AMEX (Middle East) B.S.C. (c) - American Express Middle East has provided reliable, flexible, tailored and rewarding solutions for its Cardmembers, Merchants and Business Partners in the region since 1977. American Express Middle East became a joint venture company in 1992, owned by Mawarid Investment Limited and American Express. Operating in 16 markets in the Middle East and North Africa region, the company issues dollar currency Credit and Charge Cards.
American Express has one of the most premium line-ups of credit cards in UAE. Amex credit cards are bundled with exclusive benefits for shopping, dining, traveling, entertainment, leisure, hotels, airport lounges and much more. You can check Amex card eligibility, fees & charges, respective rewards & benefits and minimum income requirement and American Express credit card eligibility required before applying for a new card.
American Express Credit Card Eligibility Criteria
Before moving on to the eligibility criteria for each card, let’s go through the general American Express credit card UAE eligibility-
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You must be a UAE resident and present the proper documentation for address verification
- You must fulfil the required monthly/annual income criteria set by American Express
Let’s have a look at the criteria for the major American Express credit card UAE eligibility:
Dubai Duty-free American Express Credit Card
- Annual Membership Fee: AED 183.75*
- Minimum Annual Income Required -
- For Employed Applicants: AED 180,000
- For Self-employed Applicants: AED 275,000
American Express Gold Credit Card
- Annual Membership Fee: USD 183.75*
- Minimum Annual Income Required
- For Employed Applicants: USD 75,000
- For Self-employed Applicants: AED 100,000
American Express Platinum Credit Card
- Annual Membership Fee: AED 735*
- Minimum Annual Income Required -
- For Employed Applicants: AED 255,000
- For Self-employed Applicants: AED 275,000
Documents Required to Apply for an American Express Credit Card
To apply for an American Express credit card, you would have to submit a few documents as per the provider’s requirements. Listed below are the standard documents for the Amex credit cards –
- Your Emirates ID
- A copy of your passport
- Your visa (copy)
- A copy of your address proof, which can include any of the following -
- Emirates ID
- Utility bill
- Tenancy contract
- Bank statement of the salary account
List of American Express credit cards, their benefits and features.
1. The American Express Card
- Interest Rate is 0%
- Minimum Salary is AED 18.4K
- Fx Rate is 2.8%
- The annual Fee is AED 349
- No Balance Transfer
- No Cashback
Features
- This card is a charge card, but not a credit card.
- There is no preset spending limit on this card.
- Get complimentary retail protection insurance with this card.
- The person should be of the age 21 and above to avail this card.
- You can get worldwide customer care with this card.
- The Forex rate on this card is 2.8%
- There are no interest charges on this card.
- You need to have an annual income of at least USD 60,000 (employed) and USD 75,000 (self-employed)
- There is no balance transfer facility on this card.
Benefits
- You get retail protection insurance of USD 1000 per occurrence and USD 30000 for any theft or any accidental occurrence per year.
- Online and Fraud protection guarantee.
- 24/7 Customer service.
- Online account access and E-Statement alerts.
- Travel accident insurance of up to USD 1,00,000
- Travel inconveniences cover up to USD 750.
- Enjoy various membership rewards with American Express.
- You will always earn 1 full Membership Rewards Point for every USD 1 of spends.
2. The American Express Gold Card
- Interest Rate is 0%
- Minimum Salary is AED 23K
- Fx Rate is 2.8%
- The annual Fee is AED 643
Features
- Access to membership rewards program.
- This card is a charge card, but not a credit card.
- You get access to worldwide customer care.
- There is no preset spending limit on this card.
- Complimentary travel accident and insurance if you book your flight tickets with this card.
- You need to pay off your balance in full each month.
- There are no interest charges on this card.
- You should be 21 years old and above.
- Get access to worldwide customer care.
- The Forex rate applicable on this card is 2.8%
- You should have an annual income of USD 75,000.
Benefits
- Access to airport lounges in the Middle East.
- Exclusive offers bought to you by American Express.
- Travel accident insurance of up to USD 3,50,000.
- Travel inconveniences cover up to USD 1000.
- Online fraud protection guarantee.
- 24/7 Customer service.
- Online account access and E-Statement alerts.
- Retail protection insurance of up to USD 1500 per occurrence and USD 40,000 per year against theft and accidental damage of up to 90 days.
3. The Dubai Duty-Free American Express Card
- Interest Rate is 3.25%
- Minimum Salary is AED 15K
- Fx Rate is 2.8%
- The annual Fee is AED 175
- No Balance Transfer
- No Cashback
Advantages
- 10% savings at Dubai Duty-free
- Provides purchase protection
- Entries to world-famous lucky draws
Features
- Exclusive worldwide offers on leisure, dining and travel with this card.
- You need to pay in full instalments.
- Complimentary travel accident and insurance cover with this card.
- You can save 10% at Dubai duty-free.
- You can get chances to win raffle entries into the Millennium millionaire and Finest Surprise each month.
- You should be of 21 years and above to avail this card.
- Worldwide customer assistance from our bank.
- The Forex rate for this card is 2.8%
- There is an annual interest rate of 39%.
- You get a 56-day interest-free period and a 3.25% interest for the outstanding amount.
- You should have an annual income of AED 1,80,000 and AED 2,75,000 for self-employed.
Benefits
- Online fraud protection guarantee.
