Best credit card signing bonuses right now

Updated July 17, 2026 Fact checkedEditorial integrity

The most valuable welcome offers available in the UAE this month, ranked by our estimate of real redemption value — not headline numbers.

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Best OverallTravelEmiratesEtihadMarriottCash BackNo Annual FeeSigning Bonus0% Loans

The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Our analysis, reviews and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. View our advertising policy and product review methodology.

How we value welcome bonuses

We rank bonuses by realistic redemption value after subtracting the annual fee and any spending you would not otherwise do — not by headline points.

Miles bonuses are valued at conservative per-mile rates based on economy redemptions, not aspirational business-class ones; cashback bonuses are taken at face value.

Never spend beyond your normal budget to hit a threshold: interest on a revolving balance erases a typical bonus within one or two statement cycles.

Yajool's top picks at a glance
AADIBEEtihad Guest
#1Biggest miles bonus

ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Signature

Travel Min. salary AED 10,000/mo
Yajool Editor’s Rating ?Card Rating is based on the opinion of Yajool’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.3 / 5Go to review

Our take: The strongest Etihad Guest earner in the market, with tier-mile accelerators for Abu Dhabi flyers.

Heads up: Accelerated miles apply to Etihad bookings and international spend; local AED spend earns at the base rate.

Annual fee

AED 999AED 0/year
First year waived
Offer
Welcome offer60,000 Etihad Guest Miles
How to unlockSpend AED 5,000 · 3 statements

Rewards rate

3xEarn 3 Guest Miles per AED 1 on Etihad bookings.
2xEarn 2 Guest Miles per AED 1 on international spend.
1xEarn 1 Guest Mile per AED 1 on everything else.

Key benefits

Foreign feesNone
Lounge access8 visits / year
Installments0% for 12 months
1st year valueAED 4,100
Apply now

Why we chose it

60,000 Etihad Guest Miles — enough for a return business-class upgrade or two economy returns within the GCC.

Pros

  • 60,000-mile welcome bonus
  • First-year annual fee waived (AED 999 value)
  • Tier-mile accelerators toward Silver and Gold
  • 8 lounge visits per year
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Sharia-compliant structure

Cons

  • AED 999 annual fee from year two
  • Base earn rate on local spend is modest
  • Best value requires flying Etihad regularly
  • Welcome bonus requires AED 5,000 spend in 90 days
Annual fee (year 1)AED 0 — waived
Annual fee (year 2+)AED 999
Minimum salaryAED 10,000/month
Foreign transaction feeNone
0% installment planUp to 12 months
Lounge access8 visits / year
Welcome offer60,000 Etihad Guest Miles · Spend AED 5,000 · 3 statements
Interest rate3.09% per month
NetworkVisa Signature
AADCBTTouchPoints
#2Biggest points bonus

ADCB TouchPoints Visa Signature

Rewards Min. salary AED 10,000/mo
Yajool Editor’s Rating ?Card Rating is based on the opinion of Yajool’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.5 / 5Go to review

Our take: A flexible everyday rewards card with strong points earning, dining perks and airport lounge access.

Heads up: Only 6 lounge visits a year, and a 2.99% foreign-currency fee applies to every foreign or online spend in another currency.

Annual fee

AED 524AED 0/year
First year waived
Offer
Welcome offer50,000 TouchPoints
How to unlockSpend AED 5,000 · 2 statements

Rewards rate

4xEarn 4 TouchPoints per AED 1 on international spend.
2xEarn 2 TouchPoints per AED 1 on dining and groceries.
1xEarn 1 TouchPoint per AED 1 on all other purchases.

Key benefits

Foreign fees2.99%
Lounge access6 visits / year
Installments0% for 12 months
1st year valueAED 3,200
Apply now

Why we chose it

50,000 TouchPoints on approval with no complex spend milestones — flexible value you can put toward any travel booking.

Pros

  • First-year fee waived (AED 524 value)
  • 50,000 TouchPoints welcome bonus
  • Flexible redemption across travel, shopping and bills
  • Strong dining and grocery earning
  • 6 lounge visits per year
  • Reasonable AED 10,000 minimum salary

Cons

  • Fee becomes AED 524 after year one
  • 2.99% foreign transaction fee
  • Lounge visits capped at 6 per year
  • TouchPoints value varies by redemption choice
  • Bonus requires AED 5,000 spend in 60 days
  • Interest applies if you carry a balance
Annual fee (year 1)AED 0 — waived
Annual fee (year 2+)AED 524
Minimum salaryAED 10,000/month
Foreign transaction fee2.99%
0% installment planUp to 12 months
Lounge access6 visits / year
Welcome offer50,000 TouchPoints · Spend AED 5,000 · 2 statements
Interest rate3.35% per month
NetworkVisa Signature
EEmirates NBDEEmirates Skywards
#3Best premium bonus

Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite

Travel Min. salary AED 15,000/mo
Yajool Editor’s Rating ?Card Rating is based on the opinion of Yajool’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.7 / 5Go to review

Our take: Strong for Emirates flyers who want Skywards Miles, lounge access and low foreign transaction fees.

