Emirates credit cards in Australia
American Express and Commbank are the only Australian credit card providers that let you convert their reward points to Emirates Skywards Miles.
Key takeaways
- Rewards credit cards from CommBank and Amex let you earn points on your spending and convert them to Skywards Miles, the Emirates loyalty program.
- You can convert 5 CommBank Award Points to 1 Skywards Mile, while 4 Amex Membership Rewards Points convert to 1 Skywards Mile.
- Compare rewards cards from both providers in the table below. Be sure to compare annual fees, earn rates and bonus points offers.
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How we picked these
How can I earn Emirates Skywards Miles with a credit card?
There are no Australian credit cards that let you earn Emirates Skywards Miles directly. But you can transfer rewards points from American Express Membership Rewards or Commbank Awards credit cards.
Reward point transfer rates
- 5 CommBank Awards Points = 1 Emirates Skywards Mile
- 4 American Express Membership Rewards Points = 1 Emirates Skywards Mile
How to transfer credit card points to Emirates Skywards Miles
Each rewards program has its own steps for redeeming points, but it's usually along these lines:
- Log in to your credit card rewards program account.
- Choose the frequent flyer point transfer option from the selection of rewards (or search for Emirates Skywards Miles).
- Confirm the details and follow the prompts to transfer your points.
How to compare Emirates credit cards
With only 2 credit card brands in Australia currently offering point transfers to Skywards Miles, here are some of the key details to think about.
- Bonus points offers. Introductory bonus points offers give you a way to get thousands of Skywards Miles on a new card when you meet the requirements. You'll usually need to be a new customer and spend a certain amount on the card in the first few months to be eligible for a bonus offer.
- Earn rate. Rewards credit cards typically let you earn between 1 and 2 points for every dollar you spend on the card. The higher the better, but make sure you factor in the conversion to Skywards Miles. If you earned 1 Commbank Awards Point, it converts to one fifth of a Skywards Mile. If you spent $500 on the card you'd earn 100 miles.
- Annual fee. Credit cards that offer point transfers to Emirates Skywards Miles typically have annual fees from around $108 to $1,750. Some cards also offer a reduced or $0 annual fee for the first year or for the life of the card. Ideally, the annual fee should cost less than the value you get from Skywards Miles and other perks.
- Purchase rates. This is the interest rate you pay on your spending if you don't repay the card balance in full. Rewards credit card interest rates are typically between 19% and 24%.
- Benefits and perks. Rewards credit cards often come with single-use lounge passes each year, complimentary international travel insurance, travel discounts and more.
Our expert says: Is an Emirates credit card worth it in Australia?
"If you regularly fly with Emirates, one advantage to getting a credit card that offers Skywards Miles transfers is that you can earn more miles for reward flights. But if you're unlikely to redeem Skywards Miles within the 3-year timeframe before they expire, another option is to consider a Qantas credit card. This would allow you to earn Qantas Points, which you can redeem for flights with Emirates or other partners through the Qantas Frequent Flyer program."
Compare a wider range of frequent flyer credit card offers available now.
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Citibank has now withdrawn use of the Mahaba Lounge and also reduced the rate at which citi miles are accrued. They also recently increased by 30% the number of citi miles required for free long haul flights/upgrades. Give this card a MISS!
Hi,
Can the Emirates Citibank Platinum be used to pay the ATO and collect Reward points from this transaction
Hi Hazel,
Thanks for your question.
American Express is the only credit card issuer at the moment whose terms and conditions states that you can earn points by paying tax in the Australian market, given that you do not use BPAY. You may also refer to our guide on earning rewards points-paying your tax bill. Before applying, please ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria and read through the details of the needed requirements as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jacob
Hi, I currently have a Skywards account with 20,000 miles, however, these miles have an expiry period of only 3 years. Will miles earned from the credit card also have this expiry period? Some airline miles have no expiry period, so 3 years is quite a limiting factor in whether I apply for the Emirates card. Thanks.
Hi Peter. Thanks for your question. According to the Skywards website: ‘Your Skywards Miles are valid for three years from the date on which they are credited to your account. Miles due to expire will be removed from your account annually, at the end of the month in which you were born. For example, if you earned Miles in June 2007 and your birthday was in August, these Miles expired on August 31, 2010. You can set automated messages from your Manage Account pages to remind you when Skywards Miles are due to expire.’ Hope this helps. Jacob.
If we have booked our Business class tickets to UK with Emirates and purchased with Citi Bank Emirates Mastercard Platinum, Are we covered with Travel Insurance and if so what is the cover.
Hi Kathy. Thanks for your question.
According to the terms and conditions, I’ve sent them to your email, you’re eligible for the cover when you put the full price of the ticket on your card provided that, ‘their travel is for
no more than three (3) consecutive months for Gold Cards, or six (6) consecutive months or less for Select Cards , Signature Cards and Platinum Cards.’
You covered for the following.
‘• medical expenses if you become sick or
injured;
• access to Zurich Assist emergency services;
• loss or theft of personal belongings and
business items;
• cancellation of travel arrangements due to
unexpected circumstances;
• costs of resuming travel after the unexpected
death of a relative;
• costs of getting you to a special event if your
journey is unexpectedly interrupted;
• reimbursement of a rental vehicle excess or
deductible;
• reimbursement of your additional meal and
accommodation expenses due to an unexpected
delay of your conveyance;
• your funeral expenses;
• your accidental death;
• your legal liability; and
• loss of income as a result of injuries sustained
on a journey.’
Let me know if you would like more information about this.
Jacob.
Applied for card , gave all information req and it took 5 months to get a reply . Was told I was successful and the cards were to be dispatched to me. The next week another girl called asking more questions !!! Now I have a letter declining my application !!!!!
Very very poor service. Alan.
Hi Alan. That’s disappointing to hear about your experience. Everyone should remember that it’s best to stay on the front foot when contacting the bank during card application. If you think your application is taking too long to process, call them and let them know. Let us know if there’s anything we can do for your Alan. Jacob.