ADIB Smiles Visa 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. It does earn on spending — 4 points per AED 5, 12 on the Smiles app — but at a modest rate, so treat it as a no-cost keeper rather than a rewards engine."
Earning and redeeming Smiles points
ADIB's Covered Card Terms and Conditions set the Classic's earn rates: 4 Smiles points per AED 5 in the UAE, 6 per AED 5 abroad (2 in the European Economic Area) and 12 per AED 5 on the Smiles app, with 'specific merchants' — supermarkets, government services, utilities, education, petrol stations, real estate agents, public transport, Salik and charities — at 1 point per AED 5. Earning is capped at 100,000 points a month.
On top: 5,000 points on sign-up (after a purchase within 30 days of receiving the card) and 10,000 bonus points for any 90-day quarter where card spend reaches AED 25,000 — about AED 8,300 a month, more than this card's minimum salary, 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
- Earn rate
- 4 Smiles points per AED 5 in the UAE; 6 abroad (2 in the EEA); 12 on the Smiles app; 1 per AED 5 at supermarkets, fuel, utilities, government, education and other 'specific merchants'; capped at 100,000 points a month
- Quarterly bonus
- 10,000 Smiles points per 90-day quarter (counted from card issuance), only when that quarter's spend reaches AED 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
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.3% service fee on non-AED transactions on top of the Visa rate; 2.75% on AED-priced transactions made abroad (from 10 September 2026)
- Minimum salary
- AED 5,000 per month
- Cash withdrawal
- Up to 100% of the cover limit; fee of 3% of the amount (minimum AED 99)
- Late payment
- AED 100 donation commitment to charity (no VAT); missed payments are reported to the credit bureau
- Card network
- Visa Classic
Rates verified against ADIB's Covered Cards Key Facts Statement (V15, April 2026), Schedule of Charges (V-45, August 2026), Covered Card Terms and Conditions (V-30, August 2026), card comparison sheet (V11, February 2026) and adib.ae on October 16, 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 AED 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
- Earns on every eligible purchase — 12 Smiles points per AED 5 on the Smiles app
- Accessible AED 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
- Modest base earn — 4 Smiles points per AED 5, and just 1 at supermarkets, fuel, utilities and education
- The quarterly bonus needs AED 25,000 spend per quarter — steep for a AED 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 AED 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 want strong rewards on regular spending — 4 points per AED 5 is modest, and supermarkets, fuel and utilities earn just 1.
- You want lounge access or travel cover — the Smiles Visa 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 AED 99 a year, ADIB's Cashback card pays a real 4% on groceries, fuel, dining, education and utilities — the very categories where the Classic earns just 1 point per AED 5.
Best cashback cards →
The Smiles Visa Signature adds a 70,000-point bonus, 10 points per AED 5, unlimited lounges, valet and travel cover — worthwhile if you earn AED 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 Visa 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, credited once you make a qualifying purchase within 30 days of receiving the card. The self-funded version of the card gets 2,500 points instead, sign-up points are paid only once, and points are awarded at ADIB's discretion from shareholders' funds.
How do I keep earning Smiles points on this card?+
Every eligible purchase earns: 4 Smiles points per AED 5 spent in the UAE, 6 per AED 5 abroad (2 in the European Economic Area), 12 per AED 5 on the Smiles app and 1 per AED 5 at 'specific merchants' (supermarkets, government services, utilities, education, petrol stations, real estate agents, public transport, Salik and charities), up to 100,000 points a month. You also get 10,000 bonus points for each 90-day quarter in which you spend AED 25,000. The rates come from ADIB's Covered Card Terms and Conditions and can be changed by ADIB and etisalat.
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 ADIB Smiles Visa 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.