Heads up: The boosted miles apply to Emirates flights only; everything else earns at the base rate, capped at 5,000 bonus miles a month.

Annual fee

AED 900AED 0/year
First year waived
Offer
Welcome offer40,000 Skywards Miles
How to unlockSpend USD 25,000 · 3 statements

Rewards rate

2xEarn 2 Skywards Miles per USD 1 on Emirates flights booked direct.
1.5xEarn 1.5 Skywards Miles per USD 1 on dining worldwide.
1.25xEarn 1.25 Skywards Miles per USD 1 on international spend.
1xEarn 1 Skywards Mile per USD 1 on all other purchases.

Key benefits

Foreign fees2%
Lounge accessUnlimited
Installments0% for 12 months
1st year valueAED 8,500
Apply now

Why we chose it

30,000 Skywards Miles after AED 5,000 spend in 90 days — high-value miles on the region’s most useful airline programme.

Pros

  • First-year annual fee waived (AED 900 value)
  • Tiered welcome bonus worth up to 65,000 Skywards Miles
  • Unlimited lounge access via Visa Airport Companion
  • Strong earning on Emirates flights
  • Complimentary golf, cinema and valet benefits
  • Skywards Silver tier while the card is active
  • Clear, transparent minimum salary requirement

Cons

  • Annual fee becomes AED 900 after the first year
  • Best value depends on flying Emirates frequently
  • Rewards are less flexible than transferable bank points
  • Monthly earning capped at 5,000 bonus miles
  • AED 15,000 minimum salary excludes some applicants
  • Interest applies if you carry a balance — pay in full to avoid
Annual fee (year 1)AED 0 — waived
Annual fee (year 2+)AED 900
Minimum salaryAED 15,000/month
Foreign transaction fee2%
0% installment planUp to 12 months
Lounge accessUnlimited, worldwide
Welcome offer40,000 Skywards Miles · Spend USD 25,000 · 3 statements
Interest rate3.5% per month
Earning cap5,000 / month
NetworkVisa Infinite
RRAKBANKRRAK Rewards
#4Best no-fee bonus

RAKBANK World Credit Card

Travel Min. salary AED 3,000/mo
Yajool Editor’s Rating ?Card Rating is based on the opinion of Yajool’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.4 / 5Go to review

Our take: Great entry-level card with solid travel rewards and no annual fee.

Heads up: No annual fee, but no lounge access, and the 4x travel rewards are capped at 2,000 points a month.

Annual fee

AED 0/year
Offer
Welcome offer15,000 RAK Rewards
How to unlockSpend AED 3,000 · 2 statements

Rewards rate

4xEarn 4x rewards on travel and airline purchases.
2xEarn 2x rewards on dining and restaurants.
1xEarn 1x rewards on all other purchases.

Key benefits

Foreign feesNone
Lounge accessNot included
Installments0% for 6 months
1st year valueAED 800
Apply now

Why we chose it

15,000 RAK Rewards on a card that never charges an annual fee — pure upside.

Pros

  • No annual fee — ever
  • 15,000 RAK Rewards welcome bonus
  • 4x rewards on travel and airlines
  • 2x rewards on dining
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Low AED 3,000 minimum salary

Cons

  • No complimentary lounge access
  • Lower reward rates than premium travel cards
  • Welcome bonus requires AED 3,000 spend in 60 days
  • Rewards less flexible than transferable points
  • Interest applies if you carry a balance
Annual fee (year 1)AED 0 — waived
Annual fee (year 2+)AED 0
Minimum salaryAED 3,000/month
Foreign transaction feeNone
0% installment planUp to 6 months
Welcome offer15,000 RAK Rewards · Spend AED 3,000 · 2 statements
Interest rate3.25% per month
Earning cap2,000 / month
NetworkMastercard World

Frequently asked questions

Most require AED 3,000–10,000 of spend within the first 60–90 days. Miss the window and the bonus is forfeit — so time big purchases to it.

No — there is no personal income tax on card rewards in the UAE.

Banks typically exclude existing or recent cardholders for 6–18 months. Check the exclusion rules before cancelling and re-applying.

How we chose these cards

Yajool's editors score every UAE card on the same four pillars — rewards value, travel benefits, fees & costs, and eligibility. Category winners are re-checked monthly against current public offers. Read our full ratings methodology and see how the top pick performed in our Skywards Infinite editorial review.

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