DUBAI- Emirates (EK) has launched 2 UK credit cards with Jaja Finance. They are the first UK cards to earn Skywards miles directly since 2018.
The Premium card offers a 30,000 mile bonus and Silver status. The Rewards card offers a 20,000 mile bonus and lounge passes at airports such as London Heathrow (LHR) and Manchester (MAN).
Emirates Returns to UK Credit Cards With Jaja Finance
Head for Points reported that Emirates launched the cards with no advance notice, press release or media event. Emirates’ earlier UK cards launched with MBNA in 2013 and closed in 2018. The airline first surveyed UK members about a new card in 2019.
Emirates opened the first application stage on 29 October 2026 to a small group of UK Skywards members invited by email. That exclusive application period has now closed. Full card terms are on the Emirates application website.
Jaja is a private equity-backed business founded in 2016. It buys credit card portfolios and their outstanding loans from companies that want to exit the sector.
In 2019, Jaja joined a consortium with Centerbridge Partners and KKR to acquire Bank of Ireland UK’s credit card business for an initial £530 million.
The portfolio included the Post Office and Automobile Association branded cards. Jaja also issues the Asda Money credit cards.
Premium and Rewards Cards Compared
| Feature | Premium Card | Rewards Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £250 | £120 |
| Representative APR | 107.2% variable | 59.7% variable |
| Purchase rate | 29.9% to 39.9% APR variable | 29.9% to 39.9% APR variable |
| Sign-up bonus | 30,000 miles | 20,000 miles |
| Spend to earn bonus | £3,000 in 90 days | £3,000 in 90 days |
| Miles per £1 on Emirates | 3 | 2 |
| Miles per £1 outside the UK | 1.5 | 1 |
| Miles per £1 in the UK | 1 | 1 |
| Credit limit | £3,000 to £10,000 | £2,000 to £7,000 |
Representative APRs assume a £1,200 credit limit. Credit limits and purchase rates depend on the applicant’s status.
The sign-up bonuses are special offers valid to 30 November 2026. Applicants who held an Emirates credit card in the previous 24 months do not qualify for them.
Jaja pays the sign-up bonus within 14 days of reaching the spend target. Other miles can take up to 6 weeks to arrive after each statement period.
Spending outside the UK carries a 2.99% fee, and Visa sets the exchange rate. A £5,000 foreign currency spend therefore incurs £149.50 in fees.
Silver Status and Gold Fast Track
The Premium card gives Silver status for the first card year. It can take up to eight weeks to appear in the Skywards account. Members who already hold Silver receive a 12-month extension.
To keep Silver after the first year, cardholders must spend £5,000 in foreign currency each card year. Silver status only opens the Emirates Business Class Lounge in Dubai. It does not grant access to any other Emirates lounge.
A Gold fast track is also available. Cardholders must spend £5,000 in foreign currency and £3,500 on Emirates during a card year. The Emirates spend requirement rises to £5,000 from the second year.
Rewards Card: UK Lounge Passes
The Rewards card includes 2 annual passes for Emirates airport lounges in the UK. Cardholders can share the passes with a travel companion. The passes are not valid on reward flights.
Participating lounges are at Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester.
Both cards earn 1 Tier Mile for every 4 Skywards miles earned on the card. The sign-up bonus does not count. Premium card Tier Miles are capped at 15,000 per card year.
Gold status requires 50,000 Tier Miles. Silver requires 25,000 Tier Miles.
Until 31 March 2027, both cards allow a discount on Emirates cash fares at a special rate. 2,000 Skywards miles equal Dhs 70, or £14, which values each mile at 0.7p.
The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card cut its earn rate from 1.5 to 1.25 Avios per £1 on 7 October 2026. That rate now applies to all spending, including British Airways purchases.
The Emirates cards earn 1 Skywards mile per £1 on UK spending. Avios and Skywards miles are separate currencies with different redemption values, so earn rates alone do not show which card gives more value.
Assessment
The same report rates the package as decent for regular Emirates flyers. It says the sign-up bonuses make a one-year card worthwhile for anyone collecting Skywards miles.
It also calls the Rewards card lounge passes a smart move, because their value covers much of the annual fee.
The report describes the fees as high, especially £250 for the Premium card. It considers the Rewards card the better package, because many travellers may prefer UK lounge passes to Dubai lounge access.
It also warns that Skywards mileage requirements and surcharges have risen sharply in recent years, so miles may not stretch as far as expected.
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