Barclays
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
Key Features
| Annual Fee | $499.00 |
| Sign-up Bonus | 70,000 Skywards Miles |
| Rewards Rate | 1x-3x Skywards Miles |
| Intro APR | 0% introductory APR for the first twelve billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post to your account within 45 days of account opening) your APR will be 19.49% to 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. |
| Regular APR | Purchases – 19.49% to 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post to your account within 45 days of account opening) your APR will be 19.49% to 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. APR for cash advances 29.74%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. |
| Other Fees | Balance transfer fee Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. The minimum monthly interest charge will be $1.00. Balance transfer fee: 5% (min. $5). Cash advance fee: 5% (min. $10). Foreign transaction fee: 0%. |
| Network | Mastercard |
About this card
The Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard receives an overall rating of 2.6, placing it in the 'Fair' category. This card is highly specialized, offering substantial value primarily to a very specific demographic: frequent and loyal Emirates flyers who can fully leverage its niche benefits and avoid carrying a balance. For this particular audience, the card could be a strong contender; however, its significant drawbacks make it an average to below-average option for most other consumers. The primary reasons for this rating are the exceptionally high annual fee of $499 and a remarkably poor APR range (19.49% to 29.49%), which is punitive for any cardholder who carries a balance, especially considering it targets individuals with 'Very Good' credit. While the rewards program offers attractive benefits for Emirates-specific spending (3x miles) and includes valuable perks like Emirates Skywards Gold status, Priority Pass Select lounge access, and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, these are heavily offset by the high annual fee and the relatively uncompetitive 1x mile earning rate on general purchases. The high spend requirement ($30,000) for the anniversary bonus further limits its appeal. The absence of foreign transaction fees is a definite positive for a travel card. Ultimately, the card's value proposition is incredibly conditional. Its high cost and punitive interest rates for non-optimized use cases make it a risky choice for anyone not fully committed to the Emirates loyalty program, leading to its 'Fair' overall assessment. The notable limitations significantly outweigh its niche strengths for a broader analysis. **Strengths:** * **Generous Sign-up Bonus & Elite Status:** Strong initial offer including 70,000 Skywards Miles and Emirates Skywards Gold tier membership for the first year. * **Targeted Travel Rewards:** Excellent earning rate on Emirates purchases (3x miles) and good for other travel (2x miles). * **Premium Travel Benefits:** Includes Priority Pass Select lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, and no foreign transaction fees. * **Airline Loyalty:** Highly beneficial for dedicated Emirates frequent flyers due to status perks and direct mileage earning. **Weaknesses:** * **Exorbitant Annual Fee:** The $499 annual fee is a significant barrier and requires extensive utilization of benefits to justify. * **Very High APR:** The regular APR range of 19.49% to 29.49% is exceptionally high, making it unsuitable for cardholders who carry a balance. * **Weak General Spending Rewards:** Only 1x mile on all other purchases is uncompetitive for a premium-tier credit card. * **High Spending for Anniversary Bonus:** A $30,000 annual spend is required to earn the 10,000 anniversary bonus Skywards Miles. * **Niche Value:** The card's value is almost entirely tied to Emirates travel, limiting its appeal and flexibility compared to cards with more versatile transferable points programs.
Pros & Cons
What's great
- Generous sign-up bonus
- Intro APR period
- High rewards rate for travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lounge membership
- Automatic elite status
Things to consider
- High annual fee
- High regular APR
- High balance transfer fee
What this card offers
Sign-up bonuses
- Enjoy Emirates Skywards Gold tier membership during your first year, and retain your tier status by spending $40,000 each cardmembership year.
- Earn 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
Rewards
- Earn 3 Skywards Miles on eligible Emirates purchases
- Earn 2 Skywards Miles on eligible travel purchases
- Earn 1 Skywards Mile on all other purchases
- Earn 10,000 anniversary bonus Skywards Miles after spending $30,000 on purchases each cardmembership year.
- NEW! Earn 1 Tier Mile per 4 base Skywards Miles earned
Other features
- Introductory APR on balance transfers 0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply, 19.49% to 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. There is a fee for balance transfers.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit Receive an automatic statement credit for the cost of one Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every five years – up to $120.
- Receive 25% savings when you Buy or Gift Miles Receive a 25% savings when you Buy Skywards Miles for yourself or Gift Miles.
- There is no limit to the number of Skywards Miles you can earn as long as your account remains open, active and in good standing.
- NEW! Cash + Miles Special Rate Enjoy a special rate when using your Emirates Skywards Mastercard to book flights on emirates.com and the Emirates App using Cash + Miles.
- Priority Pass Select lounge access provides unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges worldwide for the primary cardmember and their guest(s).
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
- Complimentary online access to your FICO Credit Score lets you keep an eye on your credit score and get alerts when we learn that your score has changed.
- $0 Fraud Liability protection means you're not responsible for charges you did not authorize.
- The Skywards Miles you earn will not expire as long as your account remains open.
Additional Notes
The Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard is issued by Barclays Bank Delaware pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated.