American Express Credit Card
The entry-level Amex credit card — billed in US dollars, with no rewards programme
at American Express's secure site
No welcome offer is published for this card. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
“The American Express Credit Card is Amex at its most basic: US$60 a year buys the brand, free supplementary cards and Plan It instalments — and nothing else. No points, no cashback, no lounges, no published insurance, and because it bills in US dollars your spending pays a 2.94% conversion fee. Nearly every free cashback card in the UAE beats it on value.”
Rewards on the American Express Credit Card
There is no rewards programme on this card. Its Schedule of Fees and Charges (05-2025) lists no earn rate and no Membership Rewards enrolment fee, and the product page advertises no points, cashback or welcome offer — the ‘Ways to earn Membership Rewards points’ heading and Plan It's ‘earn rewards on the purchases the way you usually do’ line are site-wide template text. We record the value back per as 0%.
If you want an Amex that earns, the Gold Credit Card earns Membership Rewards points (with a 95 a year enrolment fee) and the 1% Moneyback Gold Credit Card pays flat cash back — both billed in . On this card the only value is the low fee, the free supplementary cards and Plan It instalments.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- US$60 (US$63 incl. VAT), ≈ 220 at the 3.6725 peg — no first-year waiver published
- Rewards
- None published — no earn rate and no Membership Rewards enrolment fee on this card's schedule
- Interest rate
- 3.60% per month fixed (43.20% a year). Up to 56 days interest-free on purchases when you pay in full
- Currency conversion
- 2.94% (3.087% incl. VAT) on any non-USD transaction — including spend, since the card bills in US dollars
- Cash withdrawal
- 4% or US$18 minimum, whichever is higher (4.2% / US$18.90 incl. VAT); withdrawals limited to 20% of the credit limit
- Penalty fees
- Late payment US$40 (US$42 incl. VAT); overlimit US$75 (US$78.75 incl. VAT); dishonoured cheque or direct debit US$30 (US$31.50 incl. VAT)
- Minimum payment
- 5% or US$10, whichever is higher (≈ 37) — the product page quotes US$18
- Plan It instalments
- 3, 6, 9 or 12 months at up to 1.50% a month (18% a year); early closure 1% of the remaining balance (1.05% incl. VAT) or US$240 (US$252 incl. VAT), whichever is lower
- Supplementary cards
- Free, up to 9 cards, with online application
Rates from the American Express Schedule of Fees and Charges (05-2025). Fees shown exclude 5% VAT unless noted; VAT-inclusive figures in brackets. equivalents use the 3.6725 peg and are not published by Amex.
Card benefits
Fraud Protection Guarantee
You are not held responsible for fraudulent charges, provided you have taken reasonable care of your card, account details and PIN.
Instant virtual card
Issued instantly, with its own spending limits, for online purchases and digital-wallet use — so spending continues uninterrupted if the plastic card is lost.
Up to 9 free supplementary cards
Family members can share the account at no extra fee, with an easy online application for each supplementary card.
Plan It instalments
Split purchases into 3, 6, 9 or 12 monthly instalments at a fixed rate of up to 1.50% a month; early closure costs 1% of the remaining balance or US$240, whichever is lower.
Cash in local currency worldwide
Withdraw local currency at ATMs worldwide — at 4% or US$18 minimum per withdrawal, within 20% of your credit limit.
Amex Offers and 24/7 service
Local and regional Amex merchant offers for cardmembers, 24/7 customer service and full account management in the Amex MENA app.
