Barclays Emirates Credit Cards Bonuses
Barclays and Emirates launched two new credit cards in the United States back in September of 2020. Now Barclays and Emirates Skywards have launched a limited time offer for eligible members who apply for the Emirates Skywards Mastercard® between April 20 and June 15, 2021 and are approved. During the offer period, cardmembers can enjoy a discount on tickets and save up to $1,996 on Emirates flights.
There are two cards available, Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard®, with an annual fee of $99, and Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®, with an annual fee of $499. You will also get bonus Skywards Miles as part of the welcome offer, 40K and 30K respectively. That’s down from the highest offers of 60K and 50K that we say earlier this year.
Each card unlocks exclusive rewards and privileges, including the opportunity to earn 3 Skywards Miles for every $1 spent on eligible Emirates purchases; 2 Skywards Miles on eligible travel purchases; and 1 Skywards Mile on all other purchases. Cardmembers can earn and accumulate unlimited Skywards Miles with no expiration date, as long as the account remains open and active.
Offer
Here are the new offers for both cards:
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
- Earn 40,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
- Save up to $1,996 on Emirates First Class and Business Class tickets – New Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard cardmembers can enjoy a discount of $499 on up to four First Class or Business Class tickets, purchased under the same booking reference – which is a savings up to $1,996.
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard
- Earn 30,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
- Save up to $396 on Emirates Economy Class tickets – New Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard cardmembers can enjoy an exclusive discount of $99 on up to four Economy Class tickets, purchased under the same booking reference.
Card Details
| Benefits | Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard | Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
 Apply now |
 Apply now |
|
| Annual fee | $499 | $99 |
| Enjoy Emirates Skywards tier membership during your first year | Emirates Skywards Gold | Emirates Skywards Silver |
| Maintain Emirates Skywards tier membership | Yes, by spending USD 40,000 each cardmembership year | Yes, by spending USD 20,000 each cardmembership year |
| Earn bonus Skywards Miles after spending USD 3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days | 40,000 | 30,000 |
| Earn 3 Skywards Miles for every USD 1 spent on emirates.com or at the Emirates Sales office | Yes | Yes |
| Earn 2 Skywards Miles for every USD 1 spent on eligible airfares, hotel stays and car rentals | Yes | Yes |
| Earn 1 Skywards Mile for every USD 1 spent on all other purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Earn anniversary bonus Skywards Miles after spending USD 30,000 each cardmembership year | 10,000 | No |
| Your Skywards Miles don’t expire while your account is open | Yes | Yes |
| There’s no limit to the number of Skywards Miles you can earn | Yes | Yes |
| Receive 25% savings when you Buy or Gift Miles | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges worldwide for you and your guest(s) with Priority PassTM Select | Yes | No |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every five years – up to USD 100 | Yes | No |
| No foreign transaction fees on international purchases | Yes | Yes |
The Emirates Skywards program is a transfer partner for all major currencies, American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Venture Miles. So earning Emirates Skywards is already easy through credit credit cards that earn these currencies.
Guru’s Wrap-up
The bonuses are not the best we have seen. You get 30K for the $99 card and 40K for the $499 card. But now you also get a discount on flights, so if you can make use of that, it could make sense. You also earn status immediately for having the card although you need to meet a spending threshold to keep status going forward ($40K and $20K annually).
The Emirates Skywards program is a transfer partner for all major currencies, American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Venture Miles. So earning Emirates Skywards is already easy through credit credit cards that earn these currencies.
