DIB SHAMS Signature Covered Card
Up to 100,000 bonus Wala'a Rewards + 360 cashback
at Dubai Islamic Bank's secure site
New-to-card customers only. Terms apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"The Signature is where the SHAMS maths works for a normal household budget: the same 5% on dining and travel as the flagship, a perk condition of 5,000 a month you'll hit without trying, and a fee waiver at 30,000 a year. You lose the golf and the gym — what's left is the part most cardholders were actually going to use."
Earning and redeeming Wala'a Rewards
The Signature keeps the headline rate: 10 Wala'a per 1 on dining and on travel bookings — 5% back at the bank's valuation of roughly half a fils per reward — capped at 10,000 Wala'a for dining and 15,000 for travel each month. Other domestic spend earns 2.5 per 1 (~1.25%), international non- spend earns 3, and the penalty wall applies: government, supermarkets, utilities, insurance, cars, education, fuel, real estate, telecom and EEA transactions all drop to 0.4 per 1. Utility and government bills paid through DIB's own platforms, charity, crypto and quasi-cash earn nothing.
Redemption runs through alt Online Banking: book any airline or hotel, take cashback, shop, pay bills with rewards, or exchange into Etihad Guest Miles and Avios (Qatar Airways Privilege Club) — transfer ratios aren't published, so check the app before committing a large balance. DIB doesn't publish an expiry period either; the KFS simply warns that loyalty currencies expire, which argues for redeeming as you go.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 0 year one, then 523.95 (VAT inclusive) — waived every year you spend 30,000+
- Welcome offer
- 100,000 Wala'a Rewards on USD 10,000 spend in 90 days + 20% cashback (up to 360) at Amazon, Noon, Talabat, Deliveroo & Dubai Now for 3 months — new customers, cards issued by 31 Dec 2026
- Profit rate
- 3.69% per month (Salam structure) on unsettled balances
- Foreign transaction fee
- 3.70% on non- transactions; 3.14% even on -denominated transactions processed abroad
- Cash withdrawal fee
- 3.15% of the amount; non-DIB international ATMs add 26.25
- Late payment
- 236.25 — taken as a charity donation under Sharia supervision, not bank income
- Minimum payment
- 5% of the balance or 100, whichever is higher
- Minimum salary
- Not published by DIB — confirmed at application
- Card network
- Visa Signature
Fees verified against DIB's Schedule of Charges (effective 11 Aug 2026), the SHAMS limited-time-offer sheet (June 2026) and the Covered Cards Key Facts Statement (Aug 2026), all VAT-inclusive unless noted. Always confirm on dib.ae before applying.
Card benefits
8 lounge visits a year
1,200+ lounges via the Visa Airport Companion app. First visit each year is free outright; later ones need a small foreign-currency purchase 15 days ahead — or USD 32 per entry.
2 valet parkings a month
Complimentary valet at 18 key UAE locations — just present your card. Free in months you spend 5,000+.
Costa Coffee buy-one-get-one
Unlimited BOGO on beverages at Costa outlets across the UAE while you meet the monthly spend condition.
2 airport transfers a year
Complimentary intra-emirate airport transfers from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah (inter-emirate at special rates), plus 15% off Zofeur chauffeur services.
USD 500,000 travel cover
Travel and medical coverage up to USD 500,000 when you book your tickets with the card, plus roadside assistance twice a year.
Sharia-compliant balance transfer
Move other banks' card balances (min 1,000, up to 90% of your limit) onto a 12-month payment plan with no documentation, via alt Online Banking.
Pros and cons
- Same 5% dining and travel rate as the flagship Infinite — at half the fee-waiver and perk thresholds
- Effectively free for life: no first-year fee, waived after that at just 30,000 annual spend
- 8 lounge visits, 2 valet parkings a month, Costa BOGO and 2 airport transfers a year on a fee-waivable card
- Fully Sharia-compliant Salam structure with late payment handled as a charity donation, not bank income
- Meaningful welcome package: 100,000 Wala'a plus up to 360 in merchant cashback
- Valet, Costa and airport transfers require 5,000+ retail spend that month
- Lounge visits after the first each year need prior foreign-currency spend — otherwise USD 32 per entry, and no guest allowance is stated
- The 5% dining cap is just 10,000 Wala'a a month (~ 50 of value)
- 3.70% international usage fee is high — the 3x international earn doesn't cover it
- Base earn of 2.5 Wala'a per 1 (~1.25%) trails the Infinite, and penalty categories drop to 0.4
- DIB doesn't publish a minimum salary for this card — eligibility is only confirmed at application
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You spend 5,000–8,000 a month and want 5% dining-and-travel rewards without fee anxiety.
