A credit card in UAE is a financial tool, just like a debit card, but it can provide short term loans that you may need to repay within the due date. UAE Credit card offers a range of privileges including travel, entertainment, lifestyle, and shopping. Additionally, the banks also provide credit cards specific to the customer’s needs and expenses. Some cards offer rewards and cashback, while others provide free airport lounge access and travel benefits. Banks in UAE lay down lenient criteria for individuals to obtain a credit card.
With a minimum monthly salary of AED 5,000, you can easily apply for a credit card Dubai, UAE.A little bit of security goes a long way, whether it is related to the financial aspects of your life or the non-financial ones. Credit cards are one such forms of security that come in handy when you are stuck in a financial pickle. Let’s find out more about credit cards in Dubai & UAE.
Most Popular Credit Card in UAE
List of Top Credit Card in UAE with Salary Requirements & Annual Fees
It is important to compare credit cards UAE before applying for one. Different kinds of credit cards may have different features.
Some of the cards are free, whereas some of them charge an annual fee. Each available card option comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, making a comparison between the available options becomes essential. In this digital world, an applicant can compare different cards online without any hassle. Here are some of the basic factors for making the comparison.
Interest Rate: In order to attract more customers, the card providers promise to charge low rates of interest. However, the applicant must compare rates of interest on different cards and find out the lowest possible option.
Other Fee and Charges: Every credit card involves a few compulsory charges that the cardholder has to bear. The applicant must read the fine print thoroughly so that they are aware of the fee and charges applicable on the concerned card.
Minimum Income: To be eligible to apply for credit card in UAE, the applicant must be earning a certain amount of monthly income. They must earn at least 5,000 dirhams to be eligible to apply for the card.
Rewards and Benefits: Before applying for credit cards in Dubai, the applicant must check the rewards and benefits offered on different cards. They must choose the card that is loaded with the set of benefits that are the most suitable for them.
Benefits of Credit Card in UAE
Along with instant short term loans, the UAE credit cards offer a range of shopping, lifestyle, travel, and entertainment benefits. From loyalty cashback to shopping voucher, you earn rewards with every purchase. Following are the key benefits of credit cards in the UAE.
Loyalty Benefits - Most credit cards in the UAE offer attractive loyalty program. You can earn reward points with every purchase and redeem them to avail of exclusive discounts. You can also convert your loyalty reward points into air miles to enjoy discounts on flight tickets with all partner airlines.
Airport Lounge Access - With several UAE credit cards, you can enjoy complimentary airport lounge access worldwide. In addition, the premium credit cards can offer unlimited free access along with an accompanying guest. To avail of these services, you need to do a one-time registration with the service providers like LoungeKey, Volace and more.
Exclusive Entertainment Offers - Numerous credit cards in the UAE come with exclusive entertainment offers such as Buy1Get1 offers on movie tickets, discounted access to theme parks and adventure sports along with complimentary food and beverages. However, to avail of such offers, you may need to cross the minimum monthly spending threshold.
Dining Discounts and Offers - As a credit cardholder in the UAE, you get exclusive offers on dining and restaurant expenses. Some cards offer up to 30% discount at over 1400, restaurants across the UAE. Additionally, you can also avail of Buy1Get1 offers on various diners and coffee outlets.
Discounted Flight Tickets and Stays - Using a credit card for flight booking, you can avail yourself of up to 30% discounts on flight tickets when booking with Cleartrip.com and other similar providers. Along with the travel benefits, you get attractive discounts on hotel booking such as complimentary night stays, discounted booking fare, free upgrades, complimentary food and more.
Travel Accident and Medical Insurance - When booking a ticket with your card, you get complimentary travel medical and personal accident insurance with a worldwide coverage. The protection plan is also known an as multi-trip travel insurance, and you can secure each of your journey for up to a day.
Security and Life Insurance - Several credit cards in the UAE offer discrete benefits of securing your life and the outstanding balances. With services such as credit shield insurance, you can insure your outstanding balances in case of involuntary loss of employment, cardholder’s death, critical illnesses, permanent disabilities, etc. Additionally, you get protection for your purchased items with extended warranty and purchase protections.
Convenient Financial Management - With UAE credit card, you get access various features such as interest-free days, easy payment plans, instant cash loans, utility bill payments and a full suite of online banking services to manage your card account effectively from anywhere at any time.
There are different types of plastic money in the Emirates, each catering to a different type of card user. In order to find the most suitable one and consequently pick the best credit card offers in Dubai, UAE, it is important to familiarize themselves with the various categories to better.
