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CardCurator — Rewards Intelligence
Card Comparison

American Express Gold Card vs Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard

Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.

American Express Gold Card card art
American Express Membership Rewards
American Express Gold Card
American Express
More Info
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard card art
Emirates Skywards
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
Barclays
More Info
Annual Fee
$325/yr
$499/yr
Foreign Fees
None
None
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Spend $6,000 in 6 months
50,000 points
Spend $3,000 in 3 months
Top Earn Rates
  • Restaurants (Worldwide) 4x
  • U.S. Supermarkets 4x
  • Flights (Direct or Amex Travel) 3x
  • Emirates Purchases 3x
  • Dining and hotel purchases 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
  • Uber Cash $10
  • Dining Credit $10
  • Resy Credit $100
  • +1 more
  • TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Credit $120
Card Perks
  • The Hotel Collection Access
  • Baggage Insurance Plan
  • Trip Delay Insurance
  • 25% savings when you Buy or Gift Miles
  • Priority Pass Select Lounge Access (~$469/yr)
Spend Milestones
No milestones
  • Emirates Gold tier membership
    After $40,000 spend
Transfer Partners
  • Flying Blue
  • Delta SkyMiles
  • True Blue
  • Qatar Avios
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • +13 more
No transfer partners
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Common Questions: American Express Gold Card vs Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard

Is the American Express Gold Card or Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard better for dining?

American Express Gold Card earns 4x on dining; Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard earns 2x on dining. American Express Gold Card wins for dining.

Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?

American Express Gold Card currently offers 100,000 pts signup bonus (spend $6,000 in 6 months). Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard offers 50,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). American Express Gold Card has the larger bonus.

Which card is better for international travel?

Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.

Can I hold both the American Express Gold Card and the Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard?

In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. American Express Gold Card is from American Express and Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard is from Barclays, so they're governed by separate bank policies.