- You'll use lounge visits, valet and Costa BOGO but wouldn't touch golf or a gym membership.
- You want a fully Sharia-compliant card whose late-payment charge goes to charity, not the bank.
Consider skipping it if
- Your monthly spend is regularly under 5,000 — the perks stop being complimentary exactly when you use them.
- Most of your spend is groceries, fuel, utilities or government fees, which earn 0.4 Wala'a per 1.
- You spend heavily abroad — 3.70% FX turns every foreign purchase into a net loss despite the 3x earn.
Alternatives to consider
Same 5% engine with double the caps, 12 lounge visits with a guest, golf, Fitness First and four valet parkings — for higher spend thresholds.
Best Islamic credit cards →
The entry SHAMS keeps 5% on dining and travel with a 15,000 fee-waiver bar — no lounge or valet, but nothing to unlock either.
Best no-annual-fee cards →
No reward currency to manage and no perk thresholds to track — straightforward cashback on everyday DIB spending.
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
Is the DIB SHAMS Signature Card really free for life?+
There is no annual fee in year one. From year two the AED 499 + VAT fee (AED 523.95) is waived if you spent AED 30,000 on the card in the year — balance transfers, easy payment plans, cash advances and fees don't count toward the threshold.
What is the SHAMS Signature welcome offer?+
Two parts, for new-to-card customers with cards issued by 31 December 2026: (1) 100,000 bonus Wala'a Rewards (worth up to AED 500) if you spend USD 10,000 within 90 days of issuance; (2) 20% cashback at Amazon, Dubai Now, Deliveroo, Noon and Talabat for the first 3 months, capped at AED 20 per merchant per month — up to AED 360 in total.
How much are Wala'a Rewards worth?+
DIB values 100,000 Wala'a at 'up to AED 500' — about AED 0.005 per reward. On that basis 10 Wala'a per AED 1 on dining and travel is 5% back, and the 2.5 base rate is roughly 1.25%. Actual value depends on how you redeem through alt Online Banking.
How does the airport lounge access work?+
You get 8 visits per year at 1,200+ lounges via the Visa Airport Companion app. The first visit each calendar year is unconditional; for later visits you need a foreign-currency purchase (USD 1 equivalent, at a merchant outside the UAE) at least 15 days beforehand, otherwise USD 32 per entry is charged. The page doesn't mention a guest allowance on this tier.
What spend do I need to keep the valet, Costa and airport transfer benefits?+
AED 5,000 of retail spend in the calendar month. If you miss it (or exceed the usage allowance), the service provider's applicable fee is billed to your card for that usage.
Is the SHAMS Signature Card Sharia-compliant?+
Yes. DIB is a fully Islamic bank and SHAMS is a covered card based on the Salam structure with a Wakala account, approved by DIB's Internal Sharia Supervision Committee. The monthly profit rate is 3.69%, and late payment triggers a AED 236.25 donation to charity rather than a penalty to the bank.
What is the minimum salary for the SHAMS Signature Card?+
DIB doesn't publish a minimum salary for this card on its website or Key Facts Statement — eligibility is confirmed during the application.
How is the Signature different from the SHAMS Infinite?+
Same 5% on dining and travel, but lower caps (10,000/15,000 vs 20,000 Wala'a a month), a lower base rate (2.5 vs 3.5 per AED 1), 8 lounge visits instead of 12 with a guest, 2 valet parkings instead of 4, and no golf, Fitness First or the Infinite's higher thresholds — the perk condition drops from AED 8,000 to AED 5,000 a month and the fee waiver from AED 60,000 to AED 30,000 a year.
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.