Best U.S. Credit Cards That Transfer to Emirates Skywards

Flying Emirates—especially in Business or First Class—remains one of the most coveted travel experiences. Although Emirates doesn’t offer a U.S.-branded credit card, you can earn Skywards miles efficiently through several major transferable points programs.

This updated guide explains which U.S.-based credit cards allow point transfers to Emirates Skywards, how transfers currently work, and what changes you should be aware of in 2025.

Why Transfer Points to Emirates Skywards?

Transferring from flexible credit card rewards such as Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi, and more gives unique advantages:

• Large sign-up bonuses can reward 60,000–150,000 points, providing serious mileage potential.

• Everyday spending flexibility across categories like dining, travel, and groceries.

• Freedom to optionally redeem via Emirates or other airline partners when it suits your travel plan.

Emirates Skywards Transfer Partners (U.S.-Based)

Emirates accepts transfers from the following U.S. rewards programs:

• American Express Membership Rewards

• Chase Ultimate Rewards

• Capital One Miles

• Citi ThankYou Points

• Marriott Bonvoy

• Bilt Rewards

• Brex Rewards

• HSBC Rewards (less common)

All major partners generally transfer at a 1:1 ratio—or close to it—barring changes described below The Point CalculatorNerdWallet.

2025 Policy & Transfer Updates You Should Know

First Class Redemptions Now Elite-Only

As of May 12, 2025, Emirates restricted First Class award bookings—"Classic Rewards"—to Silver, Gold, or Platinum Skywards members only. Entry-level (Blue) members can no longer book First Class directly using miles The MileLiontravelcardinsider.com The Points Guy.

However, this change does not affect upgrades from Business to First Class using miles—

even non-elite members can still upgrade if seats are available The Points GuyThe Sun.

Temporary Transfer Pauses & Devaluation Alerts

• Late May to June 2025: Transfers from Amex, Chase, and Bilt to Emirates were suspended due to internal system upgrades—but have since resumed AwardWalletUpgradedPoints.com+1Flynews24Buy Me a Coffee.

• July 27, 2025 onward: Citi ThankYou Points will see a devaluation, changing the transfer rate from 1:1 to 1:0.8 (i.e., 1,000 points yields 800 Emirates miles) AwardWalletUpgradedPoints.comKudos.

• American Express transfers are scheduled for devaluation as well—dropping from 1:1 to 5:4 starting September 16, 2025 AwardWalletFrequent Miler.

• Capital One, Brex, Marriott Bonvoy, and HSBC Rewards transfers remain at 1:1 with no announced changes The Point CalculatorEmiratesAwardWallet.

Top U.S. Credit Cards for Transferring to Emirates

Here’s a breakdown of leading U.S. credit cards by rewards program that allow point transfers to Emirates Skywards:

American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 currently; changing to 5:4 on September 16, 2025)

• The Platinum Card® from American Express

  • Welcome Bonus: Often 100,000–150,000 points

  • Earning: 5× on flights/hotels via Amex Travel

  • Perks: Airport lounge access, hotel elite status, large travel credits

• American Express® Gold Card

  • Welcome Bonus: Typically 60,000–90,000 points

  • Earning: 4× at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, 3× on flights

  • Perks: Dining credits, no foreign transaction fees

• American Express® Green Card

  • Welcome Bonus: Around 40,000 points

  • Earning: 3× on travel, transit, dining

  • Best For: New or budget-conscious travelers

Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1; now active after suspension)

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

  • Welcome Bonus: 60,000–75,000 points

  • Earning: 2× on travel and dining

  • Annual Fee: $95

  • Best For: Strong value and flexible redemption

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®

  • Welcome Bonus: 60,000–80,000 points

  • Earning: 3× on travel and dining; 10× on Chase Dining & Lyft

  • Perks: Priority Pass, $300 travel credit, trip protections

• Chase Ink Business Preferred®

  • Welcome Bonus: Up to 100,000 points

  • Earning: 3× on travel, shipping, online ads, and telecom

  • Best For: Small business owners aiming for high earnings and utility

Capital One Miles (Still 1:1; unchanged)

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

  • Welcome Bonus: 75,000 miles

  • Earning: 2× on all purchases

  • Perks: Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, flexible redemption

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

  • Welcome Bonus: 75,000–100,000 miles

  • Earning: 2× on general spending, 10× through Capital One Travel

  • Perks: Lounge access, $300 annual travel credit

• Capital One Spark Miles for Business

  • Welcome Bonus: 50,000–100,000 miles

  • Earning: 2× on business spending

  • Best For: Business owners looking for simple, consistent point earning

Citi ThankYou Points (1:1 until July 27, 2025; then 1:0.8)

• Citi Premier® Card

  • Welcome Bonus: 60,000–80,000 points

  • Earning: 3× on air travel, gas, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels

  • Annual Fee: $95

  • Best For: Everyday earners with diverse spending categories

• Citi Prestige® Card

  • Status: No longer open to new applicants; existing cardholders can still transfer and earn 5× on air travel and dining

  • Notable: Transfers will devalue to 1:0.8 later in 2025 like other Citi cards

Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 ratio plus occasional bonuses)

• Often a less efficient route unless converting hotel points; still useful if you're sitting on a stockpile of Bonvoy points.

Other Notable Programs

• Bilt Rewards – 1:1 transfers (temporarily paused mid-2025, now resumed) UpgradedPoints.com+1.

• Brex Rewards – 1:1 transfers; newer partner with limited coverage Emirates.

• HSBC Rewards – Also listed as 1:1 partner though not as commonly used The Point Calculator.

Smart Tips to Maximize Your Miles

• Transfer only when booking, since transfers are typically final and irreversible.

• Name accuracy matters: Multiple users report failures due to mismatched formatting (e.g., ALL CAPS vs. Proper Case) Reddit.

• One Amex MR account per Skywards member: Once linked, it’s difficult to change without contacting support Reddit.

• Enjoy upgrade flexibility: Continue to secure Business-to-First upgrades—even if First Class redemptions are elite-only.

• Bold moves early: With Citi and Amex devaluation on the horizon, now’s a strategic time to transfer or leverage bonuses.

Final Thoughts

Even without a U.S. co-branded Emirates card, earning Skywards miles remains accessible through major transferable programs. However, be mindful of upcoming shifts—like the First Class restrictions, transfer suspensions, and devaluations—to stay ahead and maximize value.