Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Bank of Ireland vs Emirates
Bank of Ireland
Higher score in this comparison
Emirates
What sets them apart
| Compare | Bank of IrelandReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | EmiratesReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | €30 | $99 |
| APR | 22.1% | 19.49% to 29.49%Lower |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.25% | 0%Lower |
| Balance transfer intro period | 7 months | 12 monthsHigher |
| Rewards type | Not confirmed | Miles |
| Rewards rate | Not confirmed | 3 Miles per USD 1 on Emirates spend, 2 Miles per USD 1 on travel spend, 1 Mile per USD 1 on all other spend |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 5% |
| Perks | Not confirmed | Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for 12 months (Rewards World Elite Mastercard), Skywards Miles do not expire while the card account remains open, 25% discount on purchase or gift of Skywards Miles when paying with the card, Priority Pass Select lounge access (Premium World Elite Mastercard), USD 120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every 4 years (Premium World Elite Mastercard), No foreign transaction fees on international purchases |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Bank of Ireland scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Founded is lower at Bank of Ireland: 1783 vs 1985.
- APR is lower at Emirates: 19.49% to 29.49% vs 22.1%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Emirates: 0% vs 2.25%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Emirates: 12 months vs 7 months.
- Support channels: only Emirates offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland suits residents of the Republic of Ireland who want savings, loans and a rewards card from a single long standing bank, with deposits covered by EU DGS up to EUR 100,000. The catch is holding the Classic credit card, at €30 a year and 22.1% APR.
Emirates
Emirates Skywards fits people who spend with the airline and travel often, and rewards their miles rather than their balance. Interest is costly at 19.49% to 29.49%, so the card only earns its place for customers who clear it in full each month.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5Personal loans carry 0 EUR - no arrangement fee as the arrangement fee, while the card costs €30 a year. | 8.7HigherCosts $99 a year, far above a €0 median across the cards ranked here. |
| Offer | 8.7The card lists rewards among its features, plus a 7 balance transfer offer, while SuperSaver pays 3%. | 9.3HigherPays miles with no foreign transaction fee at 0%, plus tier status and lounge access. |
| Trust | 10.0Higher | 9.2 |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Credit and debit cards | 288 of 1594 | 395 of 1594 |
| Balance transfer cards | 9 of 32 | 13 of 32 |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Bank of Ireland
22.5
2.25% of 1,000
Emirates
0
0% of 1,000
Emirates comes out 22.5 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Choosing between them
Pick Bank of Ireland if trust matter most.
Pick Emirates if offer, apr, currency conversion fee, and balance transfer intro period matter most.
Sources behind this comparison
Bank of Ireland
- personalbanking.bankofireland.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- bankofireland.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Emirates
- emirates.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | Not confirmed |
| Features | Rewards | Rewards |
| Legal entity | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
| Headquarters | Ireland | United Arab Emirates |
| Founded | 1783Lower | 1985 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Loans
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | €2,000 to €75,000 | Not confirmed |
| Term | 12 months | Not confirmed |
| Arrangement fee | 0 EUR - no arrangement fee | Not confirmed |
| Credit check | Hard | Not confirmed |
| Funding time | 24-48 hours after signed credit agreement | Not confirmed |
| Representative example | Personal loan of EUR20,000 over 5 years at 6.9% variable, 7.1% APR, monthly repayment EUR394.71, cost of credit EUR3,682.60 | Not confirmed |
| Rate type | Fixed | Not confirmed |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Not confirmed |
| Free early repayment | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Eligibility | 18 years of age or over, resident in the Republic of Ireland, and an existing Bank of Ireland current account customer registered for 365 online to apply online | Not confirmed |
| Origination fee (%) | 0% | Not confirmed |
| Loan types | Personal, Car, Student | Not confirmed |
Savings
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 3% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum deposit | €5 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit protection | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 | Not confirmed |
| Access terms | Save monthly by Direct Debit only, minimum €5, maximum €2,500; lump sum lodgements are not allowed; after 12 months the account defaults to the Standard Regular Saving variable rate (currently 2% AER) | Not confirmed |
| Account kind | Fixed | Not confirmed |
Mortgages
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 3.1% | Not confirmed |
| APRC | 3.8% | Not confirmed |
| Fixed period | 4 years | Not confirmed |
| Maximum loan to value | 90% | Not confirmed |
| Product fee | €150 to €250 | Not confirmed |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Buy to let, Equity release | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Emirates | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 22.1%highest quarter | 19.49% to 29.49%above the median | 11.635% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.25%above the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 7 monthslowest quarter | 12 monthsat the median | 12 months |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 5%highest quarter | 3% |
Median across 486 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Bank of Ireland
Pros
- Deposits sit under the EU deposit guarantee scheme, EU DGS up to EUR 100,000
- Personal loans fund 24-48 hours after signed credit agreement, with free early repayment
- The SuperSaver account pays 3% at a fixed rate with a minimum deposit of €5
Cons
- The Classic credit card charges €30 a year on 22.1% APR
- Currency conversion on the card costs 2.25%
- The SuperSaver account takes savings by Direct Debit only, and after 12 it reverts to the standard regular saving variable rate
Emirates
Pros
- Balance transfers cost 5% and carry an introductory period of 12.
