Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Emirates vs Santander UK
Emirates
Santander UK
Higher score in this comparison
Where Emirates and Santander UK differ
| Compare | EmiratesReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Santander UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | £0 |
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%Lower | 24.9% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 2.95% |
| Rewards type | Miles | None |
| Balance transfer fee | 5% | 0%Lower |
| Rewards rate | 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 | Not confirmed |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Good |
| Perks | 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 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Balance transfer intro period (12 months), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Santander UK scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Founded is lower at Emirates: 1985 vs 1988.
- APR is lower at Emirates: 19.49% to 29.49% vs 24.9%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Emirates: 0% vs 2.95%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Santander UK: 0% vs 5%.
- Support channels: only Emirates offers Email.
- Features: only Emirates offers Rewards.
- Features: only Santander UK offers Same day funding.
Our verdict on each
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.
Santander UK
Santander UK suits UK households wanting everyday banking, savings and borrowing from one Financial Conduct Authority regulated bank, with an easy-access saver paying 2% variable. The charges elsewhere, 2.95% for currency conversion and 24.9% on the credit card, are where the case weakens.
Score breakdown
| Area | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Costs $99 a year, far above a €0 median across the cards ranked here. | 8.8HigherMonthly fee £0 and annual fee £0 are low, but 2.95% on conversion and 24.9% on the card are not. |
| Offer | 9.3Pays miles with no foreign transaction fee at 0%, plus tier status and lounge access. | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 9.2 | 9.4Higher |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Credit and debit cards | 395 of 1594 | 348 of 1594 |
| Balance transfer cards | 13 of 32 | 12 of 32 |
Moving a 3,000 balance
Emirates
150
5% of 3,000
Santander UK
0
0% of 3,000
Santander UK comes out 150 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.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards | Same day funding |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Seniors |
| Legal entity | Emirates | Santander UK plc |
| Headquarters | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1985Lower | 1988 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Loans
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | Not confirmed | £1,000 to £25,000 |
| Term | Not confirmed | 12 to 60 months |
| Arrangement fee | Not confirmed | 0 GBP |
| Credit check | Not confirmed | Hard |
| Funding time | Not confirmed | Within 2 working days of releasing funds |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Lender type | Not confirmed | Direct lender |
| Free early repayment | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Eligibility | Not confirmed | Aged 21 or over, live permanently in the UK, regular yearly income of GBP 10,500+ for loans up to GBP 19,999 and GBP 20,000+ for loans up to GBP 25,000, good credit record |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 0% |
| Loan types | Not confirmed | Personal, Debt consolidation, Car |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
Personal insurance
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Premium from | Not confirmed | £6 |
| Insurance types | Not confirmed | Auto, Home, Renters, Life, Travel, Landlord, Critical illness |
| Provider type | Not confirmed | Broker |
| Monthly payments | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Excess from | Not confirmed | £100 to £500 |
| Cover limit | Not confirmed | Contents sum insured up to GBP 50,000 (Classic), unlimited (Plus) |
| Claims channels | Not confirmed | Online, Phone |
| Age range | Not confirmed | 50 and over |
Savings
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 2% |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Instant, penalty-free access; withdrawals by website, Mobile and Online Banking, in branch or over the phone |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
Mortgages
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | Not confirmed | 4.28% |
| APRC | Not confirmed | 6.2% |
| Fixed period | Not confirmed | 2 years |
| Maximum loan to value | Not confirmed | 95% |
| Product fee | Not confirmed | £999 |
| Purpose | Not confirmed | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Buy to let |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Emirates | Santander UK | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%above the median | 24.9%highest quarter | 11.635 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 2.95%highest quarter | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 12 monthsat the median | 12 monthsat the median | 12 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 5%highest quarter | 0%lowest quarter | 3% |
Median across 486 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
Santander UK
Pros
- The easy-access saver pays 2% at a variable rate with instant, penalty-free access, and deposit protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- Personal loans of £1,000 to £25,000 over 12 to 60 carry an origination fee of 0 GBP, and early repayment is free.
- Regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority, with support on chat, phone and help centre.
Cons
- Currency conversion on the basic current account costs 2.95%, against 1% for a typical brand on the site.
- Credit card borrowing runs at 24.9%, well above the 15.5% typical across the site.
- Rewards on the everyday credit card are none.
Who each suits
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
Santander UK
Who it suits
- Households that want a current account paired with an easy-access saver.
- Borrowers consolidating debt or funding home improvement, given a good credit record and a hard credit check.
- Savers who want instant, penalty-free withdrawals by app, in branch or over the phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for regular sending and converting abroad, where the conversion fee is 0.1%.
- bunq, whose plan is priced in euro with a monthly fee of €0, fits euro-based banking better.
- The Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a US dollar card with a monthly fee of $0 is the goal.
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
Santander UK
Current offer
Bonus
Get 240 GBP for switching to Everyday Current Account: 240 GBP
Switch to Everyday Current Account
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Emirates | Santander UK |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
Santander UK
What does the everyday current account cost?+
The monthly fee is £0, and the everyday credit card carries an annual fee of £0. The charge to watch is currency conversion at 2.95% on the basic current account, and help is available on chat, phone and help centre.
Is my money protected?+
Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and the bank is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Savings pay 2% at a variable rate with instant, penalty-free access.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Emirates
Santander UK