Emirates Islamic Skywards Infinite
First-year fee waived with 30,000 spend
at Emirates Islamic's secure site
Fee charged upfront, reversed on meeting the spend condition. Terms apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"This is the EI Skywards card most people should actually consider: the full Visa Infinite travel kit and Silver tier, with a fee you can realistically never pay if your spend clears the thresholds. Just go in with open eyes — the waiver route means no bonus miles, the FX fee is high for a travel card, and if you ever revolve a balance at 3.69% a month, every mile you earned was overpriced."
Earning and redeeming Skywards Miles
Rates are quoted per USD 1 equivalent (about 3.67): 2 Miles with Emirates and flydubai booked directly, 1.5 Miles on any non- spend, 1 Mile domestically. The reduced categories bite harder here than on the Black: groceries earn 0.5, fuel, telecom, real estate and fast food 0.25, government services, utility bills, insurance and education 0.15, and EEA/UK merchants just 0.375. Bill payments through the bank's own channels and cash-type transactions earn nothing, and miles accrue only on spend up to your credit limit each month.
Miles post to your Emirates Skywards account within about two days of billing and are redeemed at emirates.com for flights and upgrades. The complimentary Silver tier runs for 12 months from issuance — keeping it needs USD 2,500 of direct Emirates flight spend a year, so think of Silver as a perk you re-earn by flying, not a permanent feature.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 2,100 (incl. VAT); charged upfront and reversed for year one with 30,000 spend in 180 days, waived in year two at 150,000 annual spend
- Welcome offer
- First-year fee waiver only — no bonus miles under this offer (apply by 31 Aug 2026; a Skywards-wide promo adds 5,000 bonus Tier Miles)
- Profit rate
- 3.69% per month (44.28% APR) — murabaha structure, no profit charged if you pay in full
- Profit-free period
- Up to 55 days on retail purchases
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.54% plus the ~1.15% network processing fee on non- spend
- Cash advance fee
- 3.15% of the amount (minimum 103.95)
- Late payment
- 131.25/month 'commitment to donate' — paid to charity under Sharia supervision
- Supplementary cards
- Up to 4, no annual fee
- Minimum salary
- Not published for this card — EI's application form applies its generic 5,000 floor
- Card network
- Visa Infinite
Fees verified against Emirates Islamic's Key Fact Statement for credit cards (V7.5, 05/26), VAT-inclusive, plus the card page and current offer terms. The offer T&Cs mention an 999 first-year AMF if the spend condition is missed — at odds with the KFS's 2,100. Always confirm on the issuer's site before applying.
Card benefits
Skywards Silver tier
Complimentary Silver for 12 months — bonus Tier Miles, extra baggage and priority check-in. Renewed with USD 2,500 of direct Emirates flight spend a year.
1,200+ lounges with a guest
Unlimited access via Visa Airport Companion for you and one guest. Two visits a year free outright; later visits need a USD 1 FX spend 15 days ahead or cost USD 32.
Unlimited golf
Unlimited complimentary rounds at UAE clubs any day of the week, with 10,000 monthly card spend.
Valet parking x2 monthly
Two complimentary valet services per month at select locations, with 7,500 monthly card spend.
90-day travel takaful
Automatic multi-trip travel accident and inconvenience takaful for you and your family when the trip is paid on the card.
Reel Cinemas 2-for-1
Up to 3 buy-one-get-one tickets a month at Reel Cinemas plus 20% off at Roxy, with 5,000 monthly spend.
Pros and cons
- Current offer reverses the first-year fee if you spend 30,000 in 180 days, and year two is waived at 150,000 annual spend
- Complimentary Skywards Silver for 12 months — bonus Tier Miles, extra baggage and priority check-in
- 2 Miles per USD 1 on Emirates and flydubai with miles landing straight in your Skywards account
- Genuine Visa Infinite perks: 1,200+ lounges with a guest, unlimited golf, valet, concierge and 90-day travel takaful
- Sharia-compliant murabaha structure with up to 4 supplementary cards at no annual fee
- 3.69% monthly profit rate (44.28% APR) — higher than the Black card's, and expensive if you revolve
- 2.54% foreign-currency fee plus the ~1.15% network fee stings for a travel card
- Groceries earn half rate and government, fuel, telecom and bills drop to 0.15–0.25 Miles per USD 1; EEA/UK spend earns just 0.375
- Taking the first-year fee waiver means no welcome bonus miles
- Keeping Silver after year one needs USD 2,500 of direct Emirates flight spend a year, and lounge visits beyond 2 a year require the USD 1 FX-spend trick
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You fly Emirates or flydubai a few times a year and want a Sharia-compliant card with miles going straight to Skywards.
- You spend 12,500+ a month on the card — enough to keep the annual fee permanently waived.
- You'll use the Infinite-tier extras: lounges with a guest, golf, valet, meet & greet and family travel takaful.
Consider skipping it if
- You want a welcome bonus — taking the first-year fee waiver explicitly forfeits bonus miles.
- Your spend is grocery- and bill-heavy — 0.15–0.5 Miles per USD 1 on those categories won't add up.
- You spend under ~ 8,000 a month — the Skywards Signature at 735 keeps the same earning DNA with lighter conditions.
Alternatives to consider
EI's metal flagship: 3.5x Emirates earn, Silver for life and a Gold fast track — for 50,000+ earners who fly Emirates hard.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →
Same Skywards DNA at 735 a year — you keep lounge access and valet, at lower earn rates and lighter monthly conditions.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →
The conventional sibling carries a big welcome bonus and Silver for the card's life — at a steep 3,148.95 joining fee.
Best Emirates Skywards 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 Skywards Infinite card?+
AED 2,100 including VAT per the bank's Key Fact Statement. Under the current offer the fee is charged upfront and automatically reversed for the first year if you spend AED 30,000 within 180 days of approval; in the second year it's waived if you spent AED 150,000 that year.
Does the first-year fee waiver come with bonus miles?+
No — the offer terms state that no Welcome Bonus Miles or Cashback are awarded as part of the 'No Annual Membership Fee for first year' offer.
How many Skywards Miles does the card earn?+
2 Miles per USD 1 with Emirates and flydubai, 1.5 Miles on international (non-AED) spend and 1 Mile on domestic spend. Groceries earn 0.5, fuel/telecom/real estate 0.25, government and utility bills 0.15, and EEA/UK merchants 0.375. Cash advances and balance transfers earn nothing.
Does the card include Emirates Skywards Silver status?+
Yes — complimentary Silver tier for 12 months from issuance, with bonus Skywards Miles, extra baggage allowance and priority check-in. To keep Silver in later years you need a minimum of USD 2,500 spent directly on Emirates flights in the previous 12 months. Existing Gold or Silver members are unaffected.
Does the Skywards Infinite card include lounge access?+
Yes — unlimited access to 1,200+ lounges with one guest via the Visa Airport Companion app. Two visits per calendar year are free outright; after that each visit needs a USD 1 foreign-currency spend 15 days beforehand, otherwise USD 32 per visit.
Can I get supplementary cards?+
Yes — up to 4 supplementary cards for family members, with no annual supplementary card fee per the Key Fact Statement. Miles earned on supplementary spend credit to the primary cardholder's Skywards account; tier status stays with the primary cardholder only.
Is the Skywards Infinite card Sharia-compliant?+
Yes. It uses a murabaha structure, the bank charges no profit on accrued profit, and late payment triggers a 'commitment to donate' of AED 131.25 paid to charity rather than a conventional late fee.
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.