Here are the different types of credit cards offered in UAE:
Air Miles
Airport Lounge Access
Balance Transfer
Cash Back
Travel Discount
Cinema Offers
Golf Discount
Free For Life
Rewards & Offers
Shariah Compliant
In order to cater to customers from different income brackets, banks offer a variety of credit cards Dubai, each with its own eligibility criteria and credit limit. From free credit cards to premium ones, the following are the types of cards to be considered:
Air Miles Credit Card
Air miles, also known as travel points and frequent flyer miles, are a part of a loyalty program offered by the air miles cards. Ideally, the cardholder accumulates a set amount of air miles based on how much they spend on the credit card which can be further redeemed for booking flight tickets for free. There are two types of air miles credit cards are available in the UAE. Airline Miles, which are airline-specific reward miles and the other one is Airline ME, which are not linked with any specific airline and can be redeemed in a number of ways.
Regardless of the purpose of travel, airport lounge access credit cards can always come in handy. There are several credit cards available in Dubai that offer complimentary airport lounge access to its cardholder where they can relax and unwind before taking off.
A balance transfer credit card helps the cardholder to transfer the high-interest debt from one credit card to another with a low interest rate. Credit cards that offer a balance transfer facility can help the cardholder to save a lot on the high rate of interest by paying off the outstanding debt.
Cashback credit cards pay its cardholder back some percentage of their purchases or transactions in cash. The bank rewards the card member for the purchase made using a card by offering rewards in terms of cashback. However, the cashback amount differs from one card to another depending on the type of purchases & monthly caps, plus factoring in minimum spends requirements.
Frequent travelers would already know how expensive it is to bear all the travel expenditures. From flight tickets to hotel bookings, travel expenses can be very high at times. Keeping travel needs in mind, some of the banks and financial institutions offer travel credit cards that are exclusively designed for avid travelers.
Who does not love watching a movie in the theatre after a long working week? What better way to enjoy this if one can avail free movie tickets or discounts on booking cinema tickets? To reward its customers, some of the credit card lenders or banks in the UAE have tied up with cinemas such as VOX cinema and Reel Cinema that enables the cardholder to avail great discounts and offers on movie tickets such as complimentary movie tickets, discount on tickets as well as refreshments. Getting cinema offers credit cards especially for a movie lover is not less than a treat since it is a smart way to save money on movie tickets.
UAE is home to some of the finest golf courses in the world and also golf has become more than a sport in the country. It is no wonder that most of the banks and financial institutions offer golf credit cards that offer benefits to the customers who are either part-time or full-time golfers.
While plenty of luxury credit cards in the UAE come with an annual membership fee, there is a wide range of top tier credit cards that offer ample benefits and rewards without charging an annual membership fee for a lifetime.
Rewards & offers credit cards are one step ahead of the basic credit cards since they offer extraordinary benefits to its cardholders. Such type of cards usually provide rewards in terms of cashback, air miles, discounts, and other privileges for the amount that the card members spend with their card.
According to shariah law, Muslim people are not permitted to do business with any organization or take part in any sort of financial practice that levies interest i.e. Riba.
On the basis of Shariah law, few banks and financial institutions in the UAE offer Shariah Compliant Credit Cards. This type of Islamic credit card strictly follows shariah principles that charge profit rate instead of interest rate since Riba is strictly prohibited as per the shariah-Islamic law.
There are two platforms available to apply for the best credit card UAE – Offline, and Online.
Offline Applying Process
If you wish to apply for UAE credit card offline:
Visit the nearest branch of the desired credit card’s provider
Submit the duly filled application form
Submit the required documents
The bank will verify your documents and issue a credit card within 7 working days
Online Applying Process
In case you wish to avoid a physical visit and prefer applying from the comfort of your home, you should consider the online mode. To apply for best credit card in Dubai online, you have two options.
Option 1:
Visit the credit card provider’s website
Fill and submit e-form
Upload the soft copy of the required documents
A customer care executive will call to provide details of the card and ask for your preferred delivery address
Your online credit card application will be processed by the bank. Once the bank has verified your documents and credit card application, the credit card will be sent to your address within 7 working days.
Option 2:
If you wish to apply for credit card in UAE without any hassle within a few minutes, you should try our website.
Visit our website and find the credit card page link on the top
Click on the credit card link
Fill in the e-form
Select the desirable credit card
Fill in the details
Upload the soft copy of the required documents
The bank will verify your credit card application, details and delivery address and send the credit card to your address within 7 working days.
