Best Cards for Earning Emirates Skyward Miles

Emirates is an excellent program all-around. I mean...really, really nice. If you're chasing flexibility with your points, several top travel rewards cards let you transfer points directly to Emirates Skywards. Whether you’re after lounge access, bonus miles, or better redemption options, there’s a card here that fits your Emirates travel goals.

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Best Cards for Earning Emirates Skyward Miles

Emirates is an excellent program all-around. I mean...really, really nice. If you're chasing flexibility with your points, several top travel rewards cards let you transfer points directly to Emirates Skywards. Whether you’re after lounge access, bonus miles, or better redemption options, there’s a card here that fits your Emirates travel goals.

Read our ultimate guide to
Emirates Skyward Miles
here
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Emirates Skyward Miles
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What's on this page
Best Cards for Earning Emirates Skyward Miles
Best credit cards for business
Best credit cards for personal
Cards That Transfer to
Emirates Skyward Miles
Which Card is Right For You?
Other Ways to Earn
Pros & Cons
Related Ranked Lists
Browse Other Categories of Cards
FAQs

Personal Cards

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Business Cards

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Transfer to Emirates Skyward Miles

🏆 Daily Drop's Most Popular Card

🏆 Daily Drop's Most Popular Card

Annual Fee: $95

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a popular travel rewards credit card known for its excellent earning potential—we love it at Daily Drop! Cardholders can redeem their points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or transfer them to various airline and hotel loyalty programs for added flexibility.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for travel credits

🏆 Best for travel credits

Annual Fee: $550

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card is a premium travel credit card tailored for frequent travelers seeking luxury perks and rewards. With a focus on travel benefits, this card offers a generous welcome offer, airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and valuable rewards through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, making it an excellent choice for travelers.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best Chase Welcome Offer

🏆 Best Chase Welcome Offer

Annual Fee: $95

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
90,000
Bonus Points
Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
90,000
Bonus Points
Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a premier choice for small business owners seeking rewards and travel benefits. This card offers generous points on business expenses, including travel and advertising, and provides other valuable perks such as flexible redemption options, making it a top pick for those looking to maximize their business spending.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Annual Fee: $150

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
40,000
Bonus Points
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
40,000
Bonus Points
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
If you're on the fence about joining the Amex family, getting the Amex Green card is a solid place to start. It offers a competitive earning rate of 3x points on spending categories that include travel, restaurants, and transit. So if you aren't a full-time or regular traveler who would benefit from the luxury perks of its bigger brother, The Platinum Card® from American Express, and a majority of your spending falls into those categories, this could be a great option.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for restaurants

🏆 Best for restaurants

Annual Fee: $325

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000
Bonus Points
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The American Express Gold Card is a premium card that offers lucrative rewards for dining at U.S. restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, along with valuable travel benefits, making it an excellent choice for foodies and frequent travelers. While it does come with an annual fee, the card's combination of rewards and perks can provide substantial value to those who frequently dine out and travel.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for luxury benefits

🏆 Best for luxury benefits

Annual Fee: $695

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
80,000
Bonus Points
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 within the first six months.
80,000
Bonus Points
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 within the first six months.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Amex Platinum is a premium card offering a range of exclusive travel and lifestyle benefits, including access to luxury airport lounges, annual travel credits, and Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel or other rewards. With a high annual fee, this card is designed for individuals who value premium perks and are frequent travelers looking to enjoy a heightened level of luxury and convenience.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Annual Fee: $0

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
15,000
Bonus Points
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
15,000
Bonus Points
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a business credit card designed for those who want a straightforward way to earn rewards on their business expenses. It offers Membership Rewards points on all eligible purchases, making it a versatile and rewarding choice for business owners.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best Luxury Business Card

🏆 Best Luxury Business Card

Annual Fee: $695

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
150,000
Bonus Points
ELEVATED OFFER
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first 3 months.
150,000
Bonus Points
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first 3 months.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Business Platinum card is a premium business credit card offering a range of exclusive travel and business benefits, including airport lounge access, annual airline fee credits, and 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel. With a higher annual fee, this card is designed for businesses looking to elevate their travel experience and enjoy a suite of luxury perks.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Best for 2X on Everyday Spending

Best for 2X on Everyday Spending

Annual Fee: $95

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
$250 credit + 75k Bonus Miles
75,000
Bonus Miles
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
75,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Capital One Venture Rewards credit card makes travel rewarding and easy. Earn miles on every purchase, which you can redeem for various travel expenses like flights, hotels, and car rentals. Plus, with no foreign transaction fees, it’s an ideal choice for international travel. If you’re looking to maximize rewards without crazy fees, this card would be a great addition to your wallet. This one continues to be a Daily Drop favorite.
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👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best no annual fee starter card

🏆 Best no annual fee starter card

Annual Fee: $0

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
20,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
20,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a travel rewards card designed for those seeking simple, no-annual-fee access to miles for travel with 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for premium travel perks