Pros and cons
- Lowest annual fee in the Amex UAE credit-card line-up: US$60 (US$63 incl. VAT), roughly 220
- Up to 9 supplementary cards free, with an easy online application
- Up to 56 interest-free days and a 5% minimum payment — a true revolving credit card, unlike the green charge card
- Plan It splits purchases into 3 to 12 monthly instalments at a fixed rate of up to 1.50% a month
- Fraud Protection Guarantee and an instantly issued virtual card with its own spending limits
- Local and regional Amex Offers, 24/7 customer service and local-currency cash withdrawals at ATMs worldwide
- Billed in US dollars — the 2.94% conversion fee (3.087% incl. VAT) applies to every purchase, as we read the schedule
- No published rewards: no points, no cashback, and no Membership Rewards enrolment on its fee schedule
- No lounge access, and no insurance benefits are published on the page or the fee schedule
- Steep entry bar for what you get: 276,000 a year ( 23,000 a month) employed, or 367,000 self-employed
- Cash withdrawals cost 4% (minimum US$18) and are limited to 20% of the credit limit
- 43.2% a year if you carry a balance, US$40 late and US$75 overlimit fees — and Amex acceptance in the UAE is narrower than Visa or Mastercard
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You want the Amex name at the lowest possible annual fee and expect nothing else from the card.
- A good share of your spending is in US dollars or foreign currency, so USD billing costs you little.
- You want a revolving credit card with Plan It instalments rather than the green charge card that must be paid in full monthly.
Consider skipping it if
- Most of your spending is everyday — the 2.94% conversion fee on a USD-billed card will cost more than the annual fee.
- You want any reward for spending — this card publishes none, while free cashback cards from Mashreq, ADCB or Liv pay 1% or more.
- You want lounge access or insurance — neither is published for this card.
Alternatives to consider
Billed in with no conversion fee on local spend, plus 5 Priority Pass visits and 15,000 welcome points for 395 — though Membership Rewards costs 95 a year extra.
Best credit cards in the UAE →
Free for life on a 5,000 income: 5% back on dining and 1% on other retail, billed in on a widely accepted Visa — this Amex earns nothing.
Best cashback cards →
No annual fee, a 5,000 income bar and a flat 1% back on everything (1.25% in months you spend 5,000 or more), billed in on a Mastercard accepted everywhere.
Best no-annual-fee 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 American Express Credit Card earn Membership Rewards points?+
Not as far as Amex publishes. The card's Schedule of Fees and Charges (05-2025) lists no earn rate and no Membership Rewards enrolment fee, and the product page advertises no points, cashback or welcome offer. The 'Ways to earn Membership Rewards points' heading on the page is site-wide template text. If you want an Amex that earns, look at the Gold Credit Card (Membership Rewards points, AED-billed) or the 1% Moneyback Gold Credit Card.
What does the American Express Credit Card cost?+
US$60 a year (US$63 including VAT) — roughly AED 220 at the dirham peg — with no published first-year waiver. Up to 9 supplementary cards are free. Because the card is billed in US dollars, the fee itself is charged in dollars.
Why does my AED spending attract a conversion fee?+
The card is billed in US dollars, and the schedule of charges applies a 2.94% conversion processing fee (3.087% incl. VAT) to transactions in any non-billing currency — which, as we read it, includes everyday dirham purchases in the UAE. On AED 3,000 of monthly spend that is roughly AED 1,060 a year, almost five times the annual fee. Confirm the treatment of AED transactions with Amex before applying.
What is the minimum income requirement?+
An annual income of at least AED 276,000 if employed (about AED 23,000 a month) or AED 367,000 if self-employed, per the eligibility block on the Arabic product page. You must be a UAE resident aged 21 or over. The English page's enquiry form starts its income bands at AED 15,000 a month, but the published eligibility is the higher figure.
Does this card include lounge access or travel insurance?+
No lounge access. No insurance benefits are published on the product page or the fee schedule; Amex's general insurance terms document lists a policy number for this card without any cover limits, so treat insurance as unconfirmed and ask Amex. Lounge access in the Amex UAE line-up starts with the Gold Credit Card (5 Priority Pass visits a year).
What interest rate and minimum payment does the card charge?+
A fixed 3.60% per month (43.20% a year), with up to 56 interest-free days on purchases when you pay the statement in full. The schedule sets the minimum payment at 5% of the balance or US$10, whichever is higher (the product page's 'Payment Instalments' blurb quotes US$18). Plan It can also convert purchases into 3, 6, 9 or 12-month instalments at up to 1.50% a month.
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.