- Skywards Miles do not expire while the card account stays open.
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, so phone, chat, email and a help centre are all covered.
Cons
- The annual fee of $99 sits far above bunq at €0.
- An APR of 19.49% to 29.49% is higher than the 14.45% median across ranked cards.
- Rewards are miles, so the value depends on how often you fly with Emirates.
Who each suits
Bank of Ireland
Who it suits
- Residents of the Republic of Ireland who already hold a Bank of Ireland current account, since online applications need an existing account
- People who save a set amount each month by Direct Debit rather than in one go
- Borrowers who want a direct lender offering personal, car and student loans
Who should look elsewhere
- Card holders who want no annual fee, where bunq charges €0 a year
- People who need a secured card to start a credit file, where Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges $0
- Card holders who want to avoid 2.25% on conversion, where Wise charges £0 a year
Emirates
Who it suits
- Emirates flyers who put most of their spending with the airline and want miles that do not expire
- Travellers who pay abroad often, since the currency conversion fee is 0%
- Anyone redeeming miles for tickets rather than cash back, given the rewards type is miles
Who should look elsewhere
- bunq, where a fee of €0 suits readers who want no annual cost and no airline loyalty tie
- Wise, at £0, for a spending card held across currencies rather than a miles card
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, at $0, for building credit history rather than collecting miles
Current offers
Emirates
Current offer
Bonus
Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for the first year with the Rewards World Elite Mastercard: Emirates Skywards Silver tier status for 12 months from card account open date
Primary cardholders only; to retain Silver tier from the second year onwards spend USD 20,000 in Net Purchases annually; status can take up to 8 weeks to reflect
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Emirates Skywards Gold tier status for the first year with the Premium World Elite Mastercard: Emirates Skywards Gold tier status for 12 months from card account open date
Primary cardholders only; to retain Gold tier from the second year onwards spend USD 40,000 in Net Purchases annually; status can take up to 8 weeks to reflect
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Bank of Ireland | Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Bank of Ireland
What rate does the SuperSaver account pay?+
SuperSaver pays 3% at a fixed rate, held for 12 from the day you open it. The minimum deposit is €5, and the rate is fixed for the whole term. Once that term ends the balance moves to the standard regular saving variable rate.
How do I pay into the SuperSaver account?+
Savings go in by Direct Debit only, starting from €5. The account is set up for a habit of regular monthly saving, and it defaults to the standard regular saving rate once 12 has passed.
Emirates
What does the Emirates credit card cost to hold?+
The card charges an annual fee of $99. Beyond that, the only other cost listed is a currency conversion fee of 0% on foreign purchases, so cardholders spending in another currency are not surcharged on top of the fee.
What interest rate applies to a balance?+
Balances carry an APR of 19.49% to 29.49%, above the 14.45% median across the cards ranked here. That rate is the reason the card suits people who pay in full, since interest at this level quickly outruns the miles earned.
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Related by the facts
Bank of Ireland
Emirates