Travelling is a regular thing for several UAE residents, be it for leisure, work, or visiting family abroad. Flight reservations in such situations are a big expense, and the costs don’t stop there. Expenses like hotel stays, baggage fees, airport meals, foreign transactions, and more add up quickly.
To manage such expenses better, it’s important to choose the right travel credit card from the start. A well-chosen travel card doesn’t make your holidays free, but it reduces several costs that come with travelling. The right card can offer some of the best benefits, from rewards on everyday purchases to access to complimentary airport lounges.
However, the primary challenge is to choose the right credit card that matches your travelling habits. With multiple options available in the UAE, it is all the more relevant to compare features rather than applying for the card with a large sign-up offer.
Before choosing a reward program, you should compare how different cards offer rewards and miles. Comparing cards before applying makes it easier to understand how reward programmes, annual fees, and travel benefits vary by bank. Comparison platforms like Paisabazaar.ae help you do a side-by-side comparison of the cards and the reward structures.
Air miles dominate the promotions, but they offer only a part of the overall value that a travel credit card offers. As a traveller, you can also get benefits like:
The real rewards depend on your travel habits. If you are travelling for work, you would need travel insurance or access to airport lounges. Focus on the travel style rather than on marketing offers.
While it is important to check rewards, you cannot ignore reviewing the costs associated with spending using a credit card abroad. Some travel credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee or apply exchange rate mark-ups that can reduce the overall value of the rewards earned.
Thus, compare:
A silent but important benefit of travel credit cards is travel insurance, which can help you reduce unexpected costs. If insurance is already included in your card, you won’t need to buy a separate policy.
This complimentary benefit covers:
Before relying on this benefit, review the policy wording to understand the coverage limits, eligibility, and exclusions.
Every traveller has unique needs. Someone who travels a lot would need a card with unlimited lounge access and comprehensive travel insurance. If you are someone who plans a family holiday once a year, you may prefer a card with lower annual fees or flexible reward redemptions.
Choose a credit card depending on your travel behaviour after thorough comparisons.
With dozens of travel credit cards available in the UAE, it can be difficult and time-consuming to compare cards individually on different bank websites. Comparison platforms like Paisabazaar.ae simplify the process by letting you compare different travel credit cards side-by-side. You can compare for:
Travelling frequently doesn’t mean spending more, it means spending smarter. The right travel credit card can do more than just help with payments, especially for frequent travellers. It can cut down travel costs through air miles, travel insurance, airport lounge access, hotel privileges, and exclusive rewards.
Before applying, take time to compare the available options, understand the fine print, and select a card that really aligns with your travel habits.
Living in the UAE as an expat comes with its own set of rules, procedures, and unwritten norms. Whether you've just arrived or have been here for years, there's always something to figure out — from renewing your visa and opening a bank account to finding the right school or navigating the healthcare system. We cover the practical side of life in the Emirates so you can spend less time on bureaucracy and more time actually enjoying it.
