary Bonus
- Lounge Access
- Discount On Gift Miles
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Reimbursement
- Complimentary FICO Credit Score Access
- High Annual Fee
- High Spending Requirements
- No Inflight Perks
- No Insurances
Can I get pre-approved?
There is no pre approval option for this card on the Barclays website. However, you may receive a mailer or other promotional material offering pre approval for this or other Barclays credit cards.
How do I redeem rewards?
There are a number of options to redeem your Emirates miles including booking award flights with Emirates or global airline partners, and free nights with Emirates hotel partners. If you want to redeem your rewards, you will need to log into your Emirates account and then click on “redeem” to explore the options. You can then search for flights or hotel stays as normal, but the cost in miles will be displayed.
How hard is it to get an Emirates Skywards Premium card?
You do need to have excellent credit to qualify for the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard and Barclays will need to assess to see if you have sufficient disposable income to support the card. This may make it tricky for some people to get the card.
In this Review
Estimating Your Rewards: A Practical Simulation
If you don’t fly with Aer Lingus more than once or twice a year, you might be better off with a more general travel card. For instance, the Citi Premier card has a similar annual fee but lets you earn rewards on everyday purchases like groceries, dining, and gas, as well as on hotels and flights. Plus, you can get annual statement credits for hotel stays.
| |
|---|---|
Spend Per Category | Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
|
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 miles |
$3,000 – Restaurants
| 3,000 miles |
$5,000 – Airline | 15,000 miles |
$4,000 – Hotels | 8,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 miles |
Estimated Annual Miles | 40,000 Miles |
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and special member-only perks.
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and special member-only perks.
Pros and Cons
Just like any other credit card, the Emirates Skywards Premium card has some advantages and disadvantages:
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Savings on Emirates Tickets | High Annual Fee |
Emirates Gold Status | High Spending Requirements |
Anniversary Bonus | No Inflight Perks |
Lounge Access | No Insurances |
Discount On Gift Miles | |
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Reimbursement |
- Savings on Emirates Tickets
You can save up to $499 on up to four Emirates tickets, representing a total saving of as much as $1,996.
- Emirates Gold Status
During your first year of holding this card, you’ll receive Emirates Gold tier membership automatically. You can then retain this status by spending at least $40,000 during the card membership year.
- Anniversary Bonus
You’ll receive a 10,000 miles bonus on your card member anniversary, if you spend $30,000 or more on purchases throughout the year.
- Lounge Access
The card is provided with a Priority Pass Select, which offers lounge access to more than 1,200 lounges around the world for you and your guests. There are no limits to the number of visits you can make to lounges with this level of membership.
- Discount On Gift Miles
When you buy or gift miles, you can receive 25% savings on your purchase.
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Reimbursement
When you use your card to pay for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees, you’ll receive a statement credit automatically. This credit is available for up to $100 every five years.
- Complimentary FICO Credit Score Access
Whether you want to build your credit or you are simply interested in the progress you’re making with your credit report, being able to access your credit score is crucial. This card provides complimentary access to your FICO score online and you can receive alerts if your score changes.
- High Annual Fee
Although it should be quite simple to offset the cost of the annual fee, it is one of the highest on the market. So, you’ll need to be prepared to pay the annual fee, with no waiver for the first year.
- High Spending Requirements
If you want to access the premium benefits of this card including the annual miles bonus and ongoing Gold tier membership, you will need to meet a high spending requirement.
- No Inflight Perks
Unlike many luxury credit cards, the Emirates Skywards Premium does not offer any perks that will enhance your airport or inflight experience.
There are no free checked bags, no priority boarding that are frequently provided with other airline cards.
- No Insurances
Again, this is fairly standard with travel or co-branded cards, but you don’t get travel insurances included in the card benefit package.
Who Should Consider The Emirates Premium Card?
Since this is a co-branded Emirates credit card, it is obviously best for those who regularly fly with this carrier. To get the maximum value of this card, you’ll need to fly at least a few times a year with Emirates. However, there are no limits to the miles you can earn and the miles don’t expire. So, even if you only fly once a year, you can still work towards award flights.
The card could also be a good fit for high spenders. If you typically spend $40,000 or more with your credit card per year, you can access some excellent benefits, particularly if you enjoy flying with Emirates.
If you would like to check more options for an airline card, here are some alternatives:
Card | Rewards | Annual Fee |
| 1X – 2X
2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
| $150, $0 intro first year (Rates & Fees)
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1X – 2X
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
| $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
| |
| 1X – 3X
3X miles per dollar spent on Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2X miles per dollar spent on gas, dining and grocery store purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
| $99 | |
| 1X – 3X
3X points on Southwest® purchases,2X on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners, local transit and commuting, including rideshare, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming and 1X points on all other purchases.
| $99 | |
| 1x – 5x
5x Avios for every $1 spent on gas, grocery stores and dining for the first 12 months of account opening. 3x Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia purchases. 2x Avios for every $1 spent on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel.
| $95 | |
| 1X – 2X
2x per $1 spent on United purchases, hotel accommodations, restaurants & eligible delivery services and 1x per $1 spent on all other purchases
| $95 ($0 first year) | |
| 1x – 5x
5x miles per dollar on purchases at flyfrontier.com, 3x miles per dollar at restaurants and 1x miles on all other purchases
| $89 |
Tips for Using the Emirates Slywards Premium Card
As an airline and travel credit card, here are the main ways to leverage it maximize your benefits:
-
Check for Priority Pass Locations
This card is provided with a Priority Pass Select membership, which offers unlimited access to lounges in approximately 1,200 locations around the world.
So, before you fly make sure that you check if there is a Priority Pass lounge at your departure airport.
-
Sign Up for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
If you’re a frequent flyer, you are likely to already be aware of the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs.
However, if you’ve not yet signed up, make sure that you do and you use your card to pay for the application fee. You’ll be reimbursed up to $100 every five years.
-
Take Your Card on Your Travels
though you may consider this card a good option for booking your Emirates fares, you should also consider having this card in your wallet while you’re away.
With no foreign transaction fees, there is the potential to save hundreds of dollars on any transactions you make when you’re away.
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FAQs
What are card income requirements?
There are no official income requirements for this card, but you do need to have excellent credit. Additionally, since this is a high spend card, Barclays is likely to check your income to ensure that you have sufficient disposable funds to fully utilize the card.
When it may not be a good idea?
This card is not a good idea if you’re not completely brand loyal to the Emirates airline. You’ll only get the most from the card if you fly with Emirates on a regular basis. If this is not the case, you are likely to be better suited to a more general travel rewards credit card, which could offer more flexible rewards and redemptions.
Does the card provide car rental insurance?
Unfortunately, the Emirates Skywards Premium does not offer car rental insurance.
Compare Emirates Premium World Elite Mastercard
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Amex Platinum Card vs. Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard: How They Compare?
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Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