- 24/7 Customer service.
- Retail protection insurance covers insurance against accidental theft and damage.
- You can get online and SMS alerts.
- You can also ask for a supplementary card if required.
- Exclusive offers only at Dubai Duty free.
- Complimentary retail protection insurance for 90 days.
4. The American Express Gold Credit Card
- Interest Rate is 3.25%
- Minimum Salary is AED 15K
- Fx Rate is 2.8%
- The annual Fee is AED 395
- No Balance Transfer
- No Cashback
Advantages
- Earn 1 reward point per every AED 4
- Free travel insurance
- Free access to airport lounges
Features
- 24/7 Customer service.
- You need to pay the bill in full or in instalments.
- Worldwide customer care and emergency card replacement are available with this card.
- You should be of 21 years and above to avail this card.
- You should have an annual income of AED 1,80,000 and AED 2,75,000 for self-employed.
- Exclusive worldwide offers for travel, leisure and dining.
- Get access to the membership rewards loyalty program.
- The Forex rate on this card is 2.8%
- The annual interest rate of 39%.
- Get 56 days of interest-free days.
Benefits
- Complimentary access to airport lounges across the Middle East.
- Travel accident insurance of up to USD 3,50,000.
- Travel inconveniences cover up to USD 4000.
- An exclusive 10% off airfares from select British Airways flights from the Middle East.
- Online fraud protection guarantee.
- Retail protection insurance covers insurance against accidental theft and damage.
5. The American Express Platinum Credit Card
- Interest Rate is 3.25%
- Minimum Salary is AED 31.5K
- Fx Rate is 2.8%
- The annual Fee is AED 3.1K
- No Balance Transfer
- No Cashback
Advantages
- Earn 2 membership rewards per every AED 4
- No annual fees
- Free access to airport lounges
Features
- Get various rewards on travel, dining and premium shopping.
- You need to pay in full instalments.
- Get a complimentary pass membership, which enables a basic card holder or a guest to access over 1300 airports' complimentary lounges in over 140 countries.
- Complimentary travel accident insurance and inconvenience cover when you book your airline tickets with this card.
- You should be of 21 years and above to avail this card.
- Worldwide customer care and emergency card replacement insurance.
- The membership reward points of this card never expire.
- The Forex rate on this card is 2.8%
- There is an annual interest rate of 39%
Benefits
- Discounts on dining, health, leisure and shopping.
- Access to 1300 airport lounges across the globe with priority passes.
- Comprehensive travel insurance and emergency assistance through global assist.
- An exclusive 10% off airfares from select British Airways flights from the Middle East.
- You can get online and SMS alerts.
- You can also ask for a supplementary card if required.
- Can avail of a discount of up to 25% on First & Business Class when booking flights with top airlines through the International Airline Programme. T&Cs apply.
- Exclusively for new customers: Apply through the Amex MENA app and earn up to 30,000 bonus membership reward points. T&Cs apply.
- Apply through digital applications and get shopping credit up to AED 1100.
AMEX Credit Card Benefits
- Get up to $300 travel voucher
- Online and mobile app services are available
- Cashback offers on selected cards
- Airport lounge access
- SMS alerts on every transaction
- Up to 10% off on purchases made at Dubai Duty-free stores
- Free travel insurance benefits
How To Apply for American Express Credit Card Online
To apply for an American Express credit card or charge card, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Visit the American Express Credit Card page or Charge Card page on their website.
Step 2: Study and compare the different cards available and select the one that best suits your requirements. Click on the 'Apply Now' button.
Step 3: The application form will open in a separate window. You will need to provide your personal details, including your name, date of birth, income, PAN, and address and check American Express credit card eligibility UAE before applying to make sure that you can meet the requirements of it.
Step 4: Click on 'Save' and continue to the next page, where you will be asked for further financial information, such as your bank details.
Step 5: Fill in the required information, review the details entered, and then click on 'Apply'.
Step 6: After submitting the application, you will receive a confirmation that the application has been received.
Step 7: American Express may ask for necessary documents to prove your legal status and identity.
If your application is successful, you will hear back within 15 days. If not, you will be notified of the decision within 90 days.
To speed up the application process, it is recommended that you double-check your application and American Express credit card eligibility criteria and have all the necessary documents ready before submitting the application.
Pros
Aspects that make this credit card amazing.
- The card offers exclusive discounts on Hotel and Travel Benefits.
- It offers discounts on dining at premium restaurants.
- The card gives VIP access and assistance to exclusive events worldwide.
- Users get accidental, medical and theft insurance coverage.
- It offers 24x7 concierge services.
- It comes with free access to premium airport lounges globally.
Cons
Aspects this credit card lacks.
- No fuel surcharge waiver.
- The annual fee is quite high, which is not affordable by many.
- Insurance does not cover items like gold, silver, antiques, securities, etc
Conclusion
American Express credit card can be considered one of the best entry-level cards in the market right now, particularly so because it is being offered by a brand like American Express, which is known globally for its premium credit cards. The only downside is that the monthly cap for maximum reward points is relatively low. You can earn AED 1250 Membership Reward Points in a month on spends of AED 7500 with the American Express Credit Card.
Still, as this credit card has one of the minimum income requirements (among American Express credit cards) and minimum credit card eligibility if you’re just about to begin your credit journey and admire the brand value of American Express, this might be a good pick for you.