🏆 Best for premium travel perks

Annual Fee: $395

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
75,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
75,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Venture X (one of our favorites!) is a premium travel rewards card that offers generous earning rates on travel and dining purchases, along with a wide range of travel perks and benefits. Cardholders can enjoy flexible redemption options for their rewards, making it a popular choice for frequent travelers.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for High Business Spend

🏆 Best for High Business Spend

Annual Fee: $395

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
150,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 150,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
150,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 150,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Venture X business credit card offers robust rewards and benefits tailored to entrepreneurs and small businesses (plus, many travel perks for those who want to hit the skies and see the world).
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Annual Fee: $95

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
50,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 50,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months.
50,000
Bonus Miles
Earn 50,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business credit card is a travel-focused business card that offers flexible miles-earning options and valuable travel benefits, making it an ideal choice for businesses with a focus on frequent travel and rewards.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for renters

🏆 Best for renters

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
This card does not offer a welcome offer.
0
Bonus Points
If you're a renter, do yourself a favor and earn points for paying rent each month (up to 100,000 points in a calendar year, just use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points)!
0
Bonus Points
If you're a renter, do yourself a favor and earn points for paying rent each month (up to 100,000 points in a calendar year, just use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points)!
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Bilt card truly is a game changer for those who pay rent and want to earn points doing just that. BUT, its decent earning structures and monthly bonuses are also solid perks that any travel hacker should consider.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

🏆 Best for Gas Stations

🏆 Best for Gas Stations

Annual Fee: $95

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
70,000
Bonus Points
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
70,000
Bonus Points
Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Citi Strata Premier is the latest and greatest card from Citi. It features solid earning rates on everyday spending categories such as air travel, hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas, and even EV charging stations. With a low annual fee, we view it as a solid, mid-tiered card no matter if you like to earn rewards on travel or just on your everyday activities.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Annual Fee: $0

Rates & Fees
|
Terms Apply
20,000
Bonus Points
Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of account opening.
20,000
Bonus Points
Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of account opening.
✅ Check if you're pre-approved or eligible for elevated offers using the CardMatch Tool
The Citi Rewards+® Card is a unique rewards credit card that rounds up the points earned on each purchase to the nearest 10, providing a little extra value for your everyday spending. With no annual fee, this card is ideal for individuals looking to maximize their rewards on small purchases and offers a valuable addition to their Citi ThankYou Points collection.
🚀 Learn How to Apply
👀 Read Our Take

Which Card is Right for You?

If you’re a dedicated Emirates fan, the Emirates co-branded cards can help you rack up miles directly while unlocking perks like lounge access and extra baggage. But if you prefer flexibility, there are plenty of cards from Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One, which will let you earn points that transfer 1:1 to Skywards, giving you options beyond Emirates. The right card depends on whether you want Emirates-specific perks or the freedom to transfer points where you need them most.

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Other Ways to Earn

Besides using the right credit card, you can up your Emirates Skywards balance by flying Emirates or partner airlines, shopping through the Skywards Everyday app, and booking hotels or rental cars with Emirates partners. You can also convert hotel points from programs like Marriott Bonvoy and transfer rewards from Amex, Chase, Citi, or Capital One when you need to top off your miles for a redemption.

‍

Pros and Cons

Pros

[.pro] Flexible points that transfer 1:1 to Skywards instead of being locked into one airline [.pro]

[.pro] Redeem for premium cabins on Emirates (like First Class and Business Class!) [.pro]

[.pro] Broader range of travel redemptions, not just Emirates flights [.pro]

[.pro] Strong earning rates on travel, dining, and other purchases [.pro]

‍

Cons

[.con] No Emirates-specific perks like free checked bags or priority boarding [.con]

[.con] Some cards have high annual fees [.con]

FAQs

Can I use transferred points for Emirates First Class?

Yes! You can book First Class, Business, or Economy, but premium cabins can be hard to find.

Do Emirates Skywards Miles expire?

Yes, they expire after 3 years, and earning or transferring miles won’t extend their life.

Can I transfer Skywards Miles to other airlines?

No, but you can use them to book partner flights with airlines like Qantas, JetBlue, and Japan Airlines.

How long do point transfers to Emirates take?

Amex and Capital One transfers are usually instant, while Chase and Citi can take up to 24 hours.

Are there transfer bonuses to Emirates?

Occasionally! Amex, Citi, or Capital One sometimes offer transfer bonuses, so check before you move points.

Authors

Written by: McKay Moffitt

Content Specialist

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Edited by: Tiffany Eastham

Writer & Editor 

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Best for 2X on Everyday Spending
Learn more
What's on this page
Best Cards for Earning Emirates Skyward Miles
Best credit cards for business
Best credit cards for personal
Cards That Transfer to
Emirates Skyward Miles
Which Card is Right For You?
Other Ways to Earn
Pros & Cons
Related Ranked Lists
Browse Other Categories of Cards
FAQs