Which credit card pays the most on travel in the United Arab Emirates?
Of the cards whose terms were read off the issuer, FAB Travel (First Abu Dhabi Bank) publishes the highest rate on travel in the United Arab Emirates: 12.30% (AED 1,575 a year). This is a ranking of published rates, not a recommendation to apply.
This is information about each card's published terms, not a recommendation to apply. PayperWIZ arranges no credit and is paid nothing by any bank or card issuer.
24 read cards · United Arab Emirates · travel
The answer, from 24 read cards
Highest published rate on the whole category first. What limits each rate is printed beside it, because it is usually what decides whether the rate is real.
| # | Return | Card |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.30% | FAB TravelcheckedFirst Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 2 | 10.00% | ADCB TravellercheckedADCB · AED 1,575 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026needs AED 5,000 a month on the card first |
| 3 | 10.00% | RAKBANK WorldcheckedRAKBANK · AED 997.50 a year, waived above AED 100,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026at most AED 400 back a month; needs AED 10,000 a month on the card first |
| 4 | 10.00% | RAKislamic WorldcheckedRAKBANK Islamic · AED 997.50 a year, waived above AED 100,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026at most AED 400 back a month; needs AED 10,000 a month on the card first |
| 5 | 10.00% | dnata WorldcheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,048.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 6 | 7.00% | ADCB Emirati IslamiccheckedADCB Islamic · AED 945 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026needs AED 7,000 a month on the card first |
| 7 | 6.00% | Voyager World ElitecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026 |
| 8 | 5.00%or 10.00% (only at dnata) | dnata PlatinumcheckedEmirates NBD · AED 525 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 9 | 3.27% | Marriott Bonvoy World ElitecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 10 | 3.00% | FAB CashbackcheckedFirst Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 300 a year · checked 17 Aug 2026needs AED 3,000 a month on the card first |
| 11 | 3.00% | Voyager WorldcheckedEmirates NBD · no annual fee · checked 18 Sep 2026 |
| 12 | 2.00% | Etihad Guest Visa ElevatecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 13 | 2.00% | Standard Chartered Simply Cash BackcheckedStandard Chartered · AED 525 a year, waived above AED 9,000 of spending a year · checked 17 Aug 2026 |
| 14 | 2.00% | Wio Credit CardcheckedWio Bank · no annual fee · checked 17 Aug 2026at most AED 2,500 back a month |
| 15 | 1.63% | Marriott Bonvoy WorldcheckedEmirates NBD · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 16 | 1.50%or 7.50% (only at Emaar) | U by Emaar InfinitecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 17 | 1.50%or 7.50% (only at Emaar) | U by Emaar Infinite (Emiratis)checkedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 18 | 1.40% | Etihad Guest Visa InspirecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 735 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 19 | 1.25%or 6.25% (only at Emaar) | U by Emaar SignaturecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 262.50 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 20 | 1.09% | Skywards InfinitecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026 |
| 21 | 1.05%or 1.58% (only at non-dirham spending) | Mashreq SolitairecheckedMashreq · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 22 | 1.00% | Mashreq CashbackcheckedMashreq · no annual fee · checked 17 Aug 2026 |
| 23 | 1.00%or 5.00% (only at Emaar) | U by Emaar FamilycheckedEmirates NBD · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026 |
| 24 | 0.82% | Skywards SignaturecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 735 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026 |
Rates on part of travel
These read cards pay on travel only at the places named. They are not ranked above, because the number is not what the card pays on travel anywhere else.
