Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard

Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard Review

The Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard is the “entry-level” sibling of the ultra-premium airline rewards card from Barclays and Emirates. Despite that introduction, don’t let this card fool you: it’s a robust travel credit card with a premium feel. With no foreign transaction fees, premium Emirates benefits, and a solid sign-up bonus, this $99 annual fee credit card has a lot to love.

Bonus Miles Welcome Offer

New accounts earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after using the new Emirates Skywards Rewards Mastercard new Barclays credit card to make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. This welcome offer is generous –especially when considering the value of airline miles and modest spending minimum. This welcome bonus is also comparable to the Emirates Skywards Premium, despite a $400 gap in the annual fee.

How to Earn Emirates Skywards Miles

Both Emirates credit cards from Barclays earn miles in the Emirates Skywards frequent flyer program. Interestingly, despite the significant difference in the annual fee, both cards also feature the same reward-earning rate. This means you’ll earn the following on purchases with the Skywards Rewards Card:

The fact that the Rewards card earns the same rewards as its more expensive version is pretty cool (and egalitarian). Cardholders also earn points through codeshare partners when using the card and booking through your Emirates account. Emirates is not part of the three big airline alliances. Yet, despite that, the carrier has codeshare agreements with a good selection of leading airlines. These carriers include:

Your miles never expire as long as the account is open and active. There is no cap on the total number of miles you can earn.

Emirates Skywards Credit Card Comparison

Since the two Emirates airline credit cards earn the same rewards, how do the cards differ? Here is a quick look at the different benefits with the Emirates credit cards from Barclays:

	Skywards Rewards	Skywards Premium
Network	World Elite Mastercard	World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee	$99	$499
Emirates elite status	Silver	Gold
Emirates benefits	Save up to $99 off on up to 4 Economy or Business Class ticket purchases, complimentary Emirates Business Class lounge access for you in Dubai, 25% savings when you Buy Skywards Miles for yourself or Gift Miles; 30% bonus Skywards Miles on Emirates and flydubai flights, no foreign transaction fees	Priority Pass Select membership, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement every five years, priority check-in, boarding and baggage delivery; Seat selection on economy fares, 25% savings when you Buy Skywards Miles for yourself or Gift Miles; 75% bonus Skywards Miles on Emirates and flydubai flights, no foreign transaction fees

How to Redeem Emirates Skywards Miles

The Emirates Skywards program offers a fantastic opportunity for travelers to earn and redeem miles for various rewards, including flights, upgrades, hotel stays, and more. Like other frequent flyer programs, Emirates Skywards offers members a wide selection of award options. Cardholders can use their miles for:

• Award flights with Emirates or other global airline partners
• Free nights with Emirates’ hotel partners, including Hilton, Hyatt, Ibis, InterContinental, Marriott, and more
• Car rentals with select partners

Complimentary Skywards Silver Elite Tier Membership

New accounts also receive a complimentary first year of Silver elite status in the Emirates Skywards program. Silver is the entry tier of the elite levels and provides members to the following perks:

However, remember that this elite tier is for the first year only. To retain Silver status, you’ll need to spend $20,000 in purchases with their Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard each year to retain that status. You can also keep your status by making 25 flights with Emirates in a calendar year.

Other Travel Features

Cardholders also enjoy a few other nice perks with the card. For starters, there are 25% savings when buying or gifting miles. There are also the previously mentioned no foreign transaction fees. As a cardholder, you can also save big with Emirates. Save up to $99 on up to four Economy or Business Class ticket purchases – a total savings of up to $396.

Since the card is a World Elite Mastercard, holders can also anticipate exceptional Mastercard perks and protections, including savings with Lyft, Fandango, and more:

Barclays Ratings

How is it living with Barclays as a card issuer? Here is a selection of ratings for the bank from customers and experts alike:

Should You Apply for the Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard?

The Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard from Barclays is a unique airline card for global travelers who want to maximize their value while minimizing their annual fees.

Emirates Skywards is an excellent frequent flyer program with an extensive network of non-alliance partners. For those who frequently globetrot, the card provides the versatility needed to book flights with JAL, Qantas, Copa Airlines, and more. And when travel takes you closer to home, the ability to book flights with Alaska or JetBlue is a nice feature.

However, JetBlue offers a no-annual-fee credit card that likely provides greater value for those who don’t plan on flying with Emirates. If you fall into that category, check out the JetBlue Card (also from Barclays) and then use your TrueBlue Points to transfer to Emirates, Alaska, or any one of the myriad other partners the low-cost carrier teams with.