Cathay World Elite Mastercard®
Synchrony Bank and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Synchrony Bank. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
How we calculate effective rate →
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard® from Synchrony Bank earns up to 2.6% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Its annual fee is $99. New applicants may see: You can earn 38,000 bonus Asia Miles when you open an account and spend USD 3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening..
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 2.6%
- Annual fee
- $99
Best for dining-heavy spend when the $99 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
What does the Cathay World Elite Mastercard earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 2.6% effective value (2x miles at about 1.3 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Cathay World Elite Mastercard compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight coffee.
Dining is the strongest category at 2.6% effective value (2x miles at about 1.3 cents each). That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Cathay World Elite Mastercard compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 2x miles | 2.6% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 1x miles | 1.3% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 1x miles | 1.3% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 1x miles | 1.3% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1x miles | 1.3% |
Madeen values Asia Miles at about 1.3 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.
What are the Cathay World Elite Mastercard reward caps and conditions?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard has 1 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.
- Earn 2 per USD spent on dining and eligible dining delivery services
Who should get the Cathay World Elite Mastercard?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x miles. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
Cathay World Elite Mastercard fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x miles. Madeen ranks its dining effective rate higher than about 81% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.
Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
Compare it against simpler no-fee cards if you want minimum complexity.
Best for dining-heavy spend when the $99 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Pros
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 2.6% effective (2x miles).
- That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of cards we track in the category.
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Cons
- $99 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Asia Miles value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
What is the Cathay World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus?
In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the Cathay World Elite Mastercard welcome offer is You can earn 38,000 bonus Asia Miles when you open an account and spend USD 3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change — confirm on the issuer application page before applying.
- Offer
- 38k Asia Miles (~$494 estimated)
- Terms (catalog snapshot)
- You can earn 38,000 bonus Asia Miles when you open an account and spend USD 3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Minimum spend
- $3,000
- Window
- 90Days
Does the Cathay World Elite Mastercard have an annual fee?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard has an annual fee of $99 and a foreign transaction fee of None. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $99
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
What benefits come with the Cathay World Elite Mastercard?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard includes 10% Redemption Discount, 10% Savings, Business Class lounge redemption in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.
Lyft
$1,440/yrMore rides means more adventure. Take three rides in a month with Lyft to earn a $5 credit.3* Plus, save 10% on all scheduled rides to or from U.S. airports when you pay with your World Elite or World Legend Mastercard. Offer expires 1/31/2027.
Mastercard Transit Benefit
$200/yrSave when you tap and go with your eligible Mastercard and receive a $2.50 statement credit when you spend $10 or more each month at participating transit systems.
World Elite Concierge
$150/yrComplimentary 24/7 concierge agent for lifestyle needs, travel bookings and event access.
Instacart
$140/yrGroceries and more delivered in as fast as one hour. Get $10 off your second order each month, and new Instacart+ members can also get three free months of Instacart+. Offer expires 1/31/2027.
Business Class lounge redemption
$99/yrPrimary cardholders may use their Asia Miles to redeem access to Cathay Pacific Business Class lounges.
Priority Pass
$99/yrGet access to 1,700+ airport lounges worldwide and special offers and discounts in the terminal on dining, retail and spa experiences.
Peacock
$36/yrGet $3 off Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus each month when you use your World Elite or World Legend Mastercard to subscribe. Watch new movies from theaters, buzzworthy original series, hit TV shows, live sports and so much more. Eligibility restrictions, exclusions and terms apply. Offer expires 12/31/2027.1
Priority boarding
$25/yrPrimary cardholders can enjoy the same boarding line as Premium Economy class passengers on flights operated by Cathay Pacific.
Global emergency services
$10/yrCall 1-800-MASTERCARD (1-800-627-8372) for 24/7 assistance to report a lost or stolen card.
HealthLock
$10/yrEnroll in HealthLock for Mastercard Medical Claim Monitor complimentary membership plus a 90-day upgrade to all HealthLock services at no monthly cost.
Mastercard Golf
$10/yrGet exclusive PGA TOUR® experiences and access amazing golf benefits with our Golf Concierge Service.
Mastercard ID Theft Protection
$10/yrMonitor your credit file for fraud, get alerts for suspicious activity and access a resolution specialist.
Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the Cathay World Elite Mastercard
Where do cardholders spend most with the Cathay World Elite Mastercard?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on coffee (2x), fast food (2x), other food and drink (2x) for the Cathay World Elite Mastercard. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
Does the Cathay World Elite Mastercard have an annual fee?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard carries an annual fee of $99 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.
What category earns the most with the Cathay World Elite Mastercard?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the Cathay World Elite Mastercard at about 2.6% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.
Does the Cathay World Elite Mastercard charge foreign transaction fees?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard does not charge a foreign transaction fee in Madeen's catalog snapshot, which can make it stronger for purchases outside the U.S. Issuer terms still control international acceptance and other fees.
What is the Cathay World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard welcome offer in our snapshot: You can earn 38,000 bonus Asia Miles when you open an account and spend USD 3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.
Is the Cathay World Elite Mastercard annual fee worth it?
Whether the $99 annual fee pays off depends on how much you spend in dining and whether you use the card's benefits. Compare effective rates across the cards you already carry in Madeen.
How does the Cathay World Elite Mastercard compare to similar cards?
Compare the Cathay World Elite Mastercard against Verizon Visa (4% on Dining, $0 fee); PayPal Extras Mastercard (3% on Dining, $0 fee); Venmo (3% on Dining, $0 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Cathay World Elite Mastercard This card | Dining | 2.6% | $99 |
Synchrony Bank | Dining | 4% | $0 |
Synchrony Bank | Dining | 3% | $0 |
Synchrony Bank | Dining | 3% | $0 |
| Dining | 2.8% | $99 |
Side-by-side comparisons
Store-specific guides
Madeen publishes merchant guides that rank cards for specific stores and services. Browse guides for dining spend to see which cards win at checkout.
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Synchrony Bank and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Synchrony Bank. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
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