Best cards at Emirates
The Platinum Card from American Express earns the most at Emirates right now at 5x.
Rankings use issuer rates verified as of October 2, 2026.
#15x5xThe Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · Amex · $895/yr · up to $500,000/yr · Lower rate after the cap
#24x4xU.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
U.S. Bank · Visa · No annual fee
#34x4xU.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
U.S. Bank · Visa · Business · $95/yr · up to $150,000/yr (combined) · Lower rate after the cap
#44x4xWells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card
Wells Fargo · Visa · $95/yr
#54x4xChase Sapphire Reserve
Chase · Visa · $795/yr
#63x3xAeroplan Card
Chase · Mastercard · $195/yr
#73x3xEmirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard
Barclays · Mastercard · $99/yr
#83%3%AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Card
Bread Financial · Visa · No annual fee
#93%3%Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
Citi · Visa · No annual fee
#103%3%Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi
Citi · Visa · Business · No annual fee
Good to know at Emirates
Emirates takes every major card network, so nothing in your wallet is ruled out at checkout. What stands out in the ranking is that the airline's own co-brand, the Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard, sits seventh at 3x, while five general travel cards above it earn the equivalent of 4% to 5% back. Loyalty to the airline does not require loyalty to its card.
The ranking is identical whether you book online or pay in person, so the real question is fine print at the top. The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5x but carries an $895 annual fee and a $500,000-a-year cap, with 1x after it. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is the practical runner-up: 4x on travel, airfare included, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
Below those two, the rest of the 4x tier is respectable. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card earns 4x on airlines for $95 a year, Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4x on flights booked directly for $795, and the U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card pays 4x up to $150,000 a year combined, then 1x, for $95 after a $0 first year. For an occasional Emirates flyer, a no-fee 4x card captures most of the value without adding another fee to justify.
The math
Spend $250 a month at Emirates and The Platinum Card from American Express returns about $150 a year at our valuations — a flat 2% card returns $60.
Common questions
- What is the best credit card at Emirates?
- The Platinum Card from American Express earns the most at Emirates right now at 5x.
- How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Emirates?
- We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Emirates's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.
- Is the Emirates Skywards card worth it for Emirates flights?
- The Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard earns 3x on tickets, goods and services bought directly from Emirates, which we value at roughly 3.3% back, for a $99 annual fee; inflight purchases do not count. That trails the 4x and 5x travel cards above it in our ranking. Unless you want its first-year Skywards Silver status, a stronger travel card is the simpler play.
- Is a no-annual-fee card good enough for booking Emirates flights?
- Yes. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card earns 4x on travel with no annual fee, second only to a card that costs $895 a year. The AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Card pays 3% on travel with no cap and no annual fee, and AAA membership is not required to apply. Frequent flyers may still out-earn both with The Platinum Card from American Express at 5x.
Rates reflect each card's best case at this merchant and can change; check the issuer's terms before applying.