Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Emirates vs Virgin Money
Emirates
Virgin Money
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | EmiratesReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Virgin MoneyReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%Lower | 27.9% |
| Rewards type | Miles | Cashback |
| Balance transfer intro period | 12 months | 21 monthsHigher |
| Balance transfer fee | 5% | 2.95%Lower |
| 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 | Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option, Virgin Money Cashback offers in the credit card app, 24/7 in app chat support with Redi, Virgin Money Rewards and Virgin Red offers |
| Annual fee | $99 | Not confirmed |
| 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 |
Same on both: Currency conversion fee (0%), Card kind (Credit).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Virgin Money scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.1.
- APR is lower at Emirates: 19.49% to 29.49% vs 27.9%.
- Balance transfer fee is lower at Virgin Money: 2.95% vs 5%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Virgin Money: 21 months vs 12 months.
- Perks: only Emirates offers 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.
- Perks: only Virgin Money offers Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases, Money transfer option.
- Support channels: only Emirates offers Chat.
- Features: only Emirates offers Rewards.
- Features: only Virgin Money offers Travel.
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.
Virgin Money
Virgin Money suits UK households wanting everyday spending, travel money and card clearing under a single roof. It wins on running costs: the current account charges £0 a month and converts currency for 0%, while the credit card side is the weak point at 27.9% representative APR.
Score breakdown
| Area | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Costs $99 a year, far above a €0 median across the cards ranked here. | 9.4HigherHolding costs nothing: £0 a month and 0% to convert, while borrowing on the credit card runs at 27.9%. |
| Offer | 9.3Pays miles with no foreign transaction fee at 0%, plus tier status and lounge access. | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 9.2 | Not confirmed |
Licences and countries
| Country | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Emirates: 1. Additional countries for Virgin Money: 1.
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Credit and debit cards | 395 of 1594 | 199 of 1594 |
| Balance transfer cards | 13 of 32 | 5 of 32 |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Emirates
0
0% of 1,000
Virgin Money
0
0% of 1,000
Both come to the same total.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Where these facts come from
Emirates
- emirates.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Virgin Money
- uk.virginmoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Rewards | Travel |
| Legal entity | Emirates | Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money) |
| Headquarters | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1985 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Emirates | Virgin Money | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99highest quarter | Not confirmed | $0 |
| APR | 19.49% to 29.49%above the median | 27.9%highest quarter | 11.635 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 12 monthsat the median | 21 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
| Balance transfer fee | 5%highest quarter | 2.95%below the median | 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.
Virgin Money
Pros
- Keeping the current account costs £0 a month, so there is no standing charge to offset against the balance.
- The account's card converts currency for 0%, against a conversion fee of 0.1% at Wise.
- Help is reachable on phone, email and help centre, which includes a phone line as well as email and a help centre.
Cons
- Anything carried or bought on the credit card outside an interest free period costs 27.9% representative APR, well above the 15.5% APR most cards in this comparison sit at.
- A fee of 2.95% applies to a balance transfer, so the interest free offer is not a straight move between lenders.
- Account queries run on phone, email and help centre, while the round the clock in-app chat with Redi listed under Up to 21 months 0% interest on balance transfers, Up to 21 months 0% interest on purchases and Money transfer option belongs to the credit card, not the current account.
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
Virgin Money
Who it suits
- Households that spend or travel abroad: the account's card converts currency for 0% where Wise lists 0.1%.
- Readers clearing old card balances, who can move them onto 21 months of interest free balance transfers for a fee of 2.95% instead of a secured card such as Varo Believe Secured Credit Card.
- Customers who want a building society behind the brand: Nationwide Building Society (trading as Virgin Money) holds a Prudential Regulation Authority licence in the United Kingdom, 106078, and help runs on phone, email and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a euro account rather than a UK one: bunq's monthly fee is €0, and Virgin Money's operation sits in the United Kingdom.
- Readers who will not carry a balance at 27.9% representative APR or pay 2.95% to move one, who would do better on a secured card such as Varo Believe Secured Credit Card.
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 | Emirates | Virgin Money |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Virgin Money
What does the Virgin Money current account cost each month?+
The monthly fee is £0, so holding the account and using its card adds nothing to regular outgoings. That sits alongside 0% to convert currency on the account's card, the second figure most readers check. The account ranks 1 of 422 brands on the monthly fee measure on this site.
Does the card cost anything when I spend in another currency?+
The currency conversion charge on the account's card is 0%, and that is the figure that decides whether spending abroad is cheap to run. Wise lists a conversion fee of 0.1%, and most cards here convert at a percentage, so the gap matters for regular travellers. Virgin Money ranks 1 of 258 brands on this measure.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Emirates
Virgin Money