| Return | Card |
|---|---|
| 10.00% | Darna Visa InfinitecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 1,575 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026only at Aldar hotels |
| 7.50% | Darna Visa SignaturecheckedEmirates NBD · AED 315 a year · checked 18 Sep 2026only at Aldar hotels |
| 6.25% | Darna SelectcheckedEmirates NBD · no annual fee · checked 18 Sep 2026only at Aldar hotels |
| 5.00% | Ajman LIFE World CashbackcheckedAjman Bank · AED 630 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending; at most AED 100 back a month; needs AED 5,000 a month on the card first |
| 4.36% | Marriott Bonvoy ADIB InfinitecheckedADIB · AED 2,625 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Marriott Bonvoy properties |
| 4.00% | DIB Consumer Cashback PlatinumcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 249 a year · checked 17 Sep 2026only at automobile servicing; at most AED 400 back a month; needs AED 4,000 a month on the card first |
| 4.00% | DIB SHAMS InfinitecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 733.95 a year, waived above AED 60,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at flight and hotel bookings; at most AED 80 back a month; the terms say: Flight and hotel bookings, capped at 20,000 Wala'a a month. |
| 4.00% | DIB SHAMS PlatinumcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 208.95 a year, waived above AED 15,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at flight and hotel bookings; at most AED 40 back a month; the terms say: Flight and hotel bookings, capped at 10,000 Wala'a a month. |
| 4.00% | DIB SHAMS SignaturecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 523.95 a year, waived above AED 30,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at flight and hotel bookings; at most AED 60 back a month; the terms say: Flight and hotel bookings, capped at 15,000 Wala'a a month. |
| 3.75% | Emirates Islamic EmaraticheckedEmirates Islamic · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 3.02% | Citi UltimacheckedCitibank · AED 3,150 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 3.00% | Citi Cash BackcheckedCitibank · AED 300 a year, waived above AED 9,000 of spending a year · checked 17 Sep 2026only at non-AED spending |
| 3.00% | DIB Consumer RewardcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 200 a year · checked 17 Sep 2026only at automobile servicing; at most AED 300 back a month; needs AED 3,000 a month on the card first |
| 2.40% | ADIB Smiles SignaturecheckedADIB · AED 1,258.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 2.00% | ADIB SHARE Visa InfinitecheckedADIB · AED 1,048.95 a year, waived above AED 75,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 2.00% | FAB SHARE InfinitecheckedFirst Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 1,050 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at international spending |
| 2.00% | Sharjah Islamic CashbackcheckedSharjah Islamic Bank · AED 199 a year, waived above AED 10,000 of spending a year · checked 18 Sep 2026only at international spending in foreign currency |
| 1.91% | Emirates Islamic Skywards BlackcheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 2,100 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates and flydubai |
| 1.91% | Etihad Guest PremiumcheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Etihad Airways |
| 1.81% | Citi PrestigecheckedCitibank · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.75% | ADIB Etihad Guest InfinitecheckedADIB · AED 3,150 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Etihad Airways |
| 1.63% | Etihad Guest AmeeracheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 733.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Etihad Airways |
| 1.63% | Etihad Guest SaqercheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 943.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Etihad Airways |
| 1.63% | Marriott Bonvoy ADIB SignaturecheckedADIB · AED 523.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Marriott Bonvoy properties |
| 1.63% | ADIB Emirates Skywards InfinitecheckedADIB · AED 4,725 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates and flydubai |
| 1.60% | RAKBANK ElevatecheckedRAKBANK · AED 617.40 a year, waived above AED 60,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.50% | ADIB Etihad Guest PlatinumcheckedADIB · AED 2,100 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.50% | FAB SHARE SignaturecheckedFirst Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 525 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at international spending |
| 1.40% | DIB Prime InfinitecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.36% | ADIB Emirates Skywards SignaturecheckedADIB · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates and flydubai |
| 1.31% | Mashreq Al Islami Platinum ElitecheckedMashreq Al Islami · AED 650 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.25% | ADIB SHARE Visa PlatinumcheckedADIB · AED 208.95 a year, waived above AED 45,000 of spending a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.21% | Citi PremiercheckedCitibank · AED 787.50 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.20% | DIB Prime SignaturecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 1.09% | Emirates Islamic Skywards InfinitecheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 2,100 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates and flydubai |
| 1.09% | Emirates Skywards DIB InfinitecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 2,625 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates |
| 1.09% | Etihad Guest PlatinumcheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 208.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Etihad Airways |
| 1.00% | FAB SHARE PlatinumcheckedFirst Abu Dhabi Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at international spending |
| 0.96% | ADIB Smiles ClassiccheckedADIB · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.91% | Citi RewardscheckedCitibank · AED 315 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.88% | DIB Prime PlatinumcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.82% | Emirates Islamic Skywards SignaturecheckedEmirates Islamic · AED 735 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates and flydubai |
| 0.82% | Emirates Skywards DIB SignaturecheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 1,575 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates |
| 0.75% | ADIB Etihad Guest GoldcheckedADIB · AED 1,050 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.54% | Emirates Skywards DIB PlatinumcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · AED 525 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at Emirates |
| 0.53% | Mashreq Platinum PluscheckedMashreq · AED 313.95 a year · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.40% | DIB Prime GoldcheckedDubai Islamic Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
| 0.32% | DIB Prime ClassiccheckedDubai Islamic Bank · no annual fee · checked 19 Sep 2026only at non-dirham spending |
How these were worked out. Only cards whose rates a person read
off the issuer's own published terms are ranked here; 6 other cards in the catalogue publish a rate on travel that nobody has yet read off the issuer, and are not listed here at all. Points and miles are
valued at the redemption rate the programme publishes, the rate anyone can take
rather than the best one after a transfer. A rate that covers only part of
travel — one chain of shops, one kind of merchant — is shown with what it covers
and is not ranked, because it is not what the card pays on travel.
The right card depends on what you have already spent.
PayperWIZ holds the cards you actually own and names the right one at the till — after the cap you have already used this month, and after the foreign-currency fee. Every rate in it says whether it was read off the issuer, and none is made up.
Download on the App Store Every category in the United Arab Emirates