ADIB Smiles Classic
5,000 Smiles points — and no annual fee, ever
at ADIB's secure site
Terms & conditions apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards
"Free for life means the worst case is a card that cost you nothing and paid 5,000 Smiles points to say hello. Just know what it isn't: with no earn rate on spending and a quarterly bonus gated behind 25,000, this is a keeper card, not a rewards engine."
Earning and redeeming Smiles points
ADIB publishes no per- earn rate on Smiles covered cards. The Classic pays 5,000 Smiles points on sign-up, then 10,000 points in any quarter where card spend reaches 25,000 — that's 8,300 a month, a threshold most entry-level cardholders won't touch, so treat the quarterly bonus as upside rather than the plan.
Where Smiles shines is redemption: points spend like money in the Smiles app on food and grocery orders, home services, vouchers, devices and etisalat bills, and reach 1,000+ airlines and 50,000+ hotels for travel. Since the card costs nothing to hold, any points you do collect are pure profit.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- Free for life — primary and supplementary cards
- Welcome bonus
- 5,000 Smiles points on sign-up; 2,500 on the self-funded variant
- Quarterly bonus
- 10,000 Smiles points per quarter, only when quarterly spend reaches 25,000
- Monthly profit rate
- 3.75% fixed (45.63% APR) Murabaha profit, calculated on the full cover limit and waived fully or partially via investment profit and a discretionary bank bonus when you pay on time
- Grace period
- Up to 55 days from the transaction date when the balance is paid in full
- Minimum salary
- 5,000 per month
- Cash withdrawal
- Up to 100% of the cover limit; fee of 3% of the amount (minimum 99)
- Late payment
- 100 donation commitment to charity (no VAT); missed payments are reported to the credit bureau
- Card network
- Visa Classic
Rates verified against the ADIB Covered Cards Key Facts Statement (V14-A, April 2026) and adib.ae on August 21, 2026. Fees exclude 5% VAT unless stated. Always confirm on ADIB's site before applying.
Card benefits
5,000 Smiles points
A welcome bonus you can spend straight away in the Smiles app on food delivery, groceries, vouchers or etisalat bills.
Quarterly bonus potential
Spend 25,000 in a quarter and 10,000 Smiles points land on top — no cap on how many quarters you can hit.
Travel redemptions
Smiles points book flights with 1,000+ airlines and stays at 50,000+ hotels worldwide.
Takaful protection option
Optional Takaful cover for death, permanent disability, critical illness and involuntary loss of employment.
Card services
Balance transfer, Cash on Call and 3–12 month instalment plans at selected merchants with 100% profit waiver and no processing fee.
School fee instalments
Split school and university fees paid on the card into monthly instalments, any time.
Pros and cons
- No annual fee for life, including supplementary cards
- 5,000 Smiles points just for signing up
- Accessible 5,000 minimum salary
- Smiles points redeem widely — flights, hotels, food delivery, vouchers and etisalat bills
- Sharia-compliant with up to 55 days' grace period
- No published per- earn rate — ongoing rewards are only the quarterly bonus
- The quarterly bonus needs 25,000 spend per quarter — steep for a 5,000-salary card
- No lounge access, travel insurance or lifestyle perks
- Smiles points are awarded at ADIB's discretion; the self-funded variant gets just 2,500 welcome points
- 3.75% monthly Murabaha profit rate applies if you don't clear your balance
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You want a no-fee, Sharia-compliant first card and earn 5,000+ a month.
- You already use the Smiles app and will spend the welcome points.
- You want covered-card services — instalments, balance transfer, school-fee splitting — without paying for perks you won't use.
Consider skipping it if
- You expect rewards on your regular spending — there's no published earn rate.
- You want lounge access or travel cover — the Smiles Signature or Booking.com card carry those.
- You'd carry a balance; 3.75% a month wipes out any points value fast.
Alternatives to consider
For 99 a year, ADIB's Cashback card pays a real 4% on groceries, fuel, dining, education and utilities — rewards you don't need a quarterly target to earn.
Best cashback cards →
The Smiles Visa Signature adds a 70,000-point bonus, unlimited lounges, valet and travel cover — worthwhile if you earn 20,000+ and spend heavily.
Best lounge access cards →
The Emirates NBD noon One card pays published rewards on noon, noon Food and noon Minutes orders — a clearer everyday return at a similar salary tier.
Best online shopping cards →Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
Does the ADIB Smiles Classic card have an annual fee?+
No — the Key Facts Statement lists it as free for life, for both the primary card and supplementary cards.
How many Smiles points do I get for signing up?+
5,000 Smiles points upon sign-up. Note the bank's footnote: the self-funded version of the card earns 2,500 points instead, and points are awarded at ADIB's discretion from shareholders' funds.
How do I keep earning Smiles points on this card?+
ADIB doesn't publish a per-dirham earn rate for Smiles covered cards. The ongoing reward is a 10,000-point quarterly bonus, paid only when you spend AED 25,000 on the card in that quarter.
What can I redeem Smiles points for?+
Through the Smiles app: food and grocery orders, home services, shopping vouchers, devices and etisalat bill payments — plus flights with over 1,000 airlines and stays at 50,000+ hotels worldwide.
What is the minimum salary for the Smiles Classic card?+
AED 5,000 a month, with a valid passport, Emirates ID, three months of bank statements and a recent salary certificate.
Is the card Sharia-compliant?+
Yes. It's an ADIB covered card structured as a commodity Murabaha. A fixed 3.75% monthly Murabaha profit is calculated on the cover limit and waived fully or partially — via investment profit and a discretionary bank bonus — when you pay on time. Card use is restricted to Sharia-compliant purchases.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.