Emirates Islamic Skywards Signature
Lounge access with a guest for 735 a year
at Emirates Islamic's secure site
See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"Most premium travel cards make you pay four digits for perks you use three times a year. This one charges 735 and still brings a guest into the lounge with you. The earn rates won't excite anyone — treat the miles as a bonus on Emirates spend, not the reason to apply — but as a Sharia-compliant perks card for the occasional traveller, the maths is honest."
Earning and redeeming Skywards Miles
Rates are quoted per USD 1 equivalent (about 3.67): 1.5 Miles with Emirates and flydubai booked directly, 1.1 Miles on any non- spend, 0.75 Miles domestically. The reduced categories cut deep: groceries earn 0.375, fuel, telecom, real estate and fast food 0.187, government services, bills, insurance and education 0.11, and EEA/UK merchants just 0.275. 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 — no bank portal in between — and are redeemed at emirates.com for flights, upgrades and partner rewards. There's no tier status and no welcome bonus on this card, so its case rests on the perks: lounge access with a guest, monthly valet and cinema, two golf rounds and Visa Signature's Luxury Hotel Collection.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 735 (incl. VAT)
- Welcome offer
- None currently advertised (a Skywards-wide promo adds 5,000 bonus Tier Miles for cards issued by 31 Aug 2026)
- 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); Cash on Call up to 80% of your available limit
- Balance transfer
- 0% profit for 6 months on transferred balances; processing fee applies
- Late payment
- 131.25/month 'commitment to donate' — paid to charity under Sharia supervision
- Supplementary cards
- Up to 4, no annual fee
- Card network
- Visa Signature
Fees verified against Emirates Islamic's Key Fact Statement for credit cards (V7.5, 05/26), VAT-inclusive, plus the card page. No card-specific minimum salary is published. Always confirm on the issuer's site before applying.
Card benefits
1,200+ lounges with a guest
Unlimited access via Visa Airport Companion for you and one guest. First visit each year free outright; later visits need a USD 1 FX spend in the prior 15 days or cost USD 32.
Monthly valet parking
One complimentary valet service per month at select UAE locations, with 5,000 monthly card spend.
2 golf rounds
Two complimentary rounds at UAE clubs, weekday or weekend, with 5,000 monthly card spend.
Luxury Hotel Collection
900+ hotels with best-rate guarantee, upgrades and late check-out when available, free breakfast, VIP status and a USD 25 F&B credit.
Reel Cinemas 2-for-1
Up to 2 buy-one-get-one tickets a month at Reel Cinemas plus 20% off at Roxy, with 3,000 monthly spend.
90-day travel takaful
Automatic multi-trip travel accident and inconvenience takaful when the trip is paid on the card.
Pros and cons
- Real travel perks at a 735 fee: 1,200+ lounges with a guest, valet, golf and Marhaba meet & greet
- Miles land straight in your Skywards account, with 1.5 per USD 1 on Emirates and flydubai
- Benefit spend gates are the gentlest in the EI Skywards range ( 3,000–5,000 a month)
- Luxury Hotel Collection and 90-day multi-trip travel takaful via Visa Signature
- Sharia-compliant murabaha structure, up to 4 supplementary cards free, 0% balance transfer for 6 months
- No Skywards tier status — Silver and Gold live on the Infinite and Black cards
- No welcome bonus is currently advertised for this card
- 0.75 Miles per USD 1 domestic earn is modest, and groceries, bills and fuel drop to 0.11–0.375
- 2.54% FX fee plus the ~1.15% network fee undercuts miles earned abroad; EEA/UK spend earns just 0.275
- 3.69% monthly profit rate (44.28% APR) if you carry a balance
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You travel a few times a year and want lounge access with a guest without a four-digit annual fee.
- You want a Sharia-compliant Emirates co-brand and can comfortably clear 3,000–5,000 a month for the perks.
- You value the extras — valet, golf, cinema, hotel privileges — more than maximising miles per .
Consider skipping it if
- You want Skywards Silver or Gold status — that starts at the Skywards Infinite.
- You're chasing a welcome bonus — this card doesn't have one right now.
- Your spend is mostly groceries, bills and fuel — earn rates of 0.11–0.375 Miles per USD 1 make miles negligible there.
Alternatives to consider
A step up: Skywards Silver, better earn rates and a fee that stays waived at high spend — worth it if you fly Emirates regularly.
Best Emirates Skywards cards →
From the same bank: skip the miles game entirely and take cashback on everyday spend, still Sharia-compliant.
Best cashback cards →
The conventional group sibling pays up to 100,000 welcome Miles and automatic Silver — at more than four times the entry cost.
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 Signature card?+
AED 735 including VAT, per Emirates Islamic's Key Fact Statement for credit cards.
How many Skywards Miles does the card earn?+
1.5 Miles per USD 1 with Emirates and flydubai, 1.1 Miles on international (non-AED) spend and 0.75 Miles on domestic spend. Groceries earn 0.375, fuel/telecom/real estate and fast food 0.187, government and utility bills 0.11, and EEA/UK merchants 0.275. Cash advances and balance transfers earn nothing.
Does the Skywards Signature card include lounge access?+
Yes — unlimited access to 1,200+ airport lounges for you and one guest through the Visa Airport Companion app. The first visit each year is free outright; further visits need a USD 1 foreign-currency spend in the prior 15 days, otherwise USD 32 per person.
Does the card come with Emirates Skywards Silver status?+
No — tier status is not part of this card. Emirates Islamic's Skywards Infinite includes Silver for 12 months, and the Skywards Black adds Silver for the card's life with a fast track to Gold.
Can I get supplementary cards?+
Yes — up to 4 supplementary cards for family members with no annual supplementary fee. Miles earned on their spend credit to the primary cardholder's Skywards account.
Does the card offer instalments or balance transfer?+
Yes — Easy Payment Plans over 3 to 24 months, a 0% Emirates flights instalment plan over 3 months for emirates.com bookings, balance transfer at 0% profit for 6 months (processing fee applies), and Cash on Call for up to 80% of your available limit.
Is the Skywards Signature card Sharia-compliant?+
Yes. Like all Emirates Islamic credit cards it uses a murabaha structure, 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.