CBD Smiles Visa Signature
Earn 10 Smiles points per 1 on etisalat spend
at CBD's secure site
Terms & conditions apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"This is the etisalat household's card. Ten points per on bills, Smiles orders and elGrocer is a real rate you can feel at redemption time, and getting lounge visits plus proper travel insurance at a 5,000 salary is rare. Just don't take it abroad — the 3.5% forex fee undoes the math — and don't kid yourself that the 2x everyday rate is why you got it."
Earning and redeeming Smiles points
The card earns into etisalat by e&'s Smiles program — the same points as the Smiles app, and the same currency ADIB's Smiles cards earn. The headline is 10 points per 1 across all etisalat channels, the Smiles app and elGrocer, capped at 25,000 points a month; international spend earns up to 3x and other domestic spend up to 2x. A recurring 5,000-point quarterly bonus lands each calendar quarter you spend 10,000 in the previous one — effectively a 2x boost on moderate spending.
Redemption happens in the Smiles app: etisalat bills, prepaid recharges, food delivery, groceries, pharmacies, smartphones and shopping vouchers. Note CBD's own fine print — point value differs by redemption type and the bank has no control over it, so treat valuations as indicative, and burn points regularly rather than hoarding them.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 0 first year, then 525 (VAT inclusive) — waived each year you spend 24,000
- Interest rate
- 3.85% per month (46.20% p.a.) on purchases and cash withdrawals
- Minimum salary
- 5,000 per month
- Foreign transaction fee
- 3.5% — also applies to -denominated transactions processed abroad, plus the card scheme's own processing fee
- Cash withdrawal fee
- Flat 204.75 per withdrawal
- Late payment fee
- 241.50
- Overlimit fee
- 304.50 per instance
- Supplementary cards
- Free for life
- Card network
- Visa Signature
Fees verified against CBD's card-specific Key Facts Statement (17 December 2025), VAT inclusive. Always confirm on cbd.ae before applying.
Card benefits
10x on etisalat & Smiles
10 Smiles points per 1 on etisalat channels, the Smiles app and elGrocer, up to 25,000 points a month, plus a 5,000-point quarterly bonus on 10,000 spend.
8 lounge visits a year
Eight complimentary visits per calendar year at 1,000+ lounges — for primary and supplementary cardholders separately — via the Visa Airport Companion app.
Multi-trip travel insurance
Cover for the cardholder and family up to USD 500,000, for trips of up to 90 days, when you hold the card.
Smiles Unlimited free for 90 days
Buy 1 Get 1 offers, free food and grocery delivery and waived home-service fees — free renewal if you keep earning 25,000+ points per 60 days.
200 Unravel hotel credit
200 off hotel bookings with Unravel in your first 90 days, delivered as a voucher in the Smiles app.
Purchase protection & warranty
Visa Signature purchase protection and extended warranty on eligible purchases, plus optional CBD Credit Shield at 1% of the outstanding balance.
Pros and cons
- 10 points per 1 on etisalat channels, Smiles app and elGrocer — a rich rate on telecom spend
- 5,000 minimum salary for a Visa Signature with lounge visits and travel insurance
- Annual fee waived in year one and every year you spend 24,000
- Recurring 5,000-point quarterly bonus on 10,000 quarterly spend
- Free-for-life supplementary cards and multi-trip travel insurance up to USD 500,000
- High 3.5% foreign-currency fee — charged even on -priced international transactions
- The 10x rate is capped at 25,000 Smiles points a month and limited to etisalat/Smiles/elGrocer spend
- Smiles point value varies by redemption and the bank has no control over it
- Lounge visits after the first each year require prior international spend on the card; USD 32 per visit once conditions aren't met
- Steep 3.85% monthly interest (46.20% p.a.) if you carry a balance
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- Your etisalat bills, Smiles app orders and elGrocer baskets add up to serious monthly spend.
- You earn 5,000–10,000 a month and want lounge visits and travel insurance anyway.
- You can put 24,000 a year on the card and never pay the annual fee.
Consider skipping it if
- You're a du household — the 10x rate is worthless to you.
- You spend a lot in foreign currency: 3.5% forex plus scheme fees is among the steeper rates around.
- You want flexible rewards — Smiles points only spend inside the etisalat ecosystem at variable value.
Alternatives to consider
The same etisalat Smiles currency from ADIB, structured as a Sharia-compliant card — compare the earn rates and fee waivers before choosing.
Same Smiles ecosystem at half the earn rate — 5x on etisalat — with a 208.95 fee waived at just 12,000 annual spend.
Straight cashback beats ecosystem points if your spending isn't concentrated on etisalat channels.
Best cashback 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
What is the annual fee on the CBD Smiles Visa Signature card?+
The first year is free. From year two the fee is AED 500 + 5% VAT (AED 525), waived each year you make AED 24,000 of retail spend on the card.
What is the minimum salary for the CBD Smiles Signature card?+
AED 5,000 per month for salaried applicants. Self-employed applicants need a valid trade licence.
Is this the same Smiles program as the etisalat Smiles app?+
Yes — points earned on the card are etisalat by e& Smiles points, redeemed in the Smiles app against etisalat bills, recharges, food delivery, groceries, smartphones and vouchers.
How many Smiles points does the card earn?+
10 points per AED 1 on all etisalat channels, Smiles app and elGrocer spend (capped at 25,000 points a month), up to 3 points per AED 1 on international spend and up to 2 points per AED 1 on other domestic spend, plus a 5,000-point quarterly bonus when you spend AED 10,000 in the previous calendar quarter.
Does the CBD Smiles Signature card include airport lounge access?+
Yes — 8 complimentary visits per calendar year (for the primary and each supplementary cardholder separately) at over 1,000 lounges. After the first visit each year, you need at least USD 1 of international spend on the card to keep visits complimentary; extra visits cost USD 32 each.
What is Smiles Unlimited and is it free with this card?+
Smiles Unlimited is etisalat's subscription with Buy 1 Get 1 offers, free food and grocery delivery and waived home-service fees. The card includes 90 days free; it stays free month-to-month if you earn 25,000+ points on Smiles/etisalat spend in the preceding 60 days, otherwise it renews at AED 29 a month.
What interest rate does the card charge?+
3.85% per month (46.20% p.a.) on purchases and cash withdrawals, per the December 2025 Key Facts Statement. Pay the full statement balance by the due date to avoid interest.
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.