Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card
Get 1,000 welcome cashback
at Standard Chartered's secure site
New-to-bank clients only. Spend 10,000 within 60 days of card opening. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
"The Journey card is best understood as a lounge pass with a credit card attached. Unlimited Visa Airport Companion access with a guest, unlimited free supplementary cards and a fee you can spend your way out of is a strong package at 1,575. Just don't buy it for the rewards — 2 points per USD 1 at home is roughly 0.44% back, and the foreign transaction charge of up to 2.99% cancels most of the 4x international rate."
Earning and redeeming 360° Rewards Points
Earn is quoted per USD 1 (about 3.67): 4 points on international spend and 2 points on local spend, or roughly 1.09 and 0.54 points per . Separately, UAE airport duty-free purchases (MCC 5309) earn 10% cashback capped at 100 per statement, which you activate by buying an airline ticket on the card — though the published offer terms for that promotion ran only to 31 December 2025, so confirm it is still live.
Redemption is where the value swings. The card page prices points at 125 to 1 for e-vouchers from Amazon, Carrefour, Noon, Sharaf DG, IKEA and others, or catalogue items in the 360° Rewards e-shop. But buy an airline ticket on the card and call 800 4949 within 60 days, and the bank converts your entire points balance at 2% — 50,000 points becomes 1,000, or 50 points per , more than double the voucher rate. Points can also be transferred to Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest and hotel programmes through the SC Mobile app, or spent directly at checkout with 'Purchase with Rewards'.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 1,575 (incl. VAT). Waived in year one on 10,000 of spend within 60 days, and every year after on 150,000 of spend in the previous 12 months
- Supplementary cards
- Free and unlimited for family members
- Welcome offer
- 1,000 cashback on 10,000 of spend within 60 days — new-to-bank clients only, apply by 30 September 2026
- Retail finance charge
- 3.69% per month (44.28% a year) on revolved balances; cash transactions 3.75% a month (45% a year)
- Payment due date
- 20 days from statement date; no finance charge if you pay 100% on or before the due date
- Minimum payment
- 1% of the principal balance plus all fees and charges, or 110, whichever is higher
- Foreign transaction fee
- Up to 2.99% of the transaction amount, on top of Visa's own processing fee
- Cash advance fee
- 3.15% of the amount or 105, whichever is higher
- Late payment fee
- 241.50
- Overlimit fee
- 292.95
- Minimum salary
- 30,000 per month, plus an SCB current or savings account
- Card network
- Visa Infinite (formerly sold as the SCB Visa Infinite credit card)
Rates taken from Standard Chartered's Service and Price Guide (conventional, v3) and the Journey card page, both VAT-inclusive. Standard Chartered does not publish a per-card Key Facts Statement. Always confirm on the issuer's site before applying.
Card benefits
Unlimited lounge access
Over 1,000 lounges for you and a guest through the Visa Airport Companion app. Your first two visits are free; one USD 1 international purchase during them unlocks unlimited access.
4 Careem airport transfers a year
Up to 100 off each ride with promo code SCB100. Activate by buying an airline or travel-agency ticket on the card.
2 golf rounds per billing cycle
Booked through SpikesOn.com at partner UAE clubs. Requires 12,000 of spend in the cycle, or 525 per round is charged.
Multi-trip travel insurance
Cardholder and family covered on all trips of up to 90 days when the travel is paid for on the card. Certificates are generated online for visa applications.
2-for-1 cinema and dining
Buy one, get one free at VOX and Reel Cinemas, plus Visa ENTERTAINER 2-for-1 offers on dining, beauty, attractions and hotels worldwide.
Visa Infinite Concierge
24/7 personal concierge by email or WhatsApp in English or Arabic, plus Avis and Budget car-rental discounts and a free BookingBash Pro membership.
