First Abu Dhabi Bank and Emirates NBD cards: compare minimum salary, fees, cashback and overseas costs to find the right card.
This comparison examines 6 cards in the United Arab Emirates, among them FAB Rewards Indulge, FAB Z Card, FAB Cashback, Emirates NBD SHARE Visa Infinite, across the Visa networks. Three things genuinely separate one card from another, and the annual fee is only the first: next come the bundled insurances, trip cancellation, medical cover abroad, baggage, purchase protection, whose value often exceeds the fee as soon as you travel, and foreign exchange charges, which quietly cost 2 to 3 per cent of every purchase in another currency with traditional issuers and nothing at all with the neobanks. Payment and withdrawal limits matter too, and they are negotiable. The table compares them line by line, without an overall score: the right card for a frequent traveller is not the right card for someone who rarely leaves home. Anyone going abroad twice a year usually saves more with a no-foreign-fee card than a premium card's insurance ever returns in claims.
Select 2 to 4 cards to compare side by side.
Visa
| Criteria | FAB Rewards Indulge Standard | FAB Cashback Standard | FAB Travel Card Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual Fee | No annual fees | Per the bank's Key Facts Statement | Per the bank's Key Facts Statement |
Payment Limit/mo | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit |
ATM Limit/mo | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit |
Travel Insurance (medical) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Trip Cancellation | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Baggage Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Purchase Protection | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Car Rental Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Concierge Service | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Airport Lounge Access | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Cashback / Rewards | 20% off shopping, dining and entertainment; monthly bonus FAB Rewards | Up to 5% on dining, fashion and groceries, capped at AED 1,000 a month | 12% cashback on airline and hotel bookings; free yearly return flights to 15+ destinations |
Valet Parking | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
International Acceptance | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) |
Overview of all cards. Scroll horizontally on mobile.
| Criteria | FAB Rewards Indulge Standard | FAB Z Card Standard | FAB Cashback Standard | Emirates NBD SHARE Visa Infinite Premium | FAB Travel Card Premium | FAB Elite High-end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual Fee | No annual fees | No annual fee for the 1st year | Per the bank's Key Facts Statement | Joining fee refunded after AED 40,000 spend in 3 months | Per the bank's Key Facts Statement | Per the bank's Key Facts Statement |
Payment Limit/mo | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit |
ATM Limit/mo | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit | Within credit limit |
Travel Insurance (medical) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Trip Cancellation | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Baggage Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Purchase Protection | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Car Rental Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Concierge Service | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 24/7 global concierge, luxury beach clubs, gyms and premium dining |
Airport Lounge Access | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Cashback / Rewards | 20% off shopping, dining and entertainment; monthly bonus FAB Rewards | 20% off Netflix, Spotify, Shahid; free Careem Plus and noon One; FAB's lowest interest rate | Up to 5% on dining, fashion and groceries, capped at AED 1,000 a month | 8% back in SHARE Points at 5,000+ stores and 18 malls, 1.5% elsewhere; 10 points = AED 1 | 12% cashback on airline and hotel bookings; free yearly return flights to 15+ destinations | Up to 500,000 FAB Rewards on spending |
Valet Parking | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free valet parking |
International Acceptance | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa network) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) | Very wide (Visa or Mastercard) |
Explore each type of coverage and service in detail.
| Card | Travel Medical | Trip Cancellation | Baggage | Car Rental |
|---|---|---|---|---|
FAB Rewards Indulge | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
FAB Z Card | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
FAB Cashback | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Emirates NBD SHARE Visa Infinite | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
FAB Travel Card | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
FAB Elite | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
* Cover depends on each card's terms; "Not stated" means the issuer does not mention it on its product page.
Our recommendations based on your usage profile.
You travel often and spend in foreign currency.
No fees on foreign currency spending, 12% cashback on flights and hotels and free yearly return flights (minimum salary AED 20,000). FAB Elite (AED 40,000) adds concierge and valet parking.
You want a card with no annual fee.
No annual fees, 20% off shopping, dining and entertainment, minimum salary AED 5,000. FAB Z Card: free in year one, with FAB's lowest interest rate.
You want money back on everyday spending.
8% back in SHARE Points at 5,000+ stores and Carrefour, 1.5% elsewhere, and 10,000 welcome points after AED 40,000 spend. FAB Cashback: up to 5% on dining, fashion and groceries.
You want premium services.
24/7 global concierge, free valet parking, beach club access and up to 500,000 FAB Rewards, for a monthly salary of at least AED 40,000.
Some cards require your salary to be paid into the issuing bank. All set a minimum monthly salary: AED 5,000 for most FAB cards, AED 20,000 for the FAB Travel Card and AED 40,000 for the FAB Elite.
UAE banks publish a Key Facts Statement (KFS) for each card, showing the annual fee, monthly rate and charges. Some cards have no annual fee (FAB Rewards Indulge, du Credit Card) or are free in year one (FAB Z Card).
The FAB Travel Card charges no fees on foreign currency spending. The FAB Cashback pays back up to 3% on spending abroad. Always decline conversion into dirhams offered by the terminal (DCC).
SHARE is Majid Al Futtaim's loyalty programme. With Emirates NBD's SHARE Visa Infinite card, you earn up to 8% in points at partner stores and 1.5% elsewhere; 10 points are worth AED 1.
Always pay in full: paying only the minimum means more interest and a longer time to clear your balance, as banks point out on their pages.
The UAE card market is one of the most dynamic in the region. Major banks (Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank, ADCB, Mashreq) compete with rewards programmes and partnerships with local brands (Majid Al Futtaim's SHARE, ADNOC, du). Each card sets a minimum monthly salary, from AED 5,000 for entry-level cards to AED 40,000 for high-end cards.
The UAE is among the most banked markets, with strong demand for premium cards. Digital banks such as Mashreq NEO pioneered fully mobile banking. Cards are often free in year one or have no annual fee (FAB Rewards Indulge), and the Central Bank (CBUAE) requires a Key Facts Statement for every card.
UAE cards stand out for lifestyle benefits: cashback or points at partner brands (up to 8% in SHARE Points at Emirates NBD), entertainment discounts, free subscriptions and valet parking on high-end cards such as the FAB Elite. Travel cards such as the FAB Travel Card remove fees on foreign currency spending.
Annual fees and rates appear in each card's Key Facts Statement. Several cards have no annual fee (FAB Rewards Indulge, du Credit Card) or are free in year one (FAB Z Card, FAB GEMS World). The dirham is pegged to the US dollar. Paying only the minimum sharply increases the interest you pay. The CBUAE supervises the sector; its base rate has been 3.90% since 2 October 2026.
For an expat in the UAE, first check the minimum salary required. For everyday use, a no-fee card (FAB Rewards Indulge) or a cashback card (FAB Cashback, SHARE Visa Infinite) is enough. Frequent travellers should look at the FAB Travel Card, with no foreign currency fees, or FAB's Etihad Guest cards. Always compare the KFS and pay in full each month.
* Terms collected in October 2026 from issuers' official pages (First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD). Fees and rates: see each card's Key Facts Statement. Supervised by the CBUAE (Central Bank of the UAE).