Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Covered Card
Earn up to 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles
at Dubai Islamic Bank's secure site
Sharia-compliant covered card. Terms apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"The Signature is where DIB's Skywards math works for normal budgets: 30,000 bonus Miles, real Emirates earn, and a renewal fee of 735 that a couple of flights a year can justify. Accept the trade-offs going in — no Silver tier, a 3.70% FX fee that punishes overseas spend, and half the bonus gated behind a balance transfer — and it's a solid, honest mid-tier Islamic travel card."
Earning and redeeming Skywards Miles
Rates are quoted per USD 1 equivalent (about 3.67): 1.5 Miles on Emirates spend, up to 1 on foreign-currency spend and up to 0.75 on local spend. The carve-outs matter — EEA merchants earn 0.5, and a long list of everyday categories (government, supermarkets, utilities, insurance, cars, education, fuel, real estate, telecom, transport) earns just 0.2 Mile per USD. Government spend stops earning past 25,000 per statement, and DIB-platform bill payments, charity, crypto and money transfers earn nothing.
There's no bank portal or transfer step: Miles post to your Emirates Skywards account within 48 hours, where you spend them on Emirates flights, upgrades and partners. Unlike the Infinite card there's no complimentary Silver tier — what you're paying for here is the earn engine, the 8 lounge visits and the travel Takaful cover.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 1,575 in year 1, then 735 from year 2 onwards (incl. VAT; page advertises 1,500 ex-VAT)
- Welcome offer
- Up to 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles: 15,000 on activation + 15,000 on an 30,000+ balance transfer kept 6+ months
- Profit rate
- Up to 3.69% per month (Salam-based structure, approved by DIB's Sharia committee)
- Minimum salary
- 15,000 per month
- International usage fee
- 3.70% on non- transactions; 3.14% on -denominated transactions processed abroad
- Cash withdrawal fee
- 3.15% of the transaction amount
- Late payment
- 236.25 per instance — a charity donation routed through the bank under Sharia supervision, not bank income
- Minimum payment
- 5% of the principal balance or 100, whichever is higher
- Supplementary cards
- Free
- Card network
- Visa Signature
Figures verified against DIB's Schedule of Charges (effective 11 Aug 2026, VAT-inclusive) and the DIB Covered Cards Key Facts Statement (Aug 2026). Always confirm on dib.ae before applying.
Card benefits
8 lounge visits a year
Access to 1,200+ lounges worldwide via Visa Airport Companion. After the first free visit each year, a foreign-currency transaction abroad 15+ days prior is required — else US$32 per visit.
2 free airport transfers
DXB Terminal 3 to Abu Dhabi and back, twice a year — conditional on a recent Emirates ticket and 5,000 monthly spend.
US$500,000 travel Takaful
Multi-trip travel and medical cover for you, your spouse and up to 5 children on trips up to 90 days, when tickets are booked on the card.
24/7 Visa Signature concierge
Hotel bookings, flights, limousine transfers and errands through global toll-free numbers, plus medical and legal referral worldwide.
Visa Luxury Hotel Collection
Member privileges at 900+ luxury hotels: preferential rates, upgrades, free breakfast, VIP status and a US$25 F&B voucher.
Roadside assistance, 3x a year
Towing, battery boost, flat-tyre help, fuel delivery and off-road pull-out across the UAE, plus a free international driving licence.
Pros and cons
- Up to 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles — 15,000 on activation, 15,000 on balance transfer
- Renewal fee drops to 735 from year two, roughly half the first-year cost
- 1.5 Miles per USD 1 on Emirates spend, credited straight to your Skywards account
- Sharia-compliant Salam structure, with late payment handled as a charity donation rather than bank income
- US$500,000 travel Takaful cover and 2 free DXB T3–Abu Dhabi airport transfers a year
- 1,575 first-year fee (incl. VAT) with no waiver — the discount only starts in year two
- 3.70% international usage fee is roughly double what conventional Skywards co-brands charge
- Everyday categories — supermarkets, fuel, utilities, telecom, education — earn just 30% of the base rate
- Lounge visits after the first each year need a foreign-currency transaction abroad 15+ days prior, else US$32 per entry
- No Skywards tier upgrade — Silver membership is reserved for the Infinite card
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You fly Emirates a few times a year and want Skywards earning inside Islamic banking without Infinite-level fees.
- You have an 30,000 balance elsewhere to transfer — it unlocks the second half of the bonus and moves debt to a Sharia-compliant structure.
- 8 lounge visits a year covers your travel pattern and you'll remember the foreign-spend condition before each trip.
Consider skipping it if
- You want Skywards Silver or lounge access for a companion — both are Infinite-card benefits.
- Most of your spending is supermarkets, fuel and bills — those earn 0.2 Mile per USD, a third of the base rate.
- You spend heavily abroad — the 3.70% international usage fee outweighs the 1x foreign earn rate.
Alternatives to consider
Step up for Skywards Silver, unlimited lounge access with a guest, 4 airport transfers and up to 75,000 bonus Miles — at 2,625 in year one.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →
The same Islamic Skywards engine at a flat 525 a year and a 10,000 salary bar — you lose the lounge visits and most of the bonus.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →
DIB's SHAMS Signature earns flexible Wala'a Rewards on every category instead of airline miles — better if your spending stays on the ground.
Best Islamic credit 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 welcome bonus on the Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Card?+
Up to 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles: 15,000 on card activation and 15,000 on a balance transfer of AED 30,000 or more that is not settled earlier than 6 months from the transfer date.
What is the annual fee on the Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Card?+
AED 1,575 in the first year and AED 735 from year two onwards per DIB's Schedule of Charges (VAT-inclusive); the bank's page advertises the ex-VAT figure of AED 1,500. There is no first-year waiver.
Is the Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Card Sharia-compliant?+
Yes. DIB is a fully Islamic bank and this is a covered card built on the Sharia principle of Salam with an Investment Wakala account, approved by DIB's Internal Sharia Supervision Committee. The monthly profit rate is up to 3.69%, and late payment triggers a charity donation of AED 236.25 rather than a penalty fee to the bank.
What is the minimum salary for the Emirates Skywards DIB Signature Card?+
AED 15,000 per month.
How many Skywards Miles does the card earn?+
Per USD 1 equivalent spent: 1.5 Miles on Emirates spend, up to 1 Mile on foreign-currency spend, and up to 0.75 Mile on local spend. EEA merchants earn 0.5 Mile, and everyday categories like supermarkets, fuel, utilities, education and telecom earn a reduced 0.2 Mile. Miles reach your Skywards account within 48 hours.
Does the card include airport lounge access?+
Yes — 8 complimentary visits per year to over 1,200 lounges through the Visa Airport Companion app, for the cardholder. Only the first visit each calendar year is unconditionally free: subsequent visits require a foreign-currency purchase at a merchant outside the UAE at least 15 days beforehand, otherwise US$32 per visit is charged.
How do the complimentary airport transfers work?+
You get 2 transfers per year between Dubai International Terminal 3 and Abu Dhabi. They're complimentary only if you bought an Emirates ticket on the card within the prior 6 months and maintain AED 5,000 minimum monthly spend — otherwise up to AED 335 (excluding VAT) is billed per ride. Book at least 2 days ahead.
Does the Signature card come with Emirates Skywards Silver membership?+
No — complimentary Skywards Silver is an Infinite-card benefit. The Signature card earns Miles and travel perks but does not change your Skywards tier.
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.