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Card Comparison

British Airways Visa vs Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard

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

British Airways Visa card art
British Airways Executive Club
British Airways Visa
Chase
More Info
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard card art
Emirates Skywards
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
Barclays
More Info
Annual Fee
$95/yr
$499/yr
Foreign Fees
None
None
Signup Bonus
85,000 points
Spend $5,000 in 3 months
50,000 points
Spend $3,000 in 3 months
Top Earn Rates
  • British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Iberia 3x
  • hotel accommodations when booked directly with the hotel 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
  • Emirates Purchases 3x
  • Dining and hotel purchases 2x
  • All Other Purchases 1x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
None
  • TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Credit $120
Card Perks
None listed
  • 25% savings when you Buy or Gift Miles
  • Priority Pass Select Lounge Access (~$469/yr)
Spend Milestones
  • Travel Together Ticket every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways credit card. Valid for two years when you redeem Avios for a flight on British Airways for a companion traveling on the same flight, or use it for a 50% discount on the Avios price you pay when booking a solo reward flight
    After $30,000 spend
  • Emirates Gold tier membership
    After $40,000 spend
Transfer Partners
No transfer partners
No transfer partners

Common Questions: British Airways Visa vs Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard

Is the British Airways Visa or Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard better for dining?

British Airways Visa has no dining bonus; Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard earns 2x on dining.

Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?

British Airways Visa currently offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $5,000 in 3 months). Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard offers 50,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). British Airways Visa 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 British Airways Visa 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. British Airways Visa is from Chase and Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard is from Barclays, so they're governed by separate bank policies.