Pros and cons
- Unlimited Visa Airport Companion lounge access for you and a guest once you've made one USD 1 international purchase — rare outside far pricier cards
- The annual fee is genuinely escapable: 10,000 in the first 60 days clears year one, 150,000 a year clears it after that
- Unlimited supplementary cards for family members at no annual fee
- Two golf rounds and up to 30 Warehouse Gym visits per billing cycle, plus 2-for-1 cinema at VOX and Reel
- Points are flexible — e-vouchers, statement cashback, 'Purchase with Rewards', or transfers to Emirates Skywards and Etihad Guest
- Foreign transaction charge of up to 2.99% is among the highest in the UAE and swallows much of the 4x international earn
- 3.69% a month (44.28% a year) on revolved balances, with 241.50 late and 292.95 overlimit charges
- Base point value is thin — 125 points to 1 unless you use the airline-ticket conversion route
- Golf and gym perks require 10,000–12,000 of spend every single billing cycle or you pay 525 per round or visit block
- 30,000 minimum monthly income, an SCB current or savings account, and a minimum 20,000 credit limit
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You fly often enough that unlimited lounge access with a guest is worth more than the 1,575 fee.
- You spend 150,000 or more a year, which wipes out the annual fee entirely.
- You want free supplementary cards for the whole family and lifestyle perks — golf, gym, cinema — you will actually use every month.
Consider skipping it if
- Most of your spend is in foreign currency — up to 2.99% FX charge more than cancels the 4x international earn.
- You spend less than about 10,000 a month, which switches off the golf and gym perks and leaves you paying the full fee.
- You ever carry a balance — 3.69% a month is expensive even by UAE standards.
Alternatives to consider
Emirates NBD's Voyager World earns transferable miles and comes with a deeper travel benefit stack, though the fees are structured very differently.
Best travel credit cards →
Standard Chartered's own Simply Cash card costs 525 a year and pays straight cashback rather than points you have to work to value.
Best cashback credit cards →
FAB's travel card is worth comparing on lounge entitlements and foreign-currency costs before you commit to 1,575 a year.
Best cards for lounge access →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 Journey card's annual fee really waived?+
Yes, but conditionally. The AED 1,575 fee (AED 1,500 plus VAT) is waived in year one if you spend at least AED 10,000 within 60 days of opening the account, and in every later year if you spent at least AED 150,000 in the previous 12 months. Miss the target and the bank charges the fee on your third-month statement in year one, and on the first statement of each new annual cycle after that.
How much lounge access does the Journey card give?+
Unlimited visits for you and one guest at over 1,000 lounges — but you have to earn it. Your first two visits in a year are complimentary; to unlock unlimited access you must make at least one international purchase of USD 1 or more on the card during those first two visits. Since 1 October 2024 you must prebook through the Visa Airport Companion app rather than showing the physical card.
How do I claim cashback with Journey card 360° Rewards Points?+
Buy an airline ticket with the card, then call 800 4949 within 60 days and ask to redeem your points balance for cashback at 2%. Standard Chartered's own example: a 100,000-point balance becomes AED 2,000 of cashback — 50 points per dirham, better than the 125 points per dirham the card page quotes for e-vouchers.
What do I earn on the Journey card?+
4 360° Rewards Points for every USD 1 spent internationally and 2 points for every USD 1 spent locally — roughly 1.09 and 0.54 points per dirham. There is also 10% cashback at UAE airport duty-free stores (MCC 5309), capped at AED 100 per statement, which you activate by buying an airline ticket on the card.
Is there a minimum spend for the golf and Warehouse Gym benefits?+
Yes. Standard Chartered requires AED 10,000 or more of spend each billing cycle for one complimentary golf round and Warehouse Gym access, and AED 12,000 for the limited-time second golf round (AED 10,000 for Priority Private Journey holders). If you miss it, a one-time fee of AED 525 applies per round of golf booked or once you go past the gym allowance.
Who can apply for the Journey credit card?+
UAE residents and nationals aged 21 to 60 with a minimum monthly income of AED 30,000 and a Standard Chartered current or savings account. Expats provide a copy of their Emirates ID, passport and visa; nationals provide the Emirates ID. Both need a salary transfer letter, bank statement or salary certificate. The minimum credit limit on the card is AED 20,000.
What does it cost to use the Journey card abroad?+
Standard Chartered charges a foreign transaction fee of up to 2.99% of the transaction amount, on top of the processing fee Visa applies. That is high by UAE standards, so the 4 points per USD 1 international earn is largely offset for most spenders.
Was the Journey card previously the Visa Infinite card?+
Yes. Standard Chartered renamed its UAE Visa Infinite credit card to the Journey credit card. Existing holders need to take no action — the Visa Infinite card is replaced with the Journey design at renewal or on replacement.
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.