*Before applying for a credit card Dubai , you are advised to confirm that you meet the following credit card eligibility requirements:
You should be 21 years or older
Your minimum salary should not be less than AED 5,000
Documents Required to Apply for a Credit Card in Dubai, UAE
Given below are two tables explaining the basic documents required for both salaried and self-employed individuals in the UAE to get a credit card:
Documents Required for Salaried Individuals
Requirements for Salaried Individuals
Documents for UAE Residents
Documents for UAE Nationals
ID Proof
Emirates ID and Passport
Emirates ID and Family Book (if the bank requires)
Address Proof
Utility Bills or other documents like rental agreements holding the address of your residence
-
Proof of Valid Residency
Resident’s Visa
-
Proof of Income
Salary slips from the past few months or a salary certificate from the employer or,
Bank statements for the past 3-6 months
Salary slips from the past few months or a salary certificate from the employer or,
Bank statements for the past 3-6 months
Documents Required for Self-Employed Individuals
Requirements for Self-Employed Individuals
Documents for UAE Residents
Documents for UAE Nationals
ID Proof
Emirates ID and Passport
Emirates ID and Family Book (if the bank requires)
Address Proof
Utility Bills or other documents like rental agreements holding the address of your residence
-
Proof of Valid Residency
Resident’s Visa
-
Proof of Income
Trade license of the company
Trade license of the company
Credit Card Offers
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You can easily apply for a credit card in UAE via online and offline platforms of the banks and provider’s. Basic eligibility criteria must be met before sending out credit card applications. The acceptance of the credit card application depends upon your credibility structure and the bank’s decision.
What is the minimum salary required to get a credit card in Dubai, UAE?
The minimum salary required to get a credit card in Dubai, UAE is 5,000 AED.
What is a good credit score to apply for a credit card in UAE?
The credit score ratings range from 300 to 900. The higher the score, the higher are your chances of getting a credit card. Scores above 540 are considered “good”. You can apply for a credit card as long as your credit score falls in the “good” category. However, having a credit score of around 700 improves your chances of getting approval.
What criteria should be considered before taking out a credit card?
Ensure that you match the minimum Income criteria before applying for a credit card. In UAE minimum salary required for getting a credit card is 5,000 AED.
Check the interest rate of the credit card. It is recommended to choose a credit card with low interest rates.
Some credit cards have an annual fee. Check all the details and terms of the fee structure before applying for one.
While some cards provide value-added benefits on travel and lifestyle expenditures, others offer cashback and reward-based perks based on your monthly expenses.
How can I have a credit card without paying interest?
Yes, some credit cards have an interest-free period. The interest-free period can differ for each card. Some cards come interest-free for the first three months, others may have 40 to 55 days’ interest-free after the activation.
Are there Islamic Finance credit cards available?
Yes, many banks offer Islamic credit cards in the UAE. Islamic credit card, a Shariah-compliant financial product, is a vital part of Islamic banking. They possess the same characteristic features and benefits as their traditional counterparts: interest and period dependant credit cards. They also provide the same kind of credit facilities like cash back, loyalty points or free additional gifts at the time of purchase of goods or consumption of services, and others.
How do I make repayments on my credit card?
Most credit card providers allow customers to pay their credit card bills directly via internet banking and mobile applications. You can also use third-party applications to make your credit card bill payments.
Do all credit card products charge the same or a similar rate of interest?
No, the interest rate charged on credit cards may vary for each provider or bank.
Should I take out a credit card if I have a big purchase to make?
Interest charged on due balance on credit cards after the end of the repayment grace period is higher than any other credit tool available in the market. If you use a credit card to make a huge purchase and take more than a month to repay the amount, you may end up paying heavy interest amounts. Therefore, making small payments while staying within the healthy credit utilisation ratio is encouraged through credit cards.
How will I be able to own a credit card without paying any interest?
Several banks like Standard Chartered Bank offer credit cards with an interest-free period in the UAE. You can consider applying for one such credit card. However, remember that the interest-free period is capped at a maximum of 3 months. You will be liable to pay interest on outstanding payments after that.
What can I do in a situation where I am struggling to make the minimum payment due on my credit card?
Following procedures must be followed when you are struggling to make the minimum payment due on your credit card:
Call the banking authorities
Consolidate your credit through a personal loan
Encash the facilities offered through balance transfer cards
Apply for credit cards with higher limits once you have cleared your existing debt
Do I need to pay interest on all purchases that I make using my credit card?
Yes, all purchases through credit cards are subjected to interest unless otherwise mentioned by the banking or issuing authority.
What is the difference between a credit card and a debit card?
A debit card is funded through the savings account deposits and recurring account deposits of the consumers. On the other hand, a credit card is funded as an overdraft facility provided to the consumers for purchasing goods and consumption of services.
No Annual Fee
Dining Discounts
Cashback up to